Oliver Wolcott Jr.

Oliver Wolcott Jr.
Born	Oliver Wolcott Jr. 11 1, 1760
Birthplace	Litchfield, Connecticut Colony, British America
Died	Template:Death date and age New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, judge, public official
Known for	2nd United States Secretary of the Treasury; 24th Governor of Connecticut
Education	Yale University
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Stoughton

Oliver Wolcott Jr. (January 11, 1760 – June 1, 1833) was an American politician, judge, and public official who served as the second United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1795 to 1800, succeeding Alexander Hamilton, and as the 24th Governor of Connecticut from 1817 to 1827. Born into one of Connecticut's most prominent political families — his father, Oliver Wolcott, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Connecticut — the younger Wolcott built a career that spanned the formative decades of the American republic. He served under both President George Washington and President John Adams at the Treasury Department, playing a central role in the financial administration of the early federal government. A veteran of the American Revolutionary War, Wolcott also served briefly as a judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit before returning to Connecticut, where he entered state politics and served a decade as governor. Over the course of his long public life, Wolcott's political affiliations shifted from the Federalist Party to the Toleration Party and ultimately to the Jacksonian movement, reflecting the broader political transformations taking place in the young nation.

Early Life

Oliver Wolcott Jr. was born on January 11, 1760, in Litchfield, in the Connecticut Colony of British America. He was the son of Oliver Wolcott Sr., who would go on to serve as a delegate to the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the 19th Governor of Connecticut. The Wolcott family was part of the Griswold-Wolcott family, one of the most politically influential dynasties in Connecticut's history, with roots extending back to colonial governor Roger Wolcott.

Growing up in Litchfield, Wolcott was raised in an environment steeped in public service and colonial politics. Litchfield itself was a notable center of legal and political activity in eighteenth-century Connecticut, home to the Litchfield Law School and a hub for civic leaders during the Revolutionary era. The town's historical significance during the American Revolution shaped the young Wolcott's worldview and prepared him for a life of public engagement.

When the American Revolutionary War broke out, Wolcott was still a teenager, but he entered military service with the Continental Army in 1777 at the age of seventeen. He served until 1779, gaining firsthand experience of the war that would define his generation. His military service, though relatively brief, connected him to the broader network of Revolutionary leaders and instilled in him a commitment to the new American republic that would guide his subsequent career in government.

Education

Oliver Wolcott Jr. attended Yale University, one of the premier institutions of higher learning in colonial and early republican America. After completing his studies at Yale, Wolcott read law, the standard method of legal education in the eighteenth century, in which aspiring attorneys studied legal texts and practiced under the supervision of an established lawyer rather than attending a formal law school. This legal training equipped him with the analytical and administrative skills that would prove essential in his later career in public finance and government. His education at Yale also connected him to a network of alumni who occupied prominent positions in Connecticut and national politics, facilitating his entry into public life.

Career

Revolutionary War Service

Wolcott's public career began during the American Revolutionary War, when he served in the Continental Army from 1777 to 1779. Although details of his specific military engagements are limited in the available record, his service during the conflict placed him among the generation of young Americans who fought for independence and subsequently shaped the institutions of the new nation. His wartime experience provided him with connections to other Revolutionary veterans and a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing the fledgling republic.

Early Government Service in Connecticut

After the war and the completion of his legal studies, Wolcott entered government service in his home state. In 1788, he was appointed Comptroller of Public Accounts for Connecticut, a position he held until 1789. In this role, Wolcott oversaw the financial accounts of the state government, gaining experience in public finance that would prove critical to his future career at the federal level. His tenure as comptroller coincided with the ratification of the United States Constitution and the establishment of the new federal government, events that would soon draw him to the national stage.

United States Treasury Department

With the creation of the federal government under the Constitution, Wolcott transitioned from state to national service. In 1789, he was appointed Auditor of the United States Treasury Department, one of the first officials to serve in the newly established department under Secretary Alexander Hamilton. As auditor, Wolcott was responsible for examining and certifying the accounts of the federal government, a foundational task in the creation of a functioning national fiscal system.

In 1791, Wolcott was promoted to the position of Comptroller of the Treasury, a more senior role within the department. As comptroller, he had broader authority over the review and settlement of government accounts and worked closely with Hamilton in implementing the new nation's financial policies. The Treasury Department during this period was engaged in establishing the credit of the United States, managing the national debt, creating a national banking system, and building the administrative infrastructure necessary for federal revenue collection. Wolcott's competence and reliability in these roles made him Hamilton's trusted subordinate and eventual successor.

Secretary of the Treasury

On February 3, 1795, Wolcott succeeded Alexander Hamilton as the second United States Secretary of the Treasury, serving initially under President George Washington and subsequently under President John Adams. His appointment reflected the confidence that both Hamilton and Washington placed in his abilities as an administrator and his loyalty to Federalist fiscal policies.

As Secretary of the Treasury, Wolcott was responsible for managing the nation's finances during a period of significant international tension. The 1790s saw the eruption of war between France and Britain, which posed challenges for American trade and diplomacy. Wolcott oversaw the continued implementation of Hamilton's financial program, including the management of the national debt, the collection of customs duties and excise taxes, and the administration of the First Bank of the United States.

One notable episode during Wolcott's tenure involved the pursuit of Ona Judge, an enslaved woman who had escaped from the household of President George Washington in 1796. Washington wrote to Wolcott seeking his assistance in efforts to recover Judge, who had fled to New Hampshire. Washington also corresponded with Joseph Whipple, the collector of customs in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, regarding the matter, illustrating the extent to which federal officials were drawn into the enforcement of slaveholders' claims during this period. The episode reflects the complex intersection of federal authority, slavery, and personal relationships that characterized the early republic.

Wolcott served as Secretary of the Treasury until December 31, 1800, when he resigned at the end of the Adams administration. His tenure spanned nearly six years, making him one of the longer-serving treasury secretaries of the early republic. He was succeeded by Samuel Dexter, who served briefly before the incoming Jefferson administration took office. Wolcott's time at the Treasury coincided with a period of increasing partisan conflict between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, and the contentious presidential election of 1800 between Adams and Thomas Jefferson marked a turning point in American politics.

Federal Judiciary

Following his departure from the Treasury, Wolcott received a judicial appointment from President John Adams. On February 20, 1801, he was appointed as a judge of the United States Circuit Court for the Second Circuit, a position created by the Judiciary Act of 1801. This act, passed in the final weeks of the Adams administration, expanded the federal judiciary by creating new circuit court judgeships — appointments that became known as the "Midnight Judges" because they were made by the outgoing Federalist president in the waning days of his term.

Wolcott's tenure on the bench was short-lived. The incoming Jefferson administration and the Democratic-Republican Congress moved to repeal the Judiciary Act of 1801, and the new Judiciary Act of 1802 abolished the circuit court judgeships that had been created the previous year. Wolcott's seat was abolished effective July 1, 1802, ending his judicial service after approximately sixteen months. The episode illustrated the fierce partisan battles over the structure and control of the federal judiciary in the early republic.

Private Life and Business

After the abolition of his judicial seat, Wolcott turned to private pursuits. He engaged in business activities and resided for a time in New York. This period marked a transition in his career, as he moved away from federal service and eventually redirected his political energies toward his home state of Connecticut.

Governor of Connecticut

Wolcott returned to prominence in Connecticut politics when he was elected the 24th Governor of Connecticut, taking office on May 8, 1817. His election represented a significant political shift in the state. By this time, Wolcott had moved away from his earlier Federalist affiliations and aligned himself with the Toleration Party, a coalition that sought to end the established Congregational church's privileged position in Connecticut and to promote religious toleration and constitutional reform.

The Toleration Party's victory in 1817, with Wolcott at its head, led to one of the most consequential developments in Connecticut's political history: the adoption of the Connecticut Constitution of 1818, which replaced the colonial-era charter that had served as the state's governing document. The new constitution disestablished the Congregational Church, guaranteed religious freedom, expanded suffrage, and established a more modern framework of government with a clear separation of powers.

Wolcott served as governor for a full decade, from 1817 to 1827, one of the longest gubernatorial tenures in Connecticut history. During his time in office, his lieutenants included Jonathan Ingersoll and David Plant. He was succeeded as governor by Gideon Tomlinson. In the final years of his political life, Wolcott's affiliations shifted once more, as he aligned himself with the emerging Jacksonian movement from approximately 1827 to 1829, reflecting the ongoing realignment of American political parties during this era.

Personal Life

Oliver Wolcott Jr. married Elizabeth Stoughton, and the couple resided in Litchfield, Connecticut, for much of their lives. The Wolcott family home in Litchfield was a significant landmark in the town, which has maintained a strong connection to its Revolutionary-era heritage.

Wolcott was the son of Oliver Wolcott Sr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Connecticut, and was a descendant of Roger Wolcott, who served as colonial governor of Connecticut. The Griswold-Wolcott family was one of Connecticut's leading political families across multiple generations.

Oliver Wolcott Jr. died on June 1, 1833, in New York City, at the age of 73. He is buried, and his grave is documented in public records.

Recognition

The Oliver Wolcott Library in Litchfield, Connecticut, bears the family's name and serves as both a public library and a community institution connected to the town's historical heritage. The Litchfield Historical Society maintains archival materials related to Wolcott and his family, reflecting their significance in the town's and the state's history.

Wolcott's role in early American financial administration has been noted in historical scholarship on the Treasury Department and the broader history of the early republic. His involvement in the establishment of federal fiscal institutions under Hamilton and his continuation of those policies as secretary placed him at the center of debates over the economic direction of the new nation. His correspondence with President Washington, preserved in collections such as the Writings of Washington, provides important primary source material for historians studying the operations of the early federal government.

The National Archives and Records Administration holds records related to Wolcott's service, including documents from his tenure at the Treasury Department. His papers and legacy are also documented through the Social Networks and Archival Context cooperative.

An 1820 engraving of Wolcott is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, depicting him during his tenure as Governor of Connecticut.

Legacy

Oliver Wolcott Jr.'s career traced the arc of the early American republic, from the Revolutionary War through the establishment of the federal government and into the era of Jacksonian democracy. As the second Secretary of the Treasury, he inherited and maintained the financial system created by Alexander Hamilton, ensuring institutional continuity during a period of political upheaval. His nearly six years of service at the head of the Treasury Department provided stability as the nation navigated the challenges of neutrality amid European wars and domestic partisan conflict.

As Governor of Connecticut, Wolcott presided over a transformative period in the state's history. The adoption of the Connecticut Constitution of 1818 during his governorship represented a fundamental modernization of the state's governing framework, ending the established church's privileged position and expanding democratic participation. This constitutional reform placed Connecticut on a more equal footing with other states that had already adopted post-Revolutionary constitutions and established principles of religious freedom and separated governmental powers that endure in the state to the present day.

Wolcott's shifting political affiliations — from Federalist to Tolerationist to Jacksonian — reflected broader patterns of political realignment in the early republic. Rather than remaining fixed in one partisan camp, Wolcott adapted to changing political circumstances and aligned himself with movements that sought reform and broader democratic participation. His willingness to break with the Federalist establishment in Connecticut and lead the Toleration Party to power demonstrated political flexibility and a responsiveness to evolving public sentiment.

The Wolcott family's multi-generational legacy of public service, spanning from colonial governor Roger Wolcott through the elder Oliver Wolcott's signing of the Declaration of Independence to the younger Wolcott's service in the federal and state governments, represents one of the more notable family political traditions in American history. Litchfield, Connecticut, continues to honor this legacy through its cultural and historical institutions.