Alvey A. Adee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alvey Augustus Adee
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| 2nd United States Second Assistant Secretary of State | |
| In office August 3, 1886 – June 30, 1924 |
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| President | |
| Preceded by | William Hunter |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| United States Secretary of State | |
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Ad interim
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| In office September 17, 1898 – September 29, 1898 |
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| President | William McKinley |
| Preceded by | William R. Day |
| Succeeded by | John Hay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 27, 1842 Astoria, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 4, 1924 (aged 81) Washington D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Oak Hill Cemetery Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Profession | Diplomat |
Alvey Augustus Adee (born November 27, 1842 – died July 4, 1924) was a very important person in the U.S. government for a long time. He worked for the United States Department of State, which handles how America talks to other countries. He was known for his long career and for helping keep American foreign policy steady for many years. He even became the acting Secretary of State in 1898 during the Spanish–American War.
Early Life and Start in Diplomacy
Alvey Augustus Adee was born in Astoria, New York, on November 27, 1842. His father, Augustus Alvey Adee, was a surgeon in the U.S. Navy. Alvey had four siblings: George, Willie, William, and David.
He was taught by private tutors at home. Adee began his career in diplomacy when he became the private secretary for Daniel Sickles. In 1869, he went with Sickles to Madrid, Spain, where Sickles was the U.S. Minister. While in Madrid, Adee met and became friends with John Hay, who later became a U.S. Secretary of State. Adee was appointed to a position in Madrid on September 9, 1870. He served there as a chargé d'affaires (someone who temporarily leads a diplomatic mission) several times.
A Long Career in Government
Adee worked at the U.S. Legation (a type of diplomatic office) in Madrid for eight years. In 1877, he returned to the United States and started a temporary job in Washington, D.C. with the State Department. A year later, in 1878, he became the Chief of the department's Diplomatic Bureau.
He was promoted again in 1882 to Third Assistant Secretary. Then, in 1886, he became the Second Assistant Secretary. He held this important job for 38 years, until he passed away! In 1888, he received an honorary Master of Arts degree from Yale University.
A very important time in Adee's career was during the Spanish–American War in 1898. The Secretary of State, John Sherman, was old and not well. The Assistant Secretary of State, William R. Day, was new to diplomacy. This meant that Adee, who was the third-highest official, was actually in charge of U.S. diplomacy during the war.
After both Sherman and Day left the department, Adee officially became the acting Secretary of State for two weeks. This was from September 17 to September 29, 1898. He held this role until John Hay, his friend from Madrid, returned from England to become the new Secretary. Adee was also in charge of the State Department during the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900. This was because Secretary Hay was sick, and the Assistant Secretary was away.
Later Years and Legacy
After 1909, Adee's health started to decline, but he continued to work as Second Assistant Secretary. He worked until his death on July 4, 1924, at his home in Washington, D.C. He is buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Adee never married or had children. He was known for his yearly summer bicycle trips through Europe. He continued these trips until World War I began. He often went with Alexander Montgomery Thackara, an American consul, and his wife Eleanor, who was the daughter of General William Tecumseh Sherman.
Some people believe that Alvey Adee was a major inspiration for the character of Nero Wolfe, a famous detective in books by Rex Stout. Adee was known for being smart, organized, and a master of the English language, much like the fictional character.
