Ogden L. Mills

Ogden L. Mills
50th United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office February 12, 1932 – March 3, 1933
President	Herbert Hoover
Preceded by	Andrew W. Mellon
Succeeded by	William H. Woodin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 17th district
In office March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1927
Preceded by	Herbert C. Pell, Jr.
Succeeded by	William W. Cohen
Member of the New York Senate from the 17th district
In office January 1, 1915 – December 31, 1917
Preceded by	Walter R. Herrick
Succeeded by	Courtlandt Nicoll
Personal details
Born	August 23, 1884 Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.
Died	October 11, 1937 (aged 53) New York City, New York, U.S.
Resting place	St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Margaret Styuvesant Rutherford Mills (1st wife) Dorothy Randolph Fell Mills (2nd wife)
Parents	Ogden Mills Ruth Livingston Mills
Alma mater	Harvard University (1904) Harvard Law School (1907)
Occupation	Politician
Signature
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1917-1918
Rank	Captain
Battles/wars	World War I

Ogden Livingston Mills (August 23, 1884 – October 11, 1937) was an American lawyer, businessman and politician. He served as United States Secretary of the Treasury in President Herbert Hoover's cabinet.^[1][2]

Early years

Mills was born on August 23, 1884, in Newport, Rhode Island, the son of Ogden Mills, a financier and racehorse owner, and his wife, the former Ruth T. Livingston.^[2] He had twin sisters, Beatrice Mills Forbes and Gladys Mills Phipps, and was the grandson of the banker Darius Ogden Mills.

Mills graduated from Harvard University in 1904, and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1907.^[3] He was admitted to the bar in 1908.^[2]

Mills married his first wife, Margaret Styuvesant Rutherford, the step-daughter of William Kissam Vanderbilt, on September 20, 1911. They divorced in 1919. Mills married his second wife, the former Dorothy Randolph Fell, on September 2, 1924. She was the former wife of the banker John R. Fell.

While in New York, Mills was an active member of the New York Civitan Club.^[4]

Political career

Mills was a delegate to the 1912, 1916 and the 1920 Republican National Conventions. He was a member of the New York State Senate from 1915 to 1917, sitting in the 138th, 139th and the 140th New York State Legislatures, and was the Chairman of the Committee on Affairs of the New York City, New York in 1917.^[5]

He resigned his seat on July 31, 1917^[6] to enlist in the United States Army, and served with the rank of captain until the close of World War I.

After the war, he served as President of the New York State Tax Association. He was to elected to the Republican Party, from the 67th, 68th and the 69th United States Congresses, holding office from March 4, 1921 until March 3, 1927.

In 1926, Mills ran on the Republican ticket for the Governor of New York, but was defeated by Al Smith, the incumbent Democrat.

Treasury

Corner stone of a post office dedicated during Mills' tenure as Treasury Secretary.

Mills was appointed in 1927, by the President Calvin Coolidge as the Undersecretary of the Treasury, serving under Secretary Andrew W. Mellon.

In 1932, Mills was appointed by President Herbert Hoover as Secretary of the Treasury. He remained in office until March 3, 1933.

Later life and death

After leaving the Treasury Department, Mills was highly critical of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. He continued to be active in business, and published his views in two books, What of Tomorrow in 1935 and The Seventeen Million in 1937.

Mills served on the boards of the Lackawanna Steel Company, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Virginia & Truckee Railroad, Mergenthaler Linotype Company and the Shredded Wheat Company.

Mills died of heart disease in Manhattan, New York, on October 11, 1937.^[1] He was interred in St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, New York.^[2]

Horse racing

Mills and his sister Gladys owned Wheatley Stable, a horse racing and breeding operation. Their stable owned and bred Seabiscuit as well as Bold Ruler, whose offspring includes Secretariat.

Mills also owned Kantar who won the 1928 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

References

1. "Ogden Mills Dies Suddenly At 53. Former Secretary of Treasury Is Stricken by Heart Attack in His Home Here". New York Times. October 12, 1937. Retrieved 2013-12-18. Ogden L. Mills, former Secretary of the Treasury and a Republican party leader often suggested as a possible Presidential nominee, died suddenly yesterday of a heart attack in his home at 2 East Sixtyninth Street.
2. "Ogden Livingston Mills". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2013-12-18. ... born in Newport, R.I., August 23, 1884; attended the public schools; was graduated from the academic department of Harvard University in 1904 and from the law department of that institution in 1907; admitted to the New York bar in 1908 and commenced practice in New York City; ... died in New York City, October 11, 1937; interment in St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, N.Y.
3. Harvard Alumni Directory. Harvard University. 1919. Mills, Ogden Livingston [c 01-04, A.B. 05 l 04-07, LL.B. Law.]
4. Cundy, Arthur (October 1935). "Why an International!". The Civitan (Birmingham, AL: Civitan International) XVII (2): 17.
5. COMMITTEE ON CITY NAMED in NYT on January 11, 1917
6. MILLS QUITS STATE SENATE in NYT on August 1, 1917

External links

• United States Congress. "Ogden L. Mills (id: M000776)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Ogden L. Mills at Time magazine
• Staatsburgh State Historic Site at www.staatsburgh.org