William Gibbs McAdoo Jr. (1863-1941)

Secretary of the Treasury, US Senator, Presidential Candidate. He was born in Marietta, Georgia, where he attended rural schools. He received his degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville before studying law. Admitted to the bar in 1885, he commenced practice in Chattanooga, moving his practice to New York City in 1892. While in New York, he developed a system of train tunnels between New York and New Jersey beneath the Hudson River. From 1902 until 1913 he served as president of the company which constructed and operated those tunnels. Following Woodrow Wilson's election as President in 1912, he was appointed Secretary of the Treasury. On May 7, 1914, he married the President's daughter, Eleanor Randolph Wilson, at the White House. As Secretary, he was vital in legislation that founded the Federal Reserve. Due to a severe coal shortage in the winter of 1917, President Wilson commandeered the railroads on behalf of the United States government to move American troops, their supplies, and coal. He served as Director General of Railroads from 1917 to 1919 with the task of consolidating the railway lines for the war effort. Serving in Wilson's Cabinet until 1918, he resigned to begin his own campaign for the White House. When the Democratic party convened in San Francisco, he was a leading candidate but he lost the nomination to James M. Cox. In 1922 he moved to Los Angeles. He again sought the Presidency in 1924 and was clearly the front runner again. At the convention he led on a record 100 ballots before losing the nomination on the 103rd ballot to John W. Davis. In 1932 he was elected to the United States Senate from California. He lost his bid for renomination in 1938 and returned to Los Angeles as chairman of the board of a steamship line. While on a business trip to Washington D.C. he suddenly died.

Bio by: Ugaalltheway