Death of Ex-Governor Wolcott

Roger Wolcott '70, ex-governor of Massachusetts, died of typhoid fever at his home in Boston yesterday afternoon, after a long illness.

Governor Wolcott was born in Boston on July 13, 1847. and entered Harvard as a Sophomore in the class of 1870. Always ranking high in his class, he graduated among the first twenty-five and was elected a member of the Phi Beta Kappa. He was also Class Day orator. While in College he wrote several articles for the Advocate, which was at that time the only college paper at Harvard. After graduation he spent one year as a tutor at Harvard and then went for three years to the Law School, getting his LL.B. in 1874.

For a few years he had a law office in Boston, but the care of his property and his duties as the trustee of various estates prevented much active practice. Finally in 1876 he began his career as a public man. In 1877, 1878 and 1879 he was a member of the Common Council, and was a Representative in the Massachusetts House from 1882 to 1884. In spite of his outside duties, he was one of the most hardworking members of the House. His enthusiastic support of Grover Cleveland in the Blaine campaign was consistent with his independence and fearlessness.

As lieutenant-governor from 1893 to the death of Governor Greenhalge in 1896, he began to take up the responsibilities which he bore so well during the next three years as Governor of the State. His labors in these years were a great strain upon him, for he tried to meet all the claims that his great popularity made upon him. While resting in Europe last summer he was appointed ambassador to Italy, but he has since refused the honor.

Lieutenant-Governor and Governor of Massachusetts, he filled these important offices with marked ability, dignity, and devoted service. The same noble qualities marked also every stage of his career. The only son of a wealthy family, he came to College with the determination to make the best use of his time and opportunities,--and he did so. For ten years he was a member of the Board of Overseers; and in one public service or another he spent the remainder of his life.

Whether men agreed with him or not in his social or political estimates, no man ever suggested that Roger Wolcott fell below his own lofty ideas--and they were the ideals of a man of honor and Christian faith. Conscious that much had been given to him, more than is generally bestowed upon man, he was determined to render a good account of his talents.

Well beloved son of the College, he was in this generation the fulfillment of Harvard's ideal; "and the grief of a whole state is the witness of his success.