John George Nicolay: The Man in Lincoln's Shadow

About this book

"John George Nicolay played a pivotal role in Abraham Lincolns presidency and the preservation of his legacy. Whereas Lincolns other secretary John Hay has received extensive attention Nicolay until now has remained somewhat hidden. In this important work Allen Carden and Thomas J. Ebert bring Nicolay to life and examine the role he played in Lincolns administration and as coauthor with Hay of a massive Lincoln biography. The result is a work that should be read by all students of Abraham Lincoln." Louis P. Masur Distinguished Professor of American Studies and History and author of Lincolns Last Speech and Lincolns Hundred Days Apart from the presidents family arguably no one was closer to Abraham Lincoln during his tenure in the White House than John George Nicolay. A German immigrant with a keen intelligence and tenacious work ethic Nicolay (1832-1901) served as Lincolns personal secretary and owing to the extraordinary challenges facing the White House became in effect its first chief of staff. His subsequent role as lead researcher and coauthor of a monumental ten-volume biography of the sixteenth president made him the progenitor of Lincoln scholarship. This study represents the first scholarly biography of this self-effacing man so long overshadowed by Lincoln. Drawing on extensive research in the Nicolay Papers Allen Carden and Thomas Ebert trace Nicolays childhood arrival in America to his involvement in journalism and state government in Illinois. Acquainted with Lincoln in Springfield Nicolay became a trusted assistant selected by Lincoln to be his private secretary. Intensely devoted to the president he kept the White House running smoothly and allowed Lincoln to focus on the top priorities. After Lincolns death Nicolays greatest achievement was his co-authorship with his White House assistant John Hay of the first thoroughly documented account of Lincolns life and administration a work still consulted by historians. Nicolay Carden and Ebert write did not make Lincoln great but he helped make it possible for Lincoln to achieve greatness. An essential addition to Lincoln studies this edifying volume reveals not only how Nicolay served the Great Emancipator during his administration but also how he strove to preserve and shape Lincolns legacy for generations to come.