Born at Monroe, North Carolina. Received A.B. from South Carolina College in 1887 and A. M. from Harvard in 1892. Received LL.D. from Tulane in 1903. Married Helen Beall December 11, 1895. They had five children.

Superintendent of Schools in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 1888 to 1891. Taught at Harvard 1891 to 1902. President of Agriculture and Mechanics College of Texas 1902 to 1905. President of the University of Texas 1905 to 1908.

Appointed Secretary of Agriculture by President Wilson and served 1913 to 1920. Appointed Secretary of the Treasury and served February 1920 to March 1921. Also Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board and Farm Loan Board February 1920 to March 1921. After leaving office he became president of the Bell Telephone Securities Company. President of Mutual Life Insurance Company 1927 to 1940. He died in New York City.

bio: BDEB; DAB; WWWA-1

obit: NYT 9/3/40