President Herbert Hoover Succeeded by William H. Woodin Succeeded by William W. Cohen Spouse Margaret Mills (m. 1911) Children Gladys Mills Phipps | Preceded by Andrew W. Mellon Preceded by Herbert C. Pell, Jr. Name Ogden Mills Parents Ogden Mills | |
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Born August 23, 1884
Newport, Rhode Island, U.S. ( 1884-08-23 ) Resting place St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, New York, U.S. Role Former United States Secretary of the Treasury Died October 11, 1937, New York City, New York, United States Books Liberalism Fights on, Speech to Be Delivered by Ogden L. Mills at Hotel Astor, New York City, April 7, 1927 Similar People Herbert Hoover, Darius Ogden Mills, Ogden Phipps, Henry Phipps - Jr, Robert Rubin | ||
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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.
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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. 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. He was admitted to the bar in 1908.
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.
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.
He resigned his seat on July 31, 1917 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
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. He was interred in St. James Churchyard, Hyde Park, New York.
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.