born July 17, 1745, Salem, Mass.
died Jan. 29, 1829, Salem, Mass., U.S.
U.S. politician.
He joined the militia in 1766 and served in the American Revolution under George Washington , becoming adjutant general (177778) and quartermaster general (178085). He later served as U.S. postmaster general (179195), secretary of war (1795), and secretary of state (17951800). He served in the U.S. Senate from 1803 to 1811 and in the House of Representatives from 1813 to 1817. A leader of the Federalist Party , he was a member of the Essex Junto , and he opposed the War of 1812 . After retiring from politics, he turned to experimental farming and education.