Lindley Miller Garrison (November 28, 1864 – October 19, 1932) was an American lawyer from

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

who served as

Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

under

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He was the only History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to serve as president during the Prog ...

between 1913 and 1916.

Biography

Early years

Lindley Miller Garrison was born in

Camden, New Jersey Camden is a City (New Jersey), city in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan region. The city was incorporated on February 13, 1828.Snyder, John P''The Story of ...

, the son of the Reverend Joseph Fithian Garrison (1823–1892) and Elizabeth Vanarsdale (Grant) Garrison (1829–1903). His brother was Charles G. Garrison, an associate justice of the

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the supreme court, highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases cha ...

He attended public schools and the

Protestant Episcopal Academy The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in ...

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

. He studied at

Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy (often called Exeter or PEA) is an Independent school, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Established in 1781, it is America's sixth-oldest boarding school and educates an es ...

for one year before attending

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

as a special student from 1884 to 1885. He studied law in the office of Redding, Jones & Carson of Philadelphia, received a law degree from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

, and was admitted to the bar in 1886. He practiced law in Camden from 1888 to 1898 and became a partner in the firm of Garrison, McManus & Enright in

Jersey City Jersey City is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, second-most populous

in 1899. He married Margaret Hildeburn in Jersey City on 30 June 1899. Garrison served as vice-chancellor of New Jersey from 1904 to 1913, where he came to Governor

's notice.

Secretary of War

From March 5, 1913 to February 10, 1916, Garrison served as Secretary of War in the Wilson administration. Garrison and Wilson never fit well together. Garrison was much more willing to intervene militarily overseas than was the President. This was especially evident in regard to Mexico. Garrison urged American intervention into the Mexican revolution to restore order. During the Preparedness campaign of 1916, when Wilson was trying to convince Congress to raise military spending, Garrison supported a plan for expanding the US military with what he called the Continental Army Plan. Garrison's proposal would establish a standing army of 140,000 and a national, volunteer reserve force of 400,000 men. Wilson initially gave the plan tepid support, but Garrison ran into opposition from both those who felt his plan went too far in creating a large standing army, as well as from those who felt it did not go far enough. Wilson was convinced by allies in Congress to back an alternative plan which emphasized not Garrison's national volunteer force, but a continued role for the states' National Guard. Garrison resigned in February 1916 over these differences.

Later years

After leaving Wilson's administration Garrison returned to the practice of law in the firm of Hornblower, Miller & Garrison (now

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, commonly known as Willkie, is a white-shoe, international law firm headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1888, the firm specializes in corporate practice and employs more than 1200 lawyers in 15 offices across ...

). He was appointed receiver of the

Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) was a public transit holding company formed in 1896 to acquire and consolidate railway lines in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It was a prominent corporation and industry leader using ...

in December 1918 and served until June 1923. His wife Margaret died in Manhattan in 1926. He died on October 19, 1932, at his home in

Sea Bright, New Jersey Sea Bright is a Borough (New Jersey), borough situated on the Jersey Shore, within Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,449, an increas ...

.Staff
"LINDLEY M. GARRISON DIES IN 68TH YEAR; Secretary of War in Wilson Cabinet Succumbs in Home in Seabright, N. J. WAS A TALENTED LAWYER Differed With President on Method of Strengthening Military Defense and Resigned."
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', October 20, 1932. Accessed May 9, 2017. "SEA BRIGHT, N. J., Oct. 19. - Lindley M. Garrison, one of the leaders of the American bar who was Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President Woodrow Wilson from March 5, 1913, to Feb. 10, 1916, when he resigned, died yesterday at his home here, 38 Ocean Avenue."

References

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Garrison, Lindley Miller 1864 births 1932 deaths United States secretaries of war People from Sea Bright, New Jersey Harvard University alumni Lawyers from Camden County, New Jersey Lawyers from Monmouth County, New Jersey University of Pennsylvania Law School alumni Woodrow Wilson administration cabinet members 19th-century American lawyers 20th-century American lawyers 20th-century American politicians Politicians from Camden, New Jersey Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) People associated with Willkie Farr & Gallagher