William Crowninshield Endicott (1826-1900)

He was born at Salem, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard (1847). From 1850 to 1873, he was a prominent member of the Essex County Bar. From 1873 to 1882, he was Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. From 1885 to 1889, he was U.S. Secretary of War in President Cleveland's Cabinet, and during his life held many other public offices notably as Overseer of Harvard College, (1875-85), President of the Harvard Alumni Association (1888-90), and President of the Peabody Academy of Science. In 1859, he married Ellen, daughter of George Peabody and Clarissa Endicott. They had two children including Mary whose first husband was the father of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.