Garret Hobart
A politically powerful vice president whose brief tenure and backroom mastery helped steer America into its imperial age under McKinley.
1844–1899 (age 55)·Vice President of the United States from 1897 to 1899·Birthday: June 3
Biography
Garret Hobart was not a man who sought the spotlight, but he mastered the machinery that operated within it. A successful New Jersey corporate lawyer and state political boss, he built a fortune in utilities and street railways, understanding power in both its electrical and political forms. His selection as William McKinley's running mate in 1896 was a classic political calculation, balancing the ticket with Eastern establishment clout. In office, Hobart broke the mold of the inconsequential vice president. McKinley, valuing his legislative acumen and steady counsel, made him a true partner, giving him an office in the White House and a central role in Senate affairs. Hobart's firm hand helped push through the controversial decision to annex the Philippines after the Spanish-American War. His sudden death from heart disease in 1899 cut short a tenure that had redefined the potential of the vice presidency, leaving a void that would eventually be filled by Theodore Roosevelt.
#1 When Garret Was Born
The biggest hits of 1844
Garret's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1844Born
1849Started school
1857Became a teenager
1860Could drive
1862Could vote
President: Abraham Lincoln
1865Turned 21
President: Andrew Johnson
1874Turned 30
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1884Turned 40
President: Chester A. Arthur
1894Turned 50
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Died at 55
President: William McKinley
Key Achievements
- Served as the 24th Vice President of the United States under President William McKinley from 1897 until his death in 1899.
- Was the first vice president to have an office in the White House, signaling his close advisory role to McKinley.
- Presided over the U.S. Senate during the pivotal vote to ratify the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War and annexed Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
- Played a key behind-the-scenes role in the Republican Party's 'front porch' campaign that elected McKinley in 1896.
Did You Know?
He was the last vice president to die in office until the death of James Sherman in 1912.
Before his political career, he was president of the Passaic Water Company and a director of several railroads and banks.
His wife, Jennie Tuttle Hobart, often served as the unofficial First Lady during the administration, as First Lady Ida McKinley was frequently in poor health.
“A man is not defeated by his enemies but by his lack of friends in the right places.”
