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Choate (JOSEPH HODGES American lawyer)

JOSEPH HODGES, American lawyer and statesman; born in Salem, Mass., Jan. 24, 1832. He was a descendant of John Choate, who came from England in 1640. He was graduated at Harvard College in 1852; admitted to the bar in Boston in 1855; re- JOSEPH H. CHOATE moved in 1856 to New York, where he became a partner in the law firm of Evarts, Choate and Beaman. His ability as a lawyer and public speaker soon gave York bar. Although he never sought public office, he, at times, took an active him a reputation which had seldom been equaled among the leaders of the New York bar. Although he never sought public office, he, at times, took an active interest in politics with the aim of raisinterest in politics with the aim of raising their standard. On Jan. 12, 1899, he was appointed by President McKinley ambassador to England. The appointment was promptly co confirmed by the Senate and gave great satisfaction throughout the country and in England.

He served with great success until 1905, received honorary degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St.

Andrew's Universities, and was made a 1907 he was United States delegate to first American to receive this honor. In 1907 he was United States delegate to the International Peace Conference at The Hague. In the World War his sympathies were with the Allied cause from the beginning. He was a member and, at times, an officer of many legal and patriotic societies, and the recipient of honorary degrees from numerous universities in this country and Canada. His addresses and orations were pub- lished (2 vols., 1910-1911). He died in New York, May 14, 1917. an American