The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Meyer, George von Lengerke

MEYER, George von Lengerke, American Cabinet officer and diplomat: b. Boston, 24 June 1858; d. 9 March 1918. He was graduated at Harvard in 1879, and engaged in business as

merchant and trustee in 1879-99. He was a director of various trust companies, banks, manufacturing companies, and public utilities concerns, and was a member of the Boston common council in 1889-90. He served in the Massachusetts house of representatives in 1892-97, acting as speaker in 1894-97, and was a member of the Republican National Committee in 1898-1904. He was ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Italy in 1900-05, and to Russia in 1905-07. He served as Postmaster-General under President Roosevelt in 1907-09, and in the Taft Administration he was Secretary of the Navy. He has been an overseer of Harvard University since 1911.