Wolcott, Oliver (1760–1833)

US cabinet member and governor. He won the support of Alexander Hamilton, whom he succeeded as secretary of the treasury (1795–1800), but caught between the machinations of his friend Hamilton and other Federalists, and frustrated by his inability to improve the nation's financial situation, he retired from the treasury. Moving to New York, New York, about 1803, he turned to business and then became president of the Bank of America (1812–15). He then returned to Litchfield where he became a gentleman farmer. Having switched to the Democratic–Republican Party, he became governor of Connecticut (1817–27).

Born in Litchfield, Connecticut, he was a lawyer, then became a US treasury auditor (1789–91) and US comptroller (1791–95). He introduced such major reforms as separation of governmental powers and separation of church and state, and introduced a number of new democratic policies.