Chauncey M. (Chauncey Mitchell) Depew

Born in Peekskill, New York, in 1834, Chauncey M. Depew studied at Yale, trained as a lawyer, and built a career that reached into both politics and railroads. He served in the New York legislature and later represented New York in the U.S. Senate.

Depew was also a major railroad executive, most famously with the New York Central system, and became widely known as an after-dinner speaker whose wit made him a sought-after figure at public events. That mix of law, politics, business, and speechmaking helped make him one of the most recognizable public men of his time.

He died in 1928, leaving behind speeches, reminiscences, and other writings that offer a lively window into American public life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.