Background
OLNEY, Richard was born on September 15, 1835 in Oxford, Massachusetts, United States. Son of Wilson Olney; descended from Thomas Olney, who came to America in 1635 from St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England. On mother’s side descended from Andrew Sigourney, a French Huguenot, who came to America in 1687 on revocation of Edict of Nantes.
Education
Leicester Academy (Leicester, Massachusetts (United States)). Graduated Brown University (Providence, R.I.), 1856. Harvard Law School, Bachelor of Laws 1858.
Doctor of Laws Harvard University, 1893. Brown University (Providence, R.I.), Doctor of Laws 1893. Yale University, Doctor of Laws 1901.
Career
Admitted to Bar, Supreme Judicial Court, Suffolk County, Massachusetts (United States), 1859. Served one term Massachusetts (United States) Legislature, 1874. Attorney-General, United States, March 1893 to June 1895.
Secretary of State of the United States, 10 June 1895 to 4 March 1897.