Roy Owen West

Template:Other people Template:More citations needed Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Roy Owen West (October 27, 1868Template:Spaced ndashNovember 29, 1958) was a Chicago politician who served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1928 until 1929 in President Calvin Coolidge's cabinet.

Biography

West was born in Georgetown, Illinois, on October 27, 1868, the son of Helen Anna Yapp and Pleasant West. He graduated from DePauw University and was the admitted to the Illinois bar in 1890.<ref name=NYT>"Roy O. West, 90, Former US Aide", The New York Times, December 1, 1958</ref> West served as assistant attorney for the Cook County, Illinois and then as city attorney for Chicago.<ref name=NYT/> In 1898, West was elected to the Cook County Board of Review.

West formed a close political alliance with future Governor of Illinois Charles S. Deneen.<ref name=NYT/> West served as the Secretary to the GOP National Committee from 1924 until 1928.<ref name=NYT/> President Coolidge appointed West United States Secretary of the Interior from 1928 until before Hoover's inauguration in 1929, but after his cabinet service, West returned to Illinois. He was a member of the National Methodist Board of Education from 1936 to 1940.<ref>"Roy O. West Dead at 90; Elder Statesman of GOP", The Washington Post and Times-Herald, December 2, 1958.</ref> During World War II, West worked as a federal hearing officer for conscientious objector cases.<ref name=NYT/>

He died in Chicago, Illinois, and was buried in Rosehill Cemetery there. The Roy O. West Library at DePauw University was named for him.