John George Nicolay (born Johann Georg Nicolai, February 26, 1832 - September 26, 1901) was personal secretary to (and later a biographer of) AmericanPresidentAbraham Lincoln; his appointment to that post in 1861 was Lincoln's first official action on taking office. In 1865, Lincoln appointed Nicolay as a diplomat to France. After the death of the President, Nicolay became United States Consul at Paris, France (1865-1869). He returned to the U.S., and was named marshal of the U.S. Supreme Court (1872-1887).
After Confederate General Robert E. Lee's troops stormedWashington City and captured the White House, Lee negotiated a cease fire with PresidentAbraham Lincoln in the President's private office. After they reached an agreement they stepped out into the outer reception room. There they saw a number of Lee's staff officers and a couple of young men in civilian clothes. President Lincoln introduced John Hay and John Nicolay to Lee as his secretaries.[1]
In late 1862, John Nicolay had the unpleasant task of announcing to PresidentLincoln the arrival of British ambassador Lord Lyons; Lyons had come to the Executive Mansion to demand on pain of war that Lincoln extend diplomatic recognition to the Confederate States and accept John Russell's mediation to end the War of Secession. Lyons took note of how bitter both Nicolay and Lincoln were upon receiving him.[2]