. ▁ ▁Gro ver ▁Cleveland ▁appointed ▁End ic ott ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War ▁and ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁in ▁the ▁administration ▁between ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 9 . ▁End ic ott ▁o vers aw ▁many ▁important ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army , ▁including ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁system ▁of ▁exam in ations ▁to ▁determine ▁the ▁promotion ▁of ▁officers . ▁▁ ▁End ic ott ▁conven ed ▁and ▁cha ired ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Fort ifications ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁( us ually ▁called ▁the ▁End ic ott ▁Board ), ▁which ▁would ▁provide ▁detailed ▁recommend ations ▁and ▁designs ▁for ▁the ▁generation ▁of ▁American ▁coast al ▁defense ▁fort ifications ▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁era ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish – American ▁War . ▁Most ▁of ▁these ▁End ic ott ▁Period ▁fort ifications ▁served ▁through ▁early ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁End ic ott ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Ellen ▁Pe ab ody ▁( 1 8 3 3 – 1 9 2 7 ) ▁in ▁S alem . ▁ ▁Ellen ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁phil anth rop ist ▁George ▁Pe ab ody ▁ ▁and ▁Clar issa ▁Pe ab ody ▁of ▁S alem . ▁ ▁Her ▁grand father ▁was ▁the ▁distinguished ▁S alem ▁ship ▁owner , ▁Joseph ▁Pe ab ody , ▁who ▁made ▁a ▁fortune ▁importing ▁pe pper ▁from ▁Sum atra ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁wealth iest ▁men ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of