Gilchrist B. Stockton

Rear Admiral Gilchrist Baker Stockton (August 20, 1890 – August 28, 1972) was a non-career appointee who served as the American Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Austria from 1930 to 1933.

Early life Gilchrist Baker Stockton's service card from the U.S. Navy during WWI. Stockton was born on August 20, 1890, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was a son of John Noble Cummings Stockton (1857–1922) and Fannie James (née Baker) Stockton (1862–1950). His elder brother was William T. Stockton. His father, a Florida state legislator and who served as president of the National Bank of Tampa and the National Bank of Florida, was an unsuccessful democratic candidate to become a U.S. Senator from Florida.

After preparing to finish his final year at Princeton University, Stockton was awarded a Rhodes scholarship, like his elder brother, so he left Princeton to study at Christ Church, Oxford from 1914 to 1917, graduating with a B.A. degree, followed by an M.A. degree from Oxford in 1927.

In 1928, he was a delegate from Florida to Democratic National Convention, On January 22, 1930, Republican President Herbert Hoover appointed Stockton as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Austria in Vienna. The existing Minister, Albert Henry Washburn, who bad been in the role since 1922, died in office three months later on April 29, 1930. On May 15, 1930, two weeks after Washburn's death, Stockton presented his credentials in Vienna, serving in that role until leaving his post on September 21, 1933. He was succeeded by President Roosevelt's appointee, George Howard Earle III.

Stockton served as executive vice-president of the Mail Order Association of America and as president of the Ortega Real Estate Company in Florida. Senator Charles O. Andrews sponsored Stockton's promotion from Captain to Rear Admiral.

Personal life On October 14, 1925, Stockton married Mildred Lee Churchwell (1902–1990), Class of 1921 - Wesleyan College, Macon, GA. She was the daughter of Augustus Franklin Churchwell and Florrie Dean Churchwell of Jacksonville, FL. Admiral Stockton and his wife were the parents of:

Mildred Stockton Adams (Mimi) 1927-1971, an environmental activist

Gilchrist Baker Stockton Jr., 1930 - 2006, who was born in Vienna and became an attorney.

In 1951, Stockton suffered a nervous breakdown. He recovered fully and went on to serve as President of the Ortega Company until his retirement.

Stockton died on August 28, 1972. He was buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida.