Ray Atherton

Ray Atherton (March 28, 1883 – March 14, 1960) was a career United States diplomat, who served as Ambassador to Greece, Bulgaria, and Denmark. He also served the role of Head of Mission as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada) (1943–48). Whilst in his last post, his role was reclassified and he became the first United States Ambassador to Canada. As Head of the State Department's Division of European Affairs he received notification from the German Embassy of their declaration of war on December 11, 1941.

Early years

Ray Atherton was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1883. He was the son of George Edward Atherton (1845-1905) and Isabelle Ray. His grandfather was Samuel Atherton, a Massachusetts businessman and politician.

Education He was educated at Harvard College, graduating with a B.A. in 1905.

Diplomatic career

Diplomacy in the Far East In 1917, Atherton joined the U.S. diplomatic service. His first assignment was a trip with the Rolland Morrow mission to Tokyo to buy ships from the Japanese to help transport troops to Europe. He remained in Tokyo until 1919, where he assisted with the evacuation of the Czech legation from Vladivostok during the Russian Revolution, followed by the Philippine Commission, subsequently returning to the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C.

Diplomacy in Europe At the end of the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922), Atherton was posted to Athens and in 1923-24, served as ad interim United States Ambassador to Greece. The Greek mission ended suddenly when Washington decided the Embassy in London needed an expert on Far Eastern Affairs. It was to be a temporary assignment, however it lasted almost 14 years. He came there as First Secretary in 1924, later becoming Counselor from 1930 to 1937. He served under five Ambassadors.

The United States joins the Allied war effort It was Atherton who, on the morning December 12, 1941, received Germany's official declaration of war delivered by German Charge d'Affaires Hans Thomsen after Hull refused to see him.

Diplomacy in Canada In June 1943, the United States and Canada agreed to upgrade the state of their mutual diplomatic missions from legation to embassy.

Whilst in Canada, he was also accredited as minister to the government in exile of Denmark, which was established in Canada during the German occupation of Denmark.

Diplomacy in the United Nations In August 1948, Atherton was accredited as an alternate U.S. delegate to the United Nations General Assembly, which was then meeting in Paris. 1919-1921 (China) 1921 (Philippines) 1922-1923 (State Department) 1923-1924 Chargé d'affaires ad interim (Greece) 1924-1937 First Secretary and then Counsellor and Chargé d'affaires (United Kingdom) 1937-1939 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Bulgaria) 1939-1940 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Denmark). Termination of Mission: German Note: Denmark was under Nazi occupation from April 9, 1940. Atherton left post on June 5, 1940 1940-1943 Head of the European Division, Washington DC 1943-1948 Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Canada). Promoted to Ambassador on November 19, 1943. Accredited also to Denmark and Luxembourg; resident at Ottawa. She was the niece of Frank Crowninshield, editor of Vanity Fair.

Constance Coolidge (1892-1973) by John Singer Sargent. Ray Atherton's first wife

Constance had the pedigree of the most elite Boston Brahmim; she was a descendant of the Adams, Amory, Coolidge, Copley, Crowninshield, and Peabody families.

Life in Peking during American Prohibition in the early 1920’a proved too tantalizing. Constance began an affair Eric Brenan, a British Diplomat, as well as with an American Expat, Felix Doubleday -while in still in China as the wife of diplomat Ray Atherton. Felix Doubleday was the adoptive son of Frank Nelson Doubleday. Love letters from both Eric and Felix have been preserved.

Within diplomatic social circles, she was known as the “Queen of Pekin”. It was during this time that she became friends with Wallis Simpson. The marriage ended and Constance then lived an expat lifestyle in Paris, becoming intimately involved for a time with Harry Crosby, whose wife Caresse Crosby was the first recipient of a patent for the modern bra.

Constance remained at the center of social events and was friends with H.G. Wells, Ernest Hemingway and Wallis Simpson.

Following her divorce from Atherton, she got engaged to the reportedly handsomeformer polo player, Count Pierre de Jumilhac. They married in October and she became the Comtesse de Jumilhac. Whilst married to the Count, she became one of the most prominent racehorse owners in France, however the marriage did not last, and by 1929 they were divorced. Constance remained in Paris. During the abdication of Edward VIII in 1936, she invited Wallis Simpson to stay with her, and was a guest at their wedding. She was married twice more, and in 1934 met the writer H.G. Wells, twenty-five years her senior, with whom she conducted a passionate affair in the last decade of his life. By the time she was forty years of age, she had been married four times.

Marriage to Maude Jaffray Hunnewell

Maude Hunnewell (1894-1989) was the daughter of Hollis and Maud Somerville (Jaffray) Hunnewell. Her mother and father divorced in 1902 and her mother relocated to the UK and married John Stansbury Tooker of New York.

Maude had been living in London when she met Atherton. Both were from Boston. Maude was a keen golfer, and was the winner of the Surrey County championships of 1927 and a runner up in the French amateur championship. The New York Times reported on April 17, 1928, the engagement of a Boston Girl to an American Diplomat based in London. It also refers to her as the daughter of the late Hollis Horatio Hunnewell Jnr (1868-1922) of Boston, Massachusetts and Mrs John S. Tooker of Ascot, England. Atherton married Maude six months later.

As Mrs Maude Atherton, she continued to play golf with the British aristocracy at friendly tournaments, such as George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley who was her partner in the mixed foursomes Exhibition Golf March at Leeds Castle.

Children of Ray and Maude Atherton

Maud Isabel (Mia) Atherton (1929-1976) John Humphrey (1931-2011) was born in London. US educated. He died in Paris.

Death Atherton died in Washington, D.C., of a cerebral hemorrhage on March 14, 1960. is credited to having greatly improved the financial standing of the family, having established himself in business as a retail dealer in boots and shoes, first entering into partnership with Caleb Stetson, then admitting his two younger brothers, James (1819-1879) and William, as partners in 1852. Samuel was a director of the New England Bank, Prescott Insurance Company, Massachusetts Loan and Trust Company, President of the Dorchester Gas-Light Company, Director of the Central Massachusetts Railroad, as well as being connected with many other corporations. Samuel was a member of the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1867, 1870 and 1877. He was elected to the New England Historic Genealogical Society in 1870.

He was also a 1st cousin once removed of three other Harvard Alumni; Percy Lee Atherton, Walter Atherton and Frederick Atherton.

Ancestry Atherton is a direct descendant of Major General Humphrey Atherton.