25 Facts About Ray Atherton

Ray Atherton was a career United States diplomat, who served as Ambassador to Greece, Bulgaria, and Denmark.

Ray Atherton served the role of Head of Mission as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

Ray Atherton was the son of George Edward Atherton and Isabelle Ray.

Ray Atherton's grandfather was Samuel Atherton, a Massachusetts businessman and politician.

Ray Atherton went into banking for two years pending settlement of family finances after his father's death and then went to Paris to study architecture, becoming known as the "beau of the Beaux-Arts" at the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts.

Ray Atherton returned to the US in 1914 and went to work for an architectural firm in Chicago.

Ray Atherton's first assignment was a trip with the Rolland Morrow mission to Tokyo to buy ships from the Japanese to help transport troops to Europe.

Ray Atherton 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, DC His next assignment took him to Peking, where he was a secretary of legation.

Ray Atherton then went with the Forbes-Wood mission on a survey of the Philippines in 1921.

Ray Atherton came there as First Secretary in 1924, later becoming Counselor from 1930 to 1937.

When Cordell Hull became United States Secretary of State in 1933, he was impressed by Ray Atherton and came to rely on his judgment on European and Middle Eastern affairs.

Ray Atherton presented his credentials on October 21,1937, and served there until July 5,1939.

The struggle for domination between the Germans and the Italians was at its height and Ray Atherton witnessed the Italians being ousted and their ambitions frustrated because they lacked the industry to supply the Balkan needs.

Ray Atherton worked very closely with his Canadian counterparts, as conflict between the United Kingdom and Germany loomed closely on the horizon.

Shortly after, Ray Atherton was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark, serving there from September 8,1939, until June 5,1940.

Ray Atherton thus became the first United States Ambassador to Canada, presenting his credentials to Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, the Governor General of Canada, on August 3,1943, and serving until August 30,1948.

Ray Atherton was named US minister to the government in exile of Luxembourg, which was under German occupation.

Ray Atherton's US domiciled address was Chicago, Illinois in 1923.

Ray Atherton married an eighteen year old, Constance Crowninshield Coolidge, a Boston Brahmin, an American expatriate who had been living in Paris for two years.

Ray Atherton was the niece of Frank Crowninshield, editor of Vanity Fair.

Ray Atherton loved anything risky; was addicted to horse racing, gambling and extramarital liaisons, which placed a great deal of a strain on their marriage.

Ray Atherton died in Washington, DC, of a cerebral hemorrhage on March 14,1960.

Ray Atherton was elected to the New England Historic Genealogical Society in 1870.

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

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