Alexander W. Weddell

Alexander Wilbourne Weddell ( born April 6, 1876 in Richmond, Virginia; † January 1, 1948 in Nevada) was an American diplomat, local historian and author.

The pastor 's son from impoverished patrician family attended the George Washington University and entered the diplomatic service. It was used among other things in India, Mexico and Montreal, an ambassadorship received the Southern Democrat late, namely in 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1928 he had left the service for five years. On May 31, 1923 Weddell married the rich widow Virginia Chase Steedman. Together the pair designed and acquired Virginia House, now a museum.

Weddells career culminated in the post of Ambassador in Argentina (1933-1939) and Spain ( 1939-1942 ). Thereafter he devoted himself mainly to his literary and aesthetic inclinations and was president of the Virginia Historical Society from 1943 until his death.

Weddell was the author or editor of several books, including

• A Memorial Volume of Virginia Historical Portraiture (1930 )
• Richmond, Virginia, in Old Prints (1932 )
• Introduction to Argentina ( 1939)
• Portraiture in the Virginia Historical Society (1945 )

Weddell, his wife and the British housemaid of the pair died on 1 January 1948 on the way to Arizona in a railway accident.