Ellis O. Briggs Explained

Ellis O. Briggs
Office:US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
Term Start:April 17, 1943
Term End:April 22, 1944
Predecessor:Avra M. Warren
Successor:Joseph F. McGurk
Office2:US Ambassador to Czechoslovakia
Predecessor2:Joseph E. Jacobs
Successor2:George Wadsworth
Termend2:October 30, 1953
Termstart2:October 8, 1952
Office1:US Ambassador to Uruguay
Termstart1:August 21, 1947
Termend1:August 6, 1949
Predecessor1:Joseph F. McGurk
Successor1:Christian M. Ravndal
Office3:US Ambassador to South Korea
Predecessor3:John J. Muccio
Successor3:William S. B. Lacy
Termend3:April 12, 1955
Termstart3:August 25, 1952
Office4:US Ambassador to Peru
Predecessor4:Harold H. Tittmann Jr.
Successor4:Theodore C. Achilles
Termend4:June 5, 1956
Termstart4:March 24, 1952
Office5:US Ambassador to Brazil
Predecessor5:James Clement Dunn
Successor5:John M. Cabot
Termend5:April 29, 1959
Termstart5:July 24, 1956
Office6:US Ambassador to Greece
Predecessor6:James Williams Riddleberger
Successor6:Henry Richardson Labouisse, Jr.
Termend6:February 1, 1962
Termstart6:April 8, 1959

Ellis Ormsbee Briggs (December 1, 1899 – February 21, 1976) was an American diplomat who served as Ambassador to seven countries over the course of his career.[1]

Early life and family

Briggs was born in Massachusetts to James Briggs and Lucy Hill Briggs, and was educated at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1921. He married Lucy Barnard in 1928. They had two children; Lucy in 1930, and Everett (who also went on to a career as an American diplomat[2]) in 1934.[3]

Diplomatic career

Position
(All with the U.S. State Department)
Date appointedPeriod of serviceCommentsReference
Vice Consul to the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru1926–1928
Third Secretary to the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru1928–1933
Third Secretary to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba1933–1937
Assistant Chief, Division of American Republics1937–1940
Special Mission to the East Coast of South America1940
Consul-First Secretary, U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile1940–1941
First Secretary to the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba1941–1944
Chief, Division of Caribbean and Central American Affairs1944
United States Ambassador to the Dominican RepublicMarch 21, 1944June 3, 1944 – January 14, 1945[4]
Economic Counselor, Chungking1945
Director, Office of American Republic Affairs1945–1947
United States Ambassador to UruguayJuly 3, 1947August 21, 1947–August 6, 1949
United States Ambassador to CzechoslovakiaSeptember 1, 1949November 8, 1949–August 27, 1952
United States Ambassador to South KoreaAugust 25, 1952November 25, 1952–April 12, 1955Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned on July 28, 1953, after confirmation.
United States Ambassador to PeruMarch 24, 1955March 27, 1955 – June 5, 1956
United States Ambassador to BrazilMay 29, 1956July 24, 1956–May 2, 1959
United States Ambassador to GreeceApril 8, 1959July 15, 1959–February 1, 1962
Career AmbassadorJune 24, 1960N/A
United States Ambassador to SpainN/AN/ANot commissioned; nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it.

Retirement and publications

President John F. Kennedy nominated Briggs for the post of U.S. Ambassador to Spain. However, due to illness, Briggs was not able to accept the post, and retired from the State Department in 1962.[5]

Briggs was the author of several memoirs and other works, including:

He died in 1976 in Gainesville, Georgia.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Examples of Excellence: Ellis O. Briggs (1899-1976). U.S. Diplomacy: An Online Exploration of Diplomatic History and Foreign Affairs. 8 February 2016.
  2. News: Career diplomat was literally born to be a U.S. ambassador. 8 February 2016. The Day. 25 September 1984. New London, Connecticut.
  3. Web site: Ellis O. Briggs. NNDB. 8 February 2016.
  4. Web site: Ellis Ormsbee Briggs (1899–1976). U.S. Department of State Office of the Historian. 8 February 2016.
  5. Web site: Examples of Excellence: Ellis O. Briggs (1899-1976). U.S. Diplomacy: An Online Exploration of Diplomatic History and Foreign Affairs. 8 February 2016.