James Jeremiah Wadsworth (June 12, 1905 – March 13, 1984)[1] was an American politician and diplomat from New York.
James Jeremiah Wadsworth | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office May 5, 1965 - October 31, 1969 | |
| President | Lyndon B. Johnson Richard Nixon |
| 4th United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| In office September 8, 1960 – January 21, 1961 | |
| President | Dwight D. Eisenhower John F. Kennedy |
| Preceded by | Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Adlai Stevenson II |
| Administrator of the Federal Civil Defense Administration Acting | |
| In office November 15, 1952 – February 20, 1953 | |
| President | Harry S. Truman Dwight D. Eisenhower |
| Preceded by | Millard Caldwell |
| Succeeded by | Val Peterson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 12, 1905 Groveland, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 13, 1984 (aged 78) Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Harty Griggs Tilton |
| Education | Yale University (BA) |
Early life
editA member of the prominent Genesee Valley Wadsworths, James J. Wadsworth was born in Groveland, New York on June 12, 1905. He was a direct descendant of pioneer William Wadsworth, a founder of Hartford, Connecticut.
His great-grandfather, James S. Wadsworth, was a Union general in the American Civil War, killed in the Battle of the Wilderness of 1864. Both his grandfather, James Wolcott Wadsworth, and his father, James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr., represented New York in Congress. His other grandfather was United States Secretary of State John Hay. His sister Evelyn was married to William Stuart Symington; they were the parents of James Wadsworth Symington, his nephew.
Wadsworth graduated from Fay School in 1918,[2] from St. Mark's School, and from Yale University in 1927,[1] where he was a member of Skull and Bones.[3]
Career
editWadsworth was a member of the New York State Assembly (Livingston Co.) in 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939–40 and 1941. He resigned his seat in 1941.
Wadsworth was medically unfit for World War II because of an injured leg, but aided the war effort as an assistant manager at the Curtiss-Wright Corporation plant in Buffalo, New York. In 1950, he became deputy administrator of the civil defense office for the National Security Resources Board, which drafted many of the civil defense plans that were prepared at the height of the Cold War.
From 1953 to 1960, Wadsworth was Deputy Chief of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations. He was appointed United States Ambassador to the United Nations by President Eisenhower, and he served from 1960 to 1961.
In 1965, President Johnson appointed Wadsworth to the Federal Communications Commission, and he served until 1970. Wadsworth left the FCC to join the American team negotiating a charter for the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium (Intelsat).
Personal life
editIn 1927, Wadsworth was married to Harty Griggs Tilton (1906–1965), a daughter of Benjamin Trowbridge Tilton and Anna Billings (née Griggs) Tilton. Together, they were the parents of:[4]
- Alice Wadsworth (1928–1998), who married Trowbridge Strong (1925–2001) in 1948.[5]
He died in Rochester, New York on March 13, 1984. He was buried at Temple Hill Cemetery in Geneseo.[6]
Bibliography
edit- The Price of Peace, Praeger, 1961.
- The Glass House, Praeger, 1966.
- The Silver Spoon: An Autobiography, W. F. Humphrey Press (Geneva, NY), 1980.
References
edit- ^ a b "James J(eremiah) Wadsworth." Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 27 Apr. 2011.
- ^ "Facts On File History Database Center". Archived from the original on November 11, 2013.
- ^ "YALE'S 'TAP DAY' CLOSE AT HAND: Four Senior Societies Will Pick Their New Members on the Campus on Thursday. SIXTY MEN TO BE CHOSEN Honors Usually Go to Juniors Who Have Rendered Special Service to Their Class". New York Times. May 9, 1926. p. 2.
- ^ Commerce, United States Congress Senate (1965). Adams, Bagge, Donner, Ross, Trowbridge and Wadsworth Nominations, Hearing, 89-1, April 13, 27, 1965. p. 32. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ Baker, Conrad (February 15, 2016). "General James Wadsworth's House Opens for Weddings". Genesee Sun. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
- ^ Treaster, Joseph B. (March 15, 1984). "James J. Wadsworth Dies at 78; Headed U.s. Delegation to U.n." The New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
External links
edit- Reminiscences of James Jeremiah Wadsworth - Oral History - Eisenhower Administrative File - Columbia University
- "New Job for Old Hand" - Time - August 22, 1960
- James Jeremiah Wadsworth at The Political Graveyard
- James J. Wadsworth Dies at 78, New York Times, March 15, 1984