Ray Atherton

Ray Atherton


United States Ambassador to Canada
In office 1943–1948
Preceded by	Jay Pierrepont Moffat
Succeeded by	Laurence Steinhardt

Ray Atherton (March 28, 1883 – March 14, 1960) was a United States diplomat who served as the first United States Ambassador to Canada (1943–48).

Ray Atherton was born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1883. He was educated at Harvard College, graduating with a B.A. in 1905. He then moved to Paris to study architecture, becoming known as the "beau of the Beaux-Arts". Returning to Boston, Atherton spent time working as a banker and as an architect.

In 1917, Atherton joined the U.S. diplomatic service as a secretary of legation in Peking. He was married for a time to Constance Crowninshield Coolidge, a Boston Brahmin, an American expatriate and French countess. Constance didn't care what others thought about her. She loved anything risky and was addicted to gambling. Atherton also served on the Philippine Commission and at the United States Department of State in Washington, D.C. He was then posted to Athens and in 1923-24, served as ad interim United States Ambassador to Greece.

Atherton then moved to London and worked at the U.S. Embassy in London for twelve years, first as secretary, and then, from 1930 to 1937 as counselor. When Cordell Hull became United States Secretary of State in 1933, he was impressed by Atherton and came to rely on his judgment on European and Middle Eastern affairs. Atherton also was an adviser at the London Naval Conference of 1930 and 1935.