Sumner Welles
| Sumner Welles | |
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Sumner Welles
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| Born |
Benjamin Sumner Welles October 14, 1892 New York, NY |
| Died | September 24, 1961 (aged 68) Bernardsville, NJ |
| Occupation | Diplomat, government official |
| Spouse(s) | Esther "Hope" Slater (1915–1923, divorced) Mathilde Scott Townsend (1927–1949, her death) Harriette Appleton Post (1952–1961, his death) |
| Children | Benjamin Welles (1916–2002) Arnold Welles (1918–2002) |
| Parent(s) | Benjamin J. Welles (1857–1935) Frances Wyeth Swan (1863–1911) |
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Benjamin Sumner Welles (October 14, 1892 – September 24, 1961) was an American government official and diplomat in the Foreign Service. He was a major foreign policy adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and served as Under Secretary of State from 1937 to 1943, during FDR's presidency.
Benjamin Sumner Welles was born in New York City, the son of Benjamin J. Welles (1857–1935) and Frances Wyeth Swan (1863–1911). He preferred to be called Sumner after his famous relative Charles Sumner, a leading Senator from Massachusetts during the Civil War and Reconstruction. His family was wealthy and was connected to the era's most prominent families. He was a grandnephew of Caroline Webster Schermerhorn Astor, known as "the Mrs. Astor". Among his ancestors were Thomas Welles, a colonial Governor of Connecticut, and Increase Sumner, Governor of Massachusetts from 1797 to 1799.
The Welles family was also connected to the Roosevelts. A cousin of Sumner Welles married James "Rosy" Roosevelt, Jr., half brother of future President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR). At the age of 10, Welles was entered in Miss Kearny's Day School for Boys in New York City. In September 1904, he entered Groton School in Massachusetts, where he remained for six years. There he roomed with Hall Roosevelt, the brother of Eleanor Roosevelt. He served as a page at Franklin D. Roosevelt's wedding to Eleanor in March 1905 at the age of 12.
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