Frederick A. Sterling

Frederick Augustine Sterling (August 13, 1876 – April 21, 1957) was a United States diplomat. In 1927, he was the first person appointed US minister to the Irish Free State,^[1] a role he served in until 1934.^[2] He later served as US minister to Bulgaria and Sweden.^[3]

Frederick A. Sterling
United States Envoy to the Irish Free State
In office July 27, 1927 – March 7, 1934
President	Calvin Coolidge Herbert Hoover Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	post created
Succeeded by	W. W. McDowell
United States Envoy to Bulgaria
In office April 3, 1934 – June 30, 1936
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Henry W. Shoemaker
Succeeded by	Ray Atherton
United States Envoy to Sweden
In office September 26, 1938 – July 14, 1941
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Fred Morris Dearing
Succeeded by	Michelangelo Rodriguez
Personal details
Born	(1876-08-13)August 13, 1876 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	April 21, 1957(1957-04-21) (aged 80) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Spouse	Dorothy Williams (d. 1950)
Children	3
Alma mater	Harvard University

Biography

Sterling was born in St. Louis^[4] and was an 1898 graduate of Harvard University.^[5] After working on a ranch in Texas and manufacturing woolen goods, he became a career Foreign Service Officer in 1911.^[3][4][5] Assignments included work in Peru, China, Russia, and England.^[5][6][7]

In 1927, Sterling was the first person appointed US minister to the Irish Free State.^[2] After confirmation by the Senate,^[7] and presentation of his credentials to Irish leaders W. T. Cosgrave and Timothy Healy in July,^[8][9] he held the formal title of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.^[3]

Sterling's post in Ireland ended in 1934, when he became US minister to Bulgaria, a position he remained in until 1936.^[3] In 1937, he was appointed to minister roles for both Latvia and Estonia, however he "did not proceed to post."^[3] In 1938, he became US minister to Sweden, and he remained in that role until 1941.^[3]

Sterling owned a summer house in Newport, Rhode Island; he was married, with two sons and one daughter.^[5] He died in Washington, D.C., in 1957,^[5] and is buried in Falls Church, Virginia.

References

1. "FIRST U. S. MINISTER TO IRISH FREE STATE". Journal Gazette. Mattoon, Illinois. INS. February 4, 1927. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
2. "Chiefs of Mission for Ireland". history.state.gov. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
3. "Frederick Augustine Sterling (1876–1957)". history.state.gov. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
4. "FREDERICK STERLING NAMED U. S. MINISTER TO SWEDEN". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. AP. June 13, 1938. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
5. "Frederick A. Sterling, Diplomat, Former Summer Resident Here, Dies". The Newport Daily News. Newport, Rhode Island. April 22, 1957. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
6. "Alumni Notes". Harvard Alumni Bulletin. Vol. 18. 1915. p. 339 – via Google Books.
7. "STERLING CONFIRMED AS MINISTER TO FREE STATE". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. AP. February 20, 1927. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
8. "ENVOY TO ERIN TAKES HIS POST". Detroit Free Press. AP. July 28, 1927. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.
9. "STERLING AT IRISH COURT". The Cincinnati Enquirer. AP. July 28, 1927. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via newspapers.com.

External links

• Frederick Augustine Sterling profile at history.state.gov
• Frederick A. Sterling at Find a Grave

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by post created	United States Envoy to the Irish Free State 1927–1934	Succeeded by W. W. McDowell
Preceded by Henry W. Shoemaker	United States Envoy to Bulgaria 1934–1936	Succeeded by Ray Atherton
Preceded by Fred Morris Dearing	United States Envoy to Sweden 1938–1941	Succeeded by Michelangelo Rodriguez