J. Butler Wright

Joshua Butler Wright (October 18, 1877 – December 4, 1939) was a United States diplomat who served as representative of the US in Hungary, Uruguay, Czechoslovakia, and Cuba. He was the twentieth and last Third Assistant Secretary of State.

J. Butler Wright
Third Assistant Secretary of State
In office June 11, 1923 – June 30, 1924
Preceded by	Robert Wood Bliss
Succeeded by	office abolished
United States Ambassador to Cuba
In office August 23, 1937 – December 4, 1939
Preceded by	Jefferson Caffery
Succeeded by	George S. Messersmith
United States Envoy to Czechoslovakia
In office October 25, 1934 – June 1, 1937
Preceded by	Francis White
Succeeded by	Wilbur J. Carr
United States Envoy to Uruguay
In office February 9, 1931 – July 10, 1934
Preceded by	Leland Harrison
Succeeded by	Julius G. Lay
United States Envoy to Hungary
In office June 18, 1927 – October 24, 1930
Preceded by	Theodore Brentano
Succeeded by	Nicholas Roosevelt
Personal details
Born	October 18, 1877 Irvington, New York, United States
Died	December 4, 1939 (aged 62) Havana, Cuba
Education	Princeton University (B.S.)

Wright was born in Irvington, in Westchester County, New York, on 18 October 1877, the son of C. R. Wright. He attended the Lawrenceville School and then Princeton University, graduating with a B.S. degree in 1899. Wright worked as a banker in New York City from 1899 to 1906 and served in the New York National Guard from 1901 to 1907. He married Maude A. Wolfe of Tuxedo Park, in June 1902.^[1][2]

In 1907, Wright became a rancher in Wyoming. While living in Cody, Wyoming, he passed the foreign service examination on May 17, 1909, and became a career diplomat. His first posting was in Honduras. Wright later served in Belgium, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom.^[1][3] In May 1916, he married Harriet R. Southerland, the daughter of retired Rear Admiral William H. H. Southerland, in Washington, D.C. Wright and his second wife had two daughters.^[4][5]

Butler Right with a diplomatic delegation.

In 1925, Wright was serving as Assistant Secretary of State under president Calvin Coolidge and Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes.^[6]

Coolidge appointed Wright to serve as Envoy to Hungary in 1927. Herbert Hoover appointed Wright as Envoy to Uruguay in 1930, and Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Wright as Envoy to Czechoslovakia in 1934, and afterwards as the U.S. Ambassador to Cuba from 1937 to 1939. During his stint as ambassador to Cuba, the SS St. Louis with its cargo of mostly German Jewish refugees tried to land in Havana in 1939. This incident was the basis for the 1976 film Voyage of the Damned.

Wright died at his post in Havana on December 4, 1939, after an operation.^[7] His remains were returned to the United States at the Washington Navy Yard aboard the cruiser USS Omaha. He was interred at the Washington National Cathedral on December 11, 1939.^[8]

References

1. Register of the Department of State. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 1938-10-01. p. 195. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
2. "Wright-Wolfe" (PDF). The New York Times. 1902-06-03. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
3. Register of the Department of State. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1912-10-15. p. 114. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
4. "News Notes of Smart Set: Wright-Southerland Nuptials". The Washington Post. 1916-05-28. p. ES6. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
5. "Harriet Wright Dead; Wife of Ex-Ambassador". The Washington Post and Times Herald. 1958-05-16. p. D2. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
6. "Clear Understanding". Time. 1925-02-09. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
7. "Milestones". Time. 1939-12-11. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
8. "Officials Pay Last Tribute To J. B. Wright: Cathedral Services Held for U.S. Ambassador to Cuba". The Washington Post. 1939-12-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-08-19.

• Wright, J. Butler; William Allison (2002). Witness to Revolution: The Russian Revolution Diary and Letters of J. Butler Wright. Westport, Conn.: Praeger. ISBN 0-275-97474-X. OCLC 48038358.

Government offices
Preceded by Robert Wood Bliss	Third Assistant Secretary of State June 11, 1923 – June 30, 1924	Succeeded by Office Abolished
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Theodore Brentano	United States Envoy to Hungary June 18, 1927 – October 24, 1930	Succeeded by Nicholas Roosevelt
Preceded by Leland Harrison	United States Envoy to Uruguay February 9, 1931 – July 10, 1934	Succeeded by Julius G. Lay
Preceded by Francis White	United States Envoy to Czechoslovakia October 25, 1934 – June 1, 1937	Succeeded by Wilbur J. Carr
Preceded by Jefferson Caffery	United States Ambassador to Cuba August 23, 1937 – December 4, 1939	Succeeded by George S. Messersmith