William H. Hornibrook

William Harrison Hornibrook (July 6, 1884 – October 24, 1946) was an American publisher, politician, and diplomat.

William H. Hornibrook
United States Minister to Costa Rica
In office September 2, 1937 – September 1, 1941
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Leo R. Sack
Succeeded by	Arthur Bliss Lane
1st United States Minister to Afghanistan
In office May 4, 1935 – March 16, 1936
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Diplomatic relations established
Succeeded by	Louis G. Dreyfus
United States Minister to Iran
In office March 19, 1934 – March 16, 1936
President	Franklin D. Roosevelt
Preceded by	Charles C. Hart
Succeeded by	Louis G. Dreyfus (1940)
United States Minister to Siam
In office May 31, 1915 – October 24, 1916
President	Woodrow Wilson
Preceded by	Fred Warner Carpenter
Succeeded by	George Pratt Ingersoll
Member of the Idaho Senate from the Twin Falls district
In office 1910–1912
Personal details
Born	(1884-07-06)July 6, 1884 Cherokee, Iowa
Died	March 20, 1946(1946-03-20) (aged 61) Pacific Grove, California
Spouse	Yolande Wilson ​ (m. 1906)​

Biography

Hornibrook, born on July 6, 1884, in Utah, started his career as a newspaper publisher in 1906;^[1] at one point or another, he owned both the predecessors to The Columbian and the Albany Democrat-Herald, along with various other papers.^[2]

In November 1906,^[1] he married Yolande Wilson, with whom he had two children, a son and a daughter.^[3]

A Democrat, Hornibrook was elected to the Idaho State Senate, from Twin Falls County,^[4] serving from 1911 to 1912,^[5] before his resignation.^[6]

He served as US ambassador to Thailand (then Siam) from 1915 to 1916, later as ambassador to Iran from 1934 to 1936 and Afghanistan from 1935 to 1936, while resident in Tehran.^[7] After the recognition of the Afghan government led by King Zahir Shah in August 1934, Hornibrook was appointed the first minister to Afghanistan.^[8]

From 1937–1941, he was ambassador to Costa Rica.^[7][9]

He died in March 1946, in Pacific Grove, California.^[10]

References

1. "Former Utah Publisher Wills Estate to Widow". The Salt Lake Tribune. April 6, 1946. p. 17. Retrieved July 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Hornibrook, Publisher, Dies". Santa Cruz Sentinel. March 23, 1946. p. 1. Retrieved July 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Wife of Newly Appointed Minister to Foreign Post". The Courier-News. August 28, 1937. p. 13. Retrieved July 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "News of the Week". The Commoner. January 27, 1911. p. 10. Retrieved July 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Idaho Blue Book: State Senate" (PDF). sos.idaho.gov. 2017. p. 180. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
6. "Death of William H. Hornibrook Ends Colorful Political Career". Albany Democrat-Herald. March 23, 1946. p. 8. Retrieved July 12, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "William Harrison Hornibrook - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". Retrieved 6 July 2014.
8. "ENVOY TO AFGHANISTAN.; W.H. Hornibrook of Utah Named Our First Minister to Country". The New York Times. January 15, 1935. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
9. Herzog, Jesús Silva (2006). Cuadernos americanos. p. 109.
10. "Hornibrook, Publisher, Dies". Santa Cruz Sentinel. 1946-03-23. Retrieved 2019-04-10.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Fred Warner Carpenter	United States Minister to Siam 1915-1916	Succeeded by George Pratt Ingersoll
Preceded by Charles C. Hart	United States Minister to Iran 1934–1936	Succeeded by Louis G. Dreyfus Jr.
New title Diplomatic relations established	United States Minister to Afghanistan 1935-1936	Succeeded by Louis G. Dreyfus Jr.
Preceded by Leo R. Sack	United States Minister to Costa Rica 1937-1941	Succeeded by Arthur Bliss Lane