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Alexander de Bodisco (sometimes Alexander Bodisco) (October 30, 1786 – January 23, 1853) was the Russian Minister to the United States from 1837 to 1853. In 1840, at the age of 53, he married the 16-year old Harriet Beall Williams, which was a popular subject of gossip in
de Bodisco married Harriet Beall Williams, of 
In 1840, as a wedding present, he bought his wife the Bodisco House at 3322 O Street NW., in Washington, D.C. The house served as the Russian embassy for a time. His wife remained in the house after his death until she remarried in 1860.
de Bodisco purchased a parcel of land in 1845 in the modern day Crestwood neighborhood in Washington, D.C. He sold it before his death. He also owned another house at 3142 P Street.
de Boscisco died on January 23, 1854, at his house in Georgetown. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
Willard R. Ross Postcard Collection - Bodisco memorial, Oak Hill
Harvard University Hollard Archives: Bodisco, Alexander de, 1841-1845
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Bodisco, Alexander 1786 births 1854 deaths Politicians from Moscow People from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
at the time.
Early life
Alexander de Bodisco was born on October 30, 1786, inMoscow, Russia
Moscow ( , American English, US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia. The city stands on t ...
. He was born as a Wallachian noble.
Career
His career started in the Bureau of theMinister of Foreign Affairs
A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...
in Saint Petersburg, Russia
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
. In 1814, de Bodisco went to Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
and then attended the Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
with Count Jan Pieter van Suchtelen. Afterward, Count Suchtelen was appointed the Russian Envoy and de Bodisco became Secretary of Legation at Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
. After Count Suchtelen died, he became the charge d'affaires at Stockholm. de Bodisco served as Russian ambassador to the United States
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the United States of America is the official representative of the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation to the President of ...
from 1837 until his death. He was succeeded by Eduard de Stoeckl.
Personal life
de Bodisco married Harriet Beall Williams, of Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, on April 9, 1840. She was descended from two well known families in Georgetown, the Brookes and the Bealls. She was 16 years old and he was 53 years old at the time of their marriage. The age difference caused considerable gossip in Washington, D.C. and elsewhere. The wedding was at St. John's Episcopal Church and was attended by famous people of the time, including U.S. President Martin Van Buren, future U.S. President James Buchanan
James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
, Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
and Jessie Benton Frémont
Jessie Ann Benton Frémont (May 31, 1824 – December 27, 1902) was an American writer and political activist. She was the daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton and the wife of military officer, explorer, and politician John C ...
. They had seven children. After his death, his wife remarried in 1860 to Captain Gordon Scott.
In 1840, as a wedding present, he bought his wife the Bodisco House at 3322 O Street NW., in Washington, D.C. The house served as the Russian embassy for a time. His wife remained in the house after his death until she remarried in 1860.
de Bodisco purchased a parcel of land in 1845 in the modern day Crestwood neighborhood in Washington, D.C. He sold it before his death. He also owned another house at 3142 P Street.
de Boscisco died on January 23, 1854, at his house in Georgetown. He was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
References
External links
Willard R. Ross Postcard Collection - Bodisco memorial, Oak Hill
Harvard University Hollard Archives: Bodisco, Alexander de, 1841-1845
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Bodisco, Alexander 1786 births 1854 deaths Politicians from Moscow People from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Burials at Oak Hill Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)