Richard Teller Crane II (August 12, 1882 - October 3, 1938) was the first United States diplomat accredited to

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

with the title ''Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.'' He received a

recess appointment In the United States, a recess appointment is an appointment by the president of a federal official when the U.S. Senate is in recess. Under the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause, the President is empowered to nominate, and with the a ...

from President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

on April 23, 1919 and was subsequently confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on June 26, 1919. Crane presented his credentials to the Czechoslovak government on June 11, 1919 and remained in office until December 5, 1921.

Biography

He was born on August 12, 1882 in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

Charles Richard Crane Charles Richard Crane (August 7, 1858 – February 15, 1939) was a wealthy American businessman, heir to a large industrial fortune and connoisseur of Arab culture, a noted Arabist. His widespread business interests gave him entree into domestic a ...

, a diplomat and supporter of President Wilson. He was the grandson of Richard Teller Crane I, a Chicago manufacturer. He married Ellen Douglas Bruce in 1909 and they made their home at the Westover plantation in

Charles City County, Virginia Charles City County is a county located in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated southeast of Richmond and west of Jamestown. It is bounded on the south by the James River and on the east by the Chickahominy River. The a ...

. He died by suicide on October 3, 1938 after firing his shotgun to his temple at his estate,

Westover Plantation Westover Plantation is a historic colonial tidewater plantation located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. Established in c. 1730–1750, it is the homestead of the Byrd family of Virginia. State Route 5, ...

. The initial news reports indicated it was a "hunting accident". He was buried in the Westover estate burial grounds.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Crane, Richard 1882 births 1938 deaths People from Denver Ambassadors of the United States to Czechoslovakia Suicides by firearm in Virginia