Alexander W. Weddell

Alexander Wilbourne Weddell (April 6, 1876 – January 1, 1948) was an American diplomat. He served as United States ambassador to Argentina from 1933 to 1939 and to Spain from 1939 to 1942.

Weddell was born in Richmond, Virginia, and attended George Washington University. On May 31, 1923, he married a wealthy widow, Virginia Chase Steedman. He served as president of the Virginia Historical Society from 1943 until his death.

Weddell was the author or editor of several books, including:

  • A Memorial Volume of Virginia Historical Portraiture (1930)
  • Richmond, Virginia, in Old Prints (1932)
  • Introduction to Argentina (1939)
  • Portraiture in the Virginia Historical Society (1945)

Weddell and his wife died in a train accident near Otterville, Missouri on January 1, 1948.

Virginia House

The Weddells' Richmond home, Virginia House, was constructed from material from an older house located in Priory Park, Warwick, England. He purchased the Warwick property in 1926 and transported it over two years later. The rebuilt house now belongs to the Virginia Historical Society and is open to the public.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Robert Woods Bliss		 United States Ambassador to Argentina
1933–1938		 Succeeded by
Norman Armour
Preceded by
Claude G. Bowers		 United States Ambassador to Spain
1939–1942		 Succeeded by
Carlton J. H. Hayes

Further reading
  • Feis, Herbert (1948). The Spanish Story. Franco and the Nations at War. On his role as ambassador to Spain. Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Virginius Cornick Hall Jr., Portraits in the Collection of the Virginia Historical Society (1981), pp. 254–255. ISBN 0-8139-0813-2.


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