U.S. Diplomatic Representatives to Estonia, 1919-1940

An Estonian Honor Guard escorts U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
John C. Wiley back to the U.S. Legation on Kentmanni 20 after presenting his credentials
at Kadriorg Palace on November 24, 1938. (Photo by A.Kalm from Eesti Filmiarhiiv)

Chiefs of Mission

John A. Gade of Massachusetts, a U.S. Navy officer detailed to the U.S. Department of State, was appointed U.S. Commissioner to the three Baltic States in October 1919. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 1st Class in 1920 for his military services to Estonia during the War of Independence (1918-1920). Resident in Riga, he departed post in May 1920. [Brief bio and photo]

Evan E. Young of South Dakota, a career Foreign Service Officer, became U.S. Commissioner to the three Baltic States in May 1920. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 3rd Class in 1922 for his civilian services in the aftermath of Estonia's War of Independence. Upon the U.S. Government's official diplomatic recognition of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on July 28, 1922 he was granted the additional diplomatic rank of Minister. [Brief bio and photo]

On July 28, 1922, the U.S. and Estonia established official diplomatic relations.

Frederick W. B. Coleman of Minnesota, a businessman and a lawyer, was appointed to be the first U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the three Baltic States on September 20, 1922. He presented his credentials in Tallinn on November 20, 1922. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 3rd Class in 1925 for his civilian services to the new Estonian state. Resident in Riga, he departed post on October 20, 1931. [Brief bio and photo]

Robert P. Skinner of Ohio, a career Foreign Service Officer, was appointed U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the three Baltic States on September 23, 1931. He presented his credentials in Tallinn on April 2, 1932. Resident in Riga with his wife Helen, he departed post on April 29, 1933. [Brief bio and photo]

John Van Antwerp MacMurray of Maryland, a career Foreign Service Officer, was appointed U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the three Baltic States on August 28, 1933. He received the Order of the Cross of the Eagle 1st Class for his services to Estonia in 1936. He presented his credentials in Tallinn on January 4, 1934. Resident in Riga, he departed post on February 12, 1936. [Brief bio and photo]

Arthur Bliss Lane of New York, a career Foreign Service Officer, was appointed U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the three Baltic States on January 24, 1936. He presented his credentials in Tallinn on September 10, 1936. Resident in Riga, he departed post on September 16, 1937. [Brief bio and photo]

Frederick A. Sterling of Texas, a career Foreign Service Officer, was appointed and sworn in as U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Estonia and Latvia on August 9, 1937 but did not proceed to post. [Brief bio and photo]

John C. Wiley of Indiana, a career Foreign Service Officer, was appointed U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Estonia and Latvia on July 18, 1938. He presented his credentials in Tallinn on November 24, 1938. Resident in both Riga as well as Tallinn (Vabaduse väljak no. 7) with his wife Irena, he departed post on July 25, 1940. [See his credentials] [Brief bio and portrait].


U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary John C. Wiley presents his credentials
to President of the Estonian Republic Konstantin Päts on November 24, 1938.
John C. Wiley is seated in the front row on the far left. (Photo by Parikas from Eesti Filmiarhiiv)

U.S. Consuls in Tallinn, 1919-1940

John P. Hurley of New York was appointed U.S. Consul to Tallinn in November 1919. [Read his story]

Charles H. Albrecht of Pennsylvania served as U.S. Consul in Tallinn from September 1920 to December 1922. [Brief bio]

On July 28, 1922, the U.S. and Estonia established official diplomatic relations.

Harold B. Quarton of Iowa served as U.S. Consul in Tallinn from December 1922 to April 1925. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 3rd Class in 1925 for his civilian services during the aftermath of Estonia's War of Independence. [Brief bio]

Joseph G. Groeninger of Maryland served as U.S. Consul in Tallinn from April 1925 to 1926. He lived in Estonia with his wife Ella. [Brief bio and photo]

Effective June 30, 1930, U.S. Consuls would also serve as First Secretary of the Legation and as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim whenever the U.S. Minister was not in Estonia.

Harry E. Carlson of Illinois served as U.S. Consul in Tallinn from August 1926 until February 1937. He received the Order of the Estonian Red Cross 2nd Class for his humanitarian services to Estonia in 1932. His wife Laura also received the Order of the Estonian Red Cross 2nd Class for her humanitarian services to Estonia in 1934. The Carlsons kept a second home in the summer resort of Haapsalu. [Read his story]

Walter A. Leonard of Illinois served as U.S. Consul from February 1937 to September 1940. He was Chargé d'Affaires ad interim from July 26, 1940 until all U.S. diplomatic officials accredited to Estonia were forced to withdraw from Tallinn on September 4, 1940. The U.S. Legation in Tallinn was officially closed on September 5, 1940. [Brief bio and photo]


Other U.S. Diplomats Assigned to Estonia, 1920-1940

William C. Perkins was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in September 1920.

George Gregg Fuller was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in November 1921.

On July 28, 1922, the U.S. and Estonia established official diplomatic relations.

Earl L. Packer of Utah was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in October 1922.

William C. Perkins returned for a second, temporary tour as Vice Consul in Tallinn from April to June 1923.

William L. Peck of Connecticut was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in June 1923 and departed in April 1925.

Cyrus B. Folmer was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in February 1926.

George F. Kennan served as Vice Consul in Tallinn from July 1928 to January 1929 while he studied Russian. He received the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana 1st Class for his services to the newly re-independent Republic of Estonia in 1996. [Read his story].

William M. Gwynn served as temporary Vice Consul in Tallinn from August to October 1929.

Norris B. Chipman was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in September 1929.

Harold W. Graybeal, a Foreign Service Clerk, served in Tallinn in 1929.

Ellis A. Johnson was appointed Vice Consul in Tallinn in May 1930.

Frederick P. Latimer, Jr. was appointed Vice Consul and Third Secretary in Tallinn in January 1932.

Charles E. Bohlen studied Russian in Estonia in the summers of 1932 and 1933 as a Third Secretary. [Read his story]

Bertel E. Kuniholm of Massachusetts served as Vice Consul and Third Secretary in Tallinn from September 1933 to February 1934 and was one of the State Department's young Russian-language experts.

James Everett Henderson was appointed Vice Consul and Third Secretary in Tallinn in February 1934.

William C. Trimble was appointed Vice Consul and Third Secretary in Tallinn in June 1936.

Virginia Hall, a Foreign Service Clerk, served in Tallinn from 1938-1939. [Read her story]

Montgomery H. Colladay served as Vice Consul and Third Secretary of the U.S. Legation in Tallinn from October 1938 to July 1940.

G. Frederick “Freddy” Reinhardt served as Vice Consul and Third Secretary of the U.S. Legation in Tallinn from 1939 to 1940. Like Kennan before him, Reinhardt was also in Estonia to study Russian.


Other U.S. Diplomats Connected With Estonia, 1919-1940

John Campbell Colemann, the U.S. Counselor based in Riga (Latvia), was also accredited to Estonia. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 3rd Class in 1925 for his civilian services to Estonia in the aftermath of the War of Independence.

Loy W. Henderson, based in Riga (Latvia), was accredited to Estonia from September 1927 to 1930 as Second Secretary. He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 1st Class in 1920 for his military services during Estonia's War of Independence while working for the American Red Cross as a U.S. Army Captain. He also received the Order of the Estonian Red Cross in 1923 for his work in defeating the typhus epidemic of 1920 in Narva. [Read his story]

Henry W. Antheil, Jr., a Foreign Service Clerk based at the U.S. Legation in Helsinki, served as a courier for the U.S. Legation in Tallinn in 1940. He was killed in the line of duty near Tallinn, Estonia on June 14, 1940. His name was added to the American Foreign Service Association's Memorial Plaque in the Diplomatic Lobby of the U.S. Department of State on May 4, 2007. [Read his story]


U.S. Military Attachés Accredited to Estonia, 1919-1940

Although the U.S. military attachés assigned to the three Baltic states were based in Riga (Latvia), they visited Estonia frequently and worked closely with the Estonian armed forces.

Col. T. Worthington Hollyday (Field Artillery, U.S. Army) arrived in Estonia in November 1919 together with Commissioner John A. Gade.  Col. Hollyday served as the U.S. Military Observer to the three Baltic States until he departed post in December 1922.

Maj. Albert L. Loustalot (Coastal Artillery Corps, U.S. Army) became the first accredited U.S. Military Attaché to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania after official diplomatic relations were established on July 28, 1922.  For part of this time, Capt. Robert F. Kelley (U.S. Army) served as his assistant.  Maj. Loustalot departed post in November 1923.

Maj. Henry C. McLean (U.S. Army) became the U.S. Military Attaché to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in November 1923.  He departed post in October 1924.

Capt. Trevor W. Swett (U.S. Army) became the U.S. Military Attaché to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania  in October 1924.  He received Estonia's Cross of Liberty 3rd Class in 1925 for his civilian services to Estonia in the aftermath of the War of Independence (1918-1920).  Capt. Swett's wife died at post on Christmas Day, December 25, 1925.  He departed post in August 1928.

Maj. George G. Arneman (Field Artillery, U.S. Army) became the U.S. Military Attaché to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in May 1928.   He received the Order of the Cross of the Eagle 3rd Class for his services to Estonia in 1932. He departed post in May 1932.

Maj. William E. Shipp (U.S. Army) became the U.S. Military Attaché to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in April 1932.  He received the Order of the Cross of the Eagle 3rd Class for his services to Estonia in 1936.  He departed post in March 1936.

Maj. Gustav B. Guenther (U.S. Cavalry) was appointed the U.S. Military Attaché to the three Baltic states in November 1935.  He received the Order of the Cross of the Eagle 3rd Class for his services to Estonia in 1938.  He departed post in 1938.

Maj. George E. Huthsteiner (U.S. Cavalry) was appointed the U.S. Military Attaché to the three Baltic States in 1938. He received the Order of the Cross of the Eagle 3rd Class for his services to Estonia in 1940.  During the later part of the Winter War (1939-1940), Maj. Huthsteiner was detailed to the U.S. Legation in Helsinki, Finland.  He departed post in June 1940 after Soviet troops occupied the three Baltic states.