Childs, J. Rives (James Rives), 1893-1987

<p>Biographical / Historical Information</p>
<p>James Rives Childs was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, on February 6, 1893. He attended Virginia Military Institute (1909-1911), and received his B.A. from Randolph-Macon College in 1912. In 1915 he recieved a master's degree from Harvard. He served during the First World War in military intelligence and as liaison officer of radio intelligence with the French and British War offices. After the war, he worked in the Soviet Union with the A.R.A., and headed the relief operations in the Tartar Republic. Mr. Childs entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1923, and was stationed during his long career primarily in the Middle East. Among his many posts were Ambassadorships to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Ethiopia. He is the author of numerous books and articles. Among his published works are The American Foreign Service, Casanoviana, Reliques of the Rives, Restif de la Bretonne: ses critiques et sa bibliographie, and a memoir, Foreign Service Farewell.</p>

<p>J. Rives Childs, a former American diplomat, author and an authority on Casanova, died of a cardiac-pulmonary infection yesterday at the Windsor Nursing Home in Richmond, where he had lived for the last four years. He was 94 years old.</p>

<p>Mr. Childs wrote 14 books, four of them on the subject of Casanova, the 18th-century Italian adventurer and libertine. A biography of Casanova by Mr. Childs is scheduled to be published this fall, according to Mr. Childs's publisher, Kenneth S. Giniger.</p>

<p>Mr. Childs was for many years the president of the International Casanova Society and the editor of the Society's magazine, Casanova Gleanings.</p>

<p>He had a long and distinguished career as a United States consular and diplomatic official before retiring to Nice in 1953 to write full time.</p>

<p>One of his early works was "American Foreign Service," published in 1948. Reviewing the book in The New York Times, Gordon A. Craig called the book "an informative and highly entertaining account of the organization, the traditions and the diverse operations of our diplomatic corps."</p>

<p>Mr. Childs spent 30 years in the Foreign Service, his last post being Ambassador to Ethiopia. He had served in Jerusalem, Cairo, Teheran and Tangier in various diplomatic jobs.</p>
<p>Mr. Childs, who was born in Lynchburg, Va., was a graduate of Randolph-Macon College and Harvard University, where he received a master of arts degree in 1915. He was in charge of deciphering German codes in World War I. He moved to Richmond in the early 1970's after the death of his wife, Georgina, whom he met in Russia in the 1920's.</p>

<p>There are no immediate survivors.</p>

<p>James Rives Childs (b. February 6, 1893, Lynchburg, Virginia-d. July 15, 1987, Richmond, Virginia) was a diplomat and writer. He graduated from Randolph-College and received an master's of arts degree from Harvard University in 1915. He joined the United States Army and worked with British and French forces as a radio intelligence liaison in World War I. After the war, Childs worked with the American Relief Administration in the Soviet Union. He entered the foreign service in 1923 and served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Ethiopia before retiring in 1953. Additionally, Childs was the author of 15 books, some of which were published under the name Henry Filmer.</p>