Joseph Satterthwaite was born in Tecumseh, Michigan March 4, 1900. He graduated from the University of Michigan (BA, 1923; MA, 1924), then commenced his career in the United States foreign service as a clerk in the consulate at Stuttgart, Germany. He became a Foreign Service Officer in 1926 and since then has served successively at Guadalajara, Mexico city, Buenos Aires, Baghdad, Ankara and Damascus. He was Personal Representative of the President with the rank of Minister on the Special United States Diplomatic Mission to the Kingdom of Nepal in 1947. In 1949, he was appointed Ambassador to Ceylon, remaining there until 1953 when he was transferred to Tangier, Morocco, as United States Diplomatic Agent with the rank of Minister. He was named Ambassador to Burma in 1955 and held that position until his return to Washington in 1957. In 1958, he was selected by President Eisenhower to the position of Assistant Secretary of State in the newly established Bureau of African Affairs. He served until 1961 when he was appointed to Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa, which position he held until 1965. He died December 19, 1990.
From the guide to the Joseph Charles Satterthwaite papers, 1927-1961, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)
Career foreign service officer from Tecumseh, Michigan.
From the description of Joseph C. Satterthwaite papers, 1927-1961. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34423432
The Satterthwaite family, headed by Samuel Satterthwaite and his son Joseph (J. C.), were proprietors of various mercantile enterprises in the city of Raisin, near Tecumseh, Michigan, during the mid- to late-nineteenth century. Samuel Satterthwaite was the founder of the flour and lumber mills, known as the "Raisin Mills," and established in 1847 and 1838 respectively. His partner in the flour mill was Aaron Comfort, whose surname appears frequently in Satterthwaite's journals and ledgers. Almost nothing is known of his partner in the lumber mill, Tilton Curtis. The name "Raisin Mills" refers to the location of the mills on the River Raisin, one and one-half miles southeast of Tecumseh. Unfortunately, there is no information regarding the warehouse or retail operations which figure prominently in Satterthwaite's collection. In 1864, J.C. Satterthwaite suffered business setbacks due to unpaid debts. Though giving up proprietorship in the mills to another member of the Comfort family, Woolston Comfort, Satterthwaite seems to have continued working there.
From the guide to the Joseph C. Satterthwaite business records, 1844-1872, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)
