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>JAMES RIVES CHILDS, 95, FORMER AMBASSADOR, DIES</p>
<p>From News Services</p>

<p>RICHMOND -- James Rives Childs, 95, a former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Ethiopia and an authority on Casanova, died July 15 in the Windsor Nursing Home here. He had heart and lung ailments.</p>

<p>Mr. Childs was a Foreign Service officer from 1923 until he retired in 1953. Most of his career was in the Middle East or Africa. An outspoken backer of the Arab nations, he was one of several diplomats who opposed the partition of Palestine in 1948 for the creation of the State of Israel.</p>

<p>He was the author of 15 books, most of them under the name of Henry Filmer. He also was a former president of the International Casanova Society, and four of his books were about the 18th century Italian scholar and adventurer. In a biography of Giovanni Casanova Mr. Childs said he was one of the most misunderstood men in history and a figure whose accomplishments as a mathematician were overshadowed by his reputation as a lover.</p>

<p>Mr. Childs began his diplomatic career when he passed an examination for the consular service with the State Department and was assigned to Jerusalem. He served in Bucharest from 1925 to 1930 and was assigned in 1930 as second secretary of the U.S. legation in Cairo.</p>

<p>He was serving in Tangier at the beginning of World War II and later was appointed ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Ethiopia. He was ambasssador to Ethiopia when he resigned in 1953 because of "exceedingly trying living conditions" there.</p>

<p>Mr. Childs was born in Lynchburg, Va. He attended Virginia Military Institute for two years before transferring to Randolph-Macon College. After his graduation from Randolph-Macon, he was a graduate student at Harvard University from 1913 to 1915.</p>

<p>During World War I, he served in the Army in France as a cryptoanalyst. He later was a famine relief official in Russia. When he retired from the government he settled in Nice, France, and devoted himself to writing and travel. He moved to Richmond in the early 1970s after the death of his wife, Georgina.</p>

<p>He leaves 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>

<p>James Rives Childs (February 6, 1893 – July 15, 1987) was an American diplomat, a writer and an authority on Giacomo Casanova.</p>
<p>Early life and education</p>
<p>Childs was born in Lynchburg, Virginia. He attended the Virginia Military Institute from 1909 to 1911 and graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1912. Childs obtained a master's degree from Harvard University in 1915. Later, Childs joined the United States Army and worked with British and French forces as a radio intelligence liaison in World War I. He received the Medal of Freedom for his service. After the war, Childs worked with the American Relief Administration in the Soviet Union.</p>
<p>Diplomatic career</p>
<p>Childs joined the United States Foreign Service in 1923. He was the Chargé d'Affaires of Morocco from 1941 to 1945. He served as United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1946 to 1950 and held a concurrent post as Ambassador to North Yemen. In 1951, Childs was named Ambassador to Ethiopia. He retired two years later. In 1987, Childs died in Richmond, Virginia, of a cardiac pulmonary infection, aged 94.</p>
<p>Writer</p>
<p>Childs wrote 14 books, five of them on the subject of Giacomo Casanova, the 18th-century Venetian adventurer and libertine. His authoritative biography of Casanova was published posthumously in 1988.</p>

<p>Career Foreign Service Officer</p>
<p>State of Residence: Virginia</p>
<p>1. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim (Morocco)</p>
<p>Began Service: February 1941</p>
<p>Ended Service: June 1945</p>
<p>2. Concurrent Appointments</p>
<p>a. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Saudi Arabia)</p>
<p>Appointed: April 27, 1946</p>
<p>Presentation of Credentials: June 29, 1946</p>
<p>Termination of Mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 18, 1949</p>
<p>Also accredited to Yemen and Saudi Arabia; resident at Jeddah.</p>
<p>b. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary (Yemen)</p>
<p>Appointed: August 22, 1946</p>
<p>Presentation of Credentials: September 30, 1946</p>
<p>Termination of Mission: Left Jeddah July 21, 1950</p>
<p>Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned on January 13, 1947, after confirmation. Commissioned to the Kingdom of Yemen. Also accredited to Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia; resident at Jeddah.</p>
<p>c. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Saudi Arabia)</p>
<p>Appointed: March 2, 1949</p>
<p>Presentation of Credentials: March 18, 1949</p>
<p>Termination of Mission: Left post on July 21, 1950</p>
<p>Also accredited to Yemen and Saudi Arabia; resident at Jeddah.</p>
<p>3. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Ethiopia)</p>
<p>Appointed: April 19, 1951</p>
<p>Presentation of Credentials: May 14, 1951</p>
<p>Termination of Mission: Left post on January 19, 1953</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>