Register of Edwin C. Wilson Papers

Abstract

Papers of Edwin C. Wilson, (1893-1972), American diplomat, served as U.S. Minister to Uruguay from 1939-1941, U.S. Ambassador to Panama from 1941-1943 and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey from 1945-1948. Materials include correspondence, writings, photographs, U.S. State Department documents and ephemera.

Biographical

Edwin C. Wilson was born in 1893 in Palatka, Florida. In 1920, Wilson began his extensive diplomatic career by joining the foreign services. Throughout the span of his career, he held such positions as First Secretary of the Embassy in Paris (1926-1930), observer for the U.S. at the International Congress of Reparations and Rhineland Evacuation held at the Hague (1929-1930), Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs at the Department of State in Washington (1931-1935), U.S. Minister to Uruguay (1939-1941), U.S. Ambassador to Panama (1941-1943), and Representative of the U.S. to the French Committee of National Liberation and post of Counselor of American Embassy in Paris (1943-1944). As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's diplomatic representative in Algiers, Wilson worked with General Charles de Gaulle on plans for a provisional government in France.

In 1945, President Roosevelt appointed Wilson as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and in 1947, President Harry S. Truman named Wilson chief of the U.S. mission to supervise aid to Turkey where he administered $100 million dollars of U.S. aid under the Truman Doctrine. Wilson resigned as ambassador due to health in 1948 and died on September 10, 1972 in Washington, D.C.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Edwin C. Wilson Papers contain biographical materials, photographs, official documents, reports and correspondence relating to his work as a U.S. diplomat.

Arranged in three series: I) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, and 3) SUBJECT FILES.

SERIES 1: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS

The BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS series dates from 1907-1972 and consists of documents, newspaper clippings, and official certificates. Also in this series are several photographs of Wilson, his family and an album, presented to Wilson in 1946, which contains hand drawn maps and mounted photos of Turkish art and archaeological sites, subjects Wilson was passionate about preserving during and after his ambassadorship. A file of ephemera containing memorabilia from some of Wilson's official engagements is also included.

SERIES 2: CORRESPONDENCE

The CORRESPONDENCE series, arranged chronologically, contains letters from 1907-1974. This series consists primarily of official Department of State correspondence to Edwin C. Wilson. Included are many of his letters of promotion and appointment, as well as correspondence relating to his diplomatic services in Uruguay, Panama, France and Turkey. Some personal correspondence is also included.

SERIES 3: SUBJECT FILES

The SUBJECT FILES series dates from 1929 to 1948. The bulk of this series are documents relating to Wilson's work as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and include confidential U.S. State Department memorandum, documents on the subjects of the defense of the Turkish Straits, Soviet and British policy on Turkey, Turkey's position during World War II, agreements and treaties with the Allies, and U.S. aid to Turkey. This series also includes materials relating to the Hague Conference (1929-1930), documents in both French and English on the establishment of the Provisional Government of the French Republic, and a few documents, in Spanish and English on Panama and the 1939 Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the American Republics.

Edwin C. Wilson Papers, 1907-1974 (bulk 1929-1948) (MSS 734)

Container List

BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS

Photographs

CORRESPONDENCE

SUBJECT FILES

Turkey