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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = George Robert Merrell
| image = George R. Merrell.png
| caption = George Robert Merrell while in Tibet in 1946
| office = [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan|United States Ambassador to Afghanistan]]
| president = [[Harry Truman]]
| term_start = June 28, 1951
| term_end = May 3, 1952
| predecessor = [[Louis G. Dreyfus]]
| successor = [[Angus I. Ward]]
| office1 = [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Ethiopia|United States Ambassador to Ethiopia]]
| president1 = Harry Truman
| term_start1 = June 28, 1949
| term_end1 = March 17, 1951
| predecessor1 = [[Felix Cole]]
| successor1 = [[J. Rives Childs]]
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1898|07|13}}
| birth_place = [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1962|12|16|1898|07|13}}
| death_place = [[London]], United Kingdom
| restingplace =
| party =
| otherparty =
| father =
| mother =
| spouse = Nathalie Bishop Choate
| children =
| relatives =
| education = [[Cornell University]]
| signature =
}}

'''George Robert Merrell Jr.''' (July 13, 1898 – December 16, 1962) was an American diplomat who served as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Ethiopia|United States Ambassador to Ethiopia]] and [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan|United States Ambassador to Afghanistan]]. During his diplomatic career he served in [[Haiti]], [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]], [[British Raj|India]], and [[Kingdom of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]].

==Early life==

George Robert Merrell Jr. was born in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], on July 13, 1898.<ref>{{Cite news |title=George Robert Merrell Jr. |work=[[The Political Graveyard]] |url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/merrell-merrifield.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200815180250/http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/merrell-merrifield.html |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref> During [[World War I]] he served in the [[United States Army]].<ref name="army"/> He graduated from [[Soldan International Studies High School|Soldan High School]] and graduated from [[Cornell University]] in 1921.<ref name="life">{{Cite news |date=December 27, 1921 |title=St. Louis Youth Appointed To U.S. Diplomatic Corps |page=11 |work=St. Louis Globe-Democrat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57393296/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200815181205/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57393296/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref>

On January 18, 1936, Merrell married Nathalie Bishop Choate, but Choate later filed for divorce in 1939.<ref name="life2">{{Cite news |date=January 18, 1936 |title=Merrell-Choate |page=13 |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826222/the-boston-globe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822164439/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826222/the-boston-globe/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 3, 1939 |title=G.R. Merrell Jr. Sued for Divorce |page=5 |work=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826532/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822164816/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826532/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref> She accused Merrell of cruelty and was given the divorce after an eight minute trial.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 4, 1939 |title=Mrs. Merrell Obtains Reno Divorce Friday |page=6 |work=[[Reno Gazette-Journal|Nevada State Journal]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826700/nevada-state-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822165108/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826700/nevada-state-journal/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref>

==Career==

In 1921, Merrell became a diplomat for the United States.<ref name="life"/><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 17, 1962 |title=George R. Merrell Jr. Dies In London; Ex-Ambassador |page=28 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57393206/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200815181014/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57393206/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref> From March 1924 to October 26, he served as the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to [[Haiti]].<ref name="career">{{Cite news |title=George Robert Merrell (1898–1962) |work=[[United States Department of State]] |url=https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/merrell-george-robert |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822163831/https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/people/merrell-george-robert |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |access-date=February 3, 2020 }}</ref> In April 1935, Merrell became the First Secretary of the United States Legation in [[Beijing|Peiping]], [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|China]].<ref name="life2"/>

On April 26, 1941, Merrell was appointed to serve as the Consul in [[Kolkata|Calcutta]], [[British Raj|India]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 27, 1941 |title=St. Louisan Gets Calcutta Post |page=19 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826980/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822165653/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57826980/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref> On September 20, he was promoted to consul general and October 25, he was appointed to simultaneously serve as the Consul General in [[Kabul]], [[Kingdom of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 21, 1941 |title=St. Louisan, Consul General |page=17 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827085/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822165933/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827085/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=October 26, 1941 |title=St. Louisan Given Post |page=16 |work=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827126/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822170206/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827126/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref> In 1945, Merrell was appointed by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] to serve as the United States [[List of ambassadors of the United States to India|Minister to India]] and was approved by the [[United States Senate]] on February 27.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 19, 1945 |title=George R. Merrell, Ex-St. Louisan, Nominated as Minister to India |page=6 |work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827574/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822170908/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827574/st-louis-post-dispatch/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 28, 1945 |title=George R. Merrell Nomination Confirmed |page=5 |work=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827709/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822170909/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57827709/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref>

On April 15, 1947, President [[Harry S. Truman]] appointed Merrell to replace [[Felix Cole]] as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Ethiopia|Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary]]. [[Henry F. Grady]] was appointed to succeed Merrell as the United States Ambassador to India.<ref name="army">{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1947 |title=George R. Merrill Named Minister To Ethiopia |page=10 |work=The Courier-Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57349834/the-courier-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200814223220/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57349834/the-courier-journal/ |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 15, 2020 }}</ref> On May 14, the United States Senate approved his nomination and he presented his credentials on January 1, 1948.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 15, 1947 |title=Senate Okehs Griffis, Other Truman Choices |page=1 |work=[[Waco Tribune-Herald|The Waco News Tribune]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57828432/the-waco-news-tribune/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200822172214/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57828432/the-waco-news-tribune/ |archive-date=August 22, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref><ref name="career"/> On June 28, 1949, he was promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and served until March 17, 1951.<ref name="career"/>

On April 19, 1951, he was appointed to serve as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan|United States Ambassador to Afghanistan]]. He presented his credentials on June 28, 1951, and served until May 3, 1952.<ref name="career"/>

==Later life==

On December 16, 1962, Merrell died from after suffering a stroke in [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]. He was visiting his sister Ruth, who was an assistant to [[David K. E. Bruce]], the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to the United Kingdom|United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 17, 1962 |title=George Merrell, Ex-Envoy, Dies |page=9 |work=The Akron Beacon Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57392491/the-akron-beacon-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200815175657/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57392491/the-akron-beacon-journal/ |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrell, George R.}}
[[Category:Cornell University alumni]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Haiti]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to India]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Ethiopia]]
[[Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Afghanistan]]
[[Category:American consuls]]

George Robert Merrell - Revision history

>Nikkimaria: rm EL