Ridgway B. Knight
United States Ambassador to Portugal
In office
July 30, 1969 – February 24, 1973
PresidentRichard Nixon
Preceded byW. Tapley Bennett Jr.
Succeeded byStuart Nash Scott
44th United States Ambassador to Belgium
In office
June 24, 1965 – April 16, 1969
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson
Richard Nixon
Preceded byDouglas MacArthur II
Succeeded byJohn Eisenhower
United States Ambassador to Syria
In office
January 11, 1962 – May 27, 1965
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Succeeded byHugh H. Smythe
Personal details
Born
Ridgway Brewster Knight

(1911-06-12)June 12, 1911
Paris, France
DiedAugust 14, 2001(2001-08-14) (aged 90)
Inxent, France
ProfessionDiplomat

Ridgway Brewster Knight (June 12, 1911 – August 14, 2001) was a French-born American diplomat who served as Ambassador to Syria (1961–1965), Belgium (1965–1969) and Portugal (1969–1973).[1]

Early life and career

The son of American parents living in Paris (painter Louis Aston Knight and Caroline Ridgeway Brewster), he studied and graduated from Harvard Business School in 1931.[2]

Following his studies, Knight began importing French wine to the US. He was vice consul in Casablanca, and in 1942 took part in organizing the US landing in Algeria.[2][3]

Knight served as U.S. ambassador to several countries, and later served as president of the American Club of Paris (1984–1989).[2] From 1973 to 1981, he worked for Chase Manhattan Bank .[3]

Personal life and death

Knight married Christine Saint-Léger at Inxent on February 19, 1983. His grandson, Ridgway B. Knight 3rd, married Patricia Wachtell on May 30, 1987.[4] He died in Inxent, at the age of 90.[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Knight, Ridgway Brewster (1911-2001)". Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 13, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c "OBITUARY : Ridgway Brewster Knight, 90". International Herald Tribune. 2001-08-18. Retrieved 2008-12-30.[dead link]
  3. ^ a b c "Longtime Ambassador Ridgway Knight Dies". The Washington Post.
  4. ^ "Patricia Wachtell, Bank Executive, Is Married to Ridgway B. Knight 3d". The New York Times. May 31, 1987.

Sources

Diplomatic posts Preceded byCharles W. Yost United States Ambassador to Syria 1961–1965 Succeeded byHugh H. Smythe Preceded byDouglas MacArthur II United States Ambassador to Belgium 1965–1969 Succeeded byJohn S. D. Eisenhower Preceded byW. Tapley Bennett Jr. United States Ambassador to Portugal 1969–1973 Succeeded byStuart Nash Scott
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