Alexander Wilbourne Weddell (1876-1948)

He was born in Richmond, Virginia, and was educated at George Washington University in Washington D.C. He began his diplomatic career in 1908 and became known for his work on international commercial and mediation commissions for which he was decorated by a number of foreign governments. He held posts in Greece, Mexico, Italy, India, Egypt, Syria, and Zanzibar before retiring in 1928 to settle into his new Tudor home, Virginia House (named for his wife) that he transported from England. He returned to government in 1933 as Ambassador to Argentina (1933-1939) and then Spain (1939-1942) where he lived at the Palacio de Montellano. Back at home, he authored four books, founded the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, co-founded the Richmond Academy of the Arts and was President of the Richmond Community Fund and the Virginia Historical Society. In the year before he died he was elected a Member of the American Antiquarian Society. In 1923, he married the wealthy widow, Mrs Virginia (Chase) Steedman. They were both killed with their maid while travelling to Arizona for the winter when their Pullman train car was rammed by another train during a blizzard.