United States Ambassador to Portugal

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Formation February 21, 1791		Website U.S. Embassy - Lisbon

Nominator The President of the United States Inaugural holder David Humphreys as Minister Resident

This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Portugal.

Bilateral diplomatic relations between the United States and Portugal date from the earliest years of the United States. Following the Revolutionary War, Portugal was the first neutral country to recognize the United States. On February 21, 1791, President George Washington opened formal diplomatic relations, naming Col. David Humphreys as U.S. Minister Resident. Subsequent envoys were given the title Minister Plenipotentiary.

Ambassadors

David Humphreys

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: February 21, 1791

Presented credentials: May 13, 1791

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 25, 1797

John Quincy Adams

Title: Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 30, 1796

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

William L. Smith

Title: Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: July 10, 1797

Presented credentials: September 8, 1797

Terminated mission: Presented recall, September 9, 1801

Note: There was no U.S. minister representing the U.S. from 1801–1807.

Thomas Sumter, Jr.

Title: Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: March 7, 1809

Presented credentials: June 7, 1810

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 24, 1819

John Graham

Title: Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: January 6, 1819

Presented credentials: June 24, 1819

Terminated mission: Left Rio de Janeiro, June 13, 1820

John James Appleton

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: Not commissioned

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: His last dispatch was dated July 12, 1821.

Henry Dearborn, Sr.

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 7, 1822

Presented credentials: Unknown

Terminated mission: Had farewell audience, June 30, 1824

Note: Between 1824 and 1854 there was no minister representing the U.S. in Lisbon. A series of chargés d’affaires acted as chief of mission.

Thomas L.L. Brent

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: March 9, 1825

Presented credentials: June 24, 1825

Terminated mission: Left post on or soon after November 28, 1834

Edward Kavanagh

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: March 3, 1835

Presented credentials: July 25, 1835

Terminated mission: Relinquished charge, April 19, 1841

Washington Barrow

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: August 16, 1841

Presented credentials: December 28, 1841

Terminated mission: Presented recall, February 24, 1844

Abraham Rencher

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: September 22, 1843

Presented credentials: February 24, 1844

Terminated mission: Presented recall, November 4, 1847

George W. Hopkins

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: March 3, 1847

Presented credentials: November 4, 1847

Terminated mission: Presented recall, October 18, 1849

James Brown Clay

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: August 1, 1849

Presented credentials: October 18, 1849

Terminated mission: Left post August 19, 1850

Charles B. Haddock

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: December 10, 1850

Presented credentials: June 17, 1851

Terminated mission: Presented recall, June 16, 1854

John L. O'Sullivan

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: February 16, 1854

Presented credentials: June 16, 1854

Terminated mission: Promoted to Minister Resident June 29, 1854

John L. O'Sullivan

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: June 29, 1854

Presented credentials: October 19, 1854

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 15, 1858

George W. Morgan

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: May 11, 1858

Presented credentials: July 15, 1858

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 19, 1861

James E. Harvey

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: March 28, 1861

Presented credentials: July 19, 1861

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 15, 1869

Samuel Shellabarger

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: April 21, 1869

Presented credentials: July 15, 1869

Terminated mission: Relinquished charge, January 1, 1870

William Cumback

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: January 28, 1870

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

Charles H. Lewis

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: March 15, 1870

Presented credentials: June 15, 1870

Terminated mission: Presented recall, April 8, 1875

Benjamin Moran

Title: Minister Resident

Appointed: December 15, 1874

Presented credentials: April 8, 1875

Terminated mission: Presented recall, November 9, 1876

Benjamin Moran

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: August 15, 1876

Presented credentials: November 15, 1876

Terminated mission: Recall presented by successor, September 27, 1882

John M. Francis

Title: Chargé d'Affaires

Appointed: April 28, 1882

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

John M. Francis

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: July 7, 1882

Presented credentials: October 5, 1882

Terminated mission: Left post August 25, 1884

Lewis Richmond

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: July 4, 1884

Presented credentials: October 23, 1884

Terminated mission: Presented recall, May 7, 1885

Edward Parke Custis Lewis

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: April 2, 1885

Presented credentials: June 18, 1885

Terminated mission: Presented recall, June 14, 1889

George B. Loring

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: March 30, 1889

Presented credentials: August 29, 1889

Terminated mission: Left post May 31, 1890

George S. Batcheller

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: October 1, 1890

Presented credentials: December 30, 1890

Terminated mission: Left post August 17, 1892

Gilbert A. Pierce

Title: Minister Resident/Consul General

Appointed: January 6, 1893

Presented credentials: March 20, 1893

Terminated mission: Presented recall, May 24, 1893

Note: In 1893 the rank of the U.S. representative in Lisbon was raised to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

George William Caruth

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: April 25, 1893

Presented credentials: June 30, 1893

Terminated mission: Presented recall, July 24, 1897

Lawrence Townsend

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: June 9, 1897

Presented credentials: August 18, 1897

Terminated mission: Presented recall, May 29, 1899

John N. Irwin

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: April 12, 1899

Presented credentials: December 26, 1899

Terminated mission: Left post May 15, 1900

Francis B. Loomis

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: June 17, 1901

Presented credentials: August 14, 1901

Terminated mission: Left post September 16, 1902

Charles Page Bryan

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: January 7, 1903

Presented credentials: April 25, 1903

Terminated mission: Left post January 16, 1910

Henry T. Gage

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: December 21, 1909

Presented credentials: June 11, 1910

Terminated mission: Left post November 19, 1910

Henry S. Boutell

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: March 2, 1911

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

Edwin V. Morgan

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 24, 1911

Presented credentials: August 3, 1911

Terminated mission: Left post February 11, 1912

Cyrus E. Woods

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: January 25, 1912

Presented credentials: March 20, 1912

Terminated mission: Presented recall, August 19, 1913

Meredith Nicholson

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: Not commissioned

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

Thomas H. Birch – Political appointee

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: September 10, 1913

Presented credentials: December 15, 1913

Terminated mission: Left post March 15, 1922

Fred Morris Dearing – Career FSO

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: February 10, 1922

Presented credentials: June 6, 1922

Terminated mission: Relinquished charge, February 28, 1930

John Glover South – Political appointee

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: December 16, 1929

Presented credentials: March 26, 1930

Terminated mission: Left post July 28, 1933

Robert Granville Caldwell – Political appointee

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: June 13, 1933

Presented credentials: August 21, 1933

Terminated mission: Left post May 28, 1937

Herbert Claiborne Pell – Political appointee

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 27, 1937

Presented credentials: July 31, 1937

Terminated mission: Left post February 3, 1941

Bert Fish – Political appointee

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: February 11, 1941

Presented credentials: March 26, 1941

Terminated mission: Died at post July 21, 1943

Raymond Henry Norweb – Career FSO

Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Appointed: November 15, 1943

Presented credentials: December 3, 1943

Terminated mission: Promoted to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary May 4, 1944

Note: In May 1944 the rank of the envoy to Portugal was raised to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

R. Henry Norweb – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 4, 1944

Presented credentials: June 20, 1944

Terminated mission: Left post February 15, 1945

Herman B. Baruch – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: February 9, 1945

Presented credentials: April 12, 1945

Terminated mission: Left post March 9, 1947

John C. Wiley – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: April 10, 1947

Presented credentials: June 18, 1947

Terminated mission: Left post March 15, 1948

Lincoln MacVeagh – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: April 8, 1948

Presented credentials: June 9, 1948

Terminated mission: Left post February 26, 1952

Cavendish W. Cannon – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: March 13, 1952

Presented credentials: June 2, 1952

Terminated mission: Left post August 1, 1953

M. Robert Guggenheim – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: June 24, 1953

Presented credentials: August 12, 1953

Terminated mission: Left post September 19, 1954

James C. H. Bonbright – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: January 24, 1955

Presented credentials: February 18, 1955

Terminated mission: Left post November 27, 1958

C. Burke Elbrick – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: October 29, 1958

Presented credentials: January 13, 1959

Terminated mission: Left post August 31, 1963

George W. Anderson, Jr. – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: August 1, 1963

Presented credentials: October 22, 1963

Terminated mission: Left post June 1, 1966

W. Tapley Bennett, Jr. – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: May 10, 1966

Presented credentials: July 20, 1966

Terminated mission: Left post July 21, 1969

Ridgway B. Knight – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: July 8, 1969

Presented credentials: July 30, 1969

Terminated mission: Left post February 24, 1973

Stuart Nash Scott – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: December 19, 1973

Presented credentials: January 23, 1974

Terminated mission: Left post January 12, 1975

Frank C. Carlucci – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: December 9, 1974

Presented credentials: January 24, 1975

Terminated mission: Left post February 5, 1978

Richard J. Bloomfield – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: February 3, 1978

Presented credentials: March 10, 1978

Terminated mission: Left post June 10, 1982

Henry Allen Holmes – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: September 23, 1982

Presented credentials: October 15, 1982

Terminated mission: Left post June 26, 1985

Frank Shakespeare – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: August 2, 1985

Presented credentials: October 16, 1985

Terminated mission: Left post October 4, 1986

Richard N. Viets – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: Not commissioned

Presented credentials: —

Terminated mission: —

Note: Between December 1986 and January 1988, the following two persons acted as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the embassy in Lisbon:

Alan Flanigan (December 1986–August 1987)

Wesley W. Egan (August 1987–January 1988)

Edward Morgan Rowell – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: January 19, 1988

Presented credentials: January 29, 1988

Terminated mission: Left post March 30, 1990

Everett Ellis Briggs – Career FSO

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: April 1, 1990

Presented credentials: May 25, 1990

Terminated mission: Left post September 3, 1993

Note: Sharon P. Wilkinson served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, September 1993–September 1994.

Elizabeth Frawley Bagley – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: July 5, 1994

Presented credentials: September 21, 1994

Terminated mission: Left post October 3, 1997

Gerald S. McGowan – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: November 10, 1997

Presented credentials: March 10, 1998

Terminated mission: Left post July 3, 2001

John N. Palmer – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: November 5, 2001

Presented credentials: November 28, 2001

Terminated mission: Left post September 25, 2004

Alfred Hoffman, Jr. – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: October 12, 2005

Presented credentials: November 30, 2005

Terminated mission: Left post, September 15, 2007

Thomas F. Stephenson – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: October 29, 2007

Presented credentials: February 8, 2008

Terminated mission: June 2009

Allan J. Katz – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: March 26, 2010

Presented credentials: April 28, 2010

Terminated mission: July 2013

Robert A. Sherman – Political appointee

Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

Appointed: March 5, 2014

Presented credentials: April 5, 2014

Terminated mission: January 20, 2017

References

United States Ambassador to Portugal Wikipedia

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