Michael Henry Herbert
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Henry Herbert, KCMG, CB, PC) (25 June 1857–30 September 1903), was a British
diplomat and ambassador.
, in Wiltshire
. He joined the Diplomatic Service and was posted to Paris
aged 21, on 1 June 1879, where he was appointed Third Secretary in March 1880 and Second Secretary in November 1883.
He was transferred to Washington DC on 31 August 1888 and was awarded the CB in 1896. He ended his career as the second British Ambassador
to the USA in succession to Lord Pauncefote, who had died in office. He created with the U.S. Secretary of State John Hay
a joint commission to establish the border between the U.S. district of Alaska
and British interests in the Dominion of Canada
, where gold had been found in the 1890s, which resulted in the definitive Alaskan boundary treaty of 1903. He was awarded the KCMG in 1902 for services during the Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903
.
He died of tuberculosis in Davos
, Switzerland
, aged 47. The town of Herbert
in Saskatchewan
, Canada
, is named after him.
, the British statesman, and Elizabeth Herbert, Baroness Herbert of Lea, philanthropist and Roman Catholic writer and apologist. His father, Sidney, was himself the younger son of George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke, by the Russian noblewoman Countess Catherine Vorontsov
, daughter of Semyon Vorontsov. In due course, two of Herbert's brothers succeeded to the earldom of Pembroke
, his half-uncle Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke
having died without legitimate issue in Paris on 25 April 1862. Herbert was granted the style and precedence of the younger son of an earl by Royal Warrant on 30 May.
Herbert married on 27 November 1888 Leila 'Belle' Wilson (d. 19 Nov. 1923), a daughter of Richard Thornton Wilson, a banker and cotton broker of New York
and Newport, Rhode Island
, all of whose children married advantageously. Wilson's eldest daughter, Mary (also called May) married New York landowner Ogden Goelet (they were the parents of Mary Goelet
) and his youngest daughter, Grace, married Cornelius Vanderbilt III; his son Orme was married to the daughter of Mrs. William Astor, "the" Mrs. Astor.
Herbert and his wife had two sons:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
diplomat and ambassador.
Career
Herbert was brought up at the family house at Wilton HouseWilton House
Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
, in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. He joined the Diplomatic Service and was posted to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
aged 21, on 1 June 1879, where he was appointed Third Secretary in March 1880 and Second Secretary in November 1883.
He was transferred to Washington DC on 31 August 1888 and was awarded the CB in 1896. He ended his career as the second British Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the USA in succession to Lord Pauncefote, who had died in office. He created with the U.S. Secretary of State John Hay
John Hay
John Milton Hay was an American statesman, diplomat, author, journalist, and private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln.-Early life:...
a joint commission to establish the border between the U.S. district of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and British interests in the Dominion of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, where gold had been found in the 1890s, which resulted in the definitive Alaskan boundary treaty of 1903. He was awarded the KCMG in 1902 for services during the Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903
Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903
The Venezuela Crisis of 1902 was a naval blockade from December of 1902 to February of 1903 imposed against Venezuela by Britain, Germany and Italy over President Cipriano Castro's refusal to pay foreign debts and damages suffered by European citizens in a recent Venezuelan civil war...
.
He died of tuberculosis in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, aged 47. The town of Herbert
Herbert, Saskatchewan
-External links:* http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm.php?id=story_line&lg=English&fl=&ex=00000155&sl=2346&pos=1* http://www.townofherbertsk.ca/herbert/index.html...
in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is named after him.
Family
Sir Michael Herbert was the fourth and youngest son of distinguished parents: Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of LeaSidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:...
, the British statesman, and Elizabeth Herbert, Baroness Herbert of Lea, philanthropist and Roman Catholic writer and apologist. His father, Sidney, was himself the younger son of George Augustus Herbert, 11th Earl of Pembroke, by the Russian noblewoman Countess Catherine Vorontsov
Vorontsov
Vorontsov, also Woronzow, Woroncow is a celebrated Russian family, which attained the dignity of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire in 1744 and Serene Princes of the Russian Empire in 1852....
, daughter of Semyon Vorontsov. In due course, two of Herbert's brothers succeeded to the earldom of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle...
, his half-uncle Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke
Robert Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke
Robert Henry Herbert, 12th Earl of Pembroke and 9th Earl of Montgomery was a British nobleman in line for great estates and position as head of the distinguished Herbert family and heir to the earldom of Pembroke, but lived an irregular life in exile after a dissolute youth.-Early years:Herbert...
having died without legitimate issue in Paris on 25 April 1862. Herbert was granted the style and precedence of the younger son of an earl by Royal Warrant on 30 May.
Herbert married on 27 November 1888 Leila 'Belle' Wilson (d. 19 Nov. 1923), a daughter of Richard Thornton Wilson, a banker and cotton broker of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, all of whose children married advantageously. Wilson's eldest daughter, Mary (also called May) married New York landowner Ogden Goelet (they were the parents of Mary Goelet
Mary Goelet
Mary Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe was the daughter of prominent New Yorkers Mr. and Mrs. Ogden Goelet -Biography:...
) and his youngest daughter, Grace, married Cornelius Vanderbilt III; his son Orme was married to the daughter of Mrs. William Astor, "the" Mrs. Astor.
Herbert and his wife had two sons:
- Sir Sidney Herbert, 1st BaronetSir Sidney Herbert, 1st BaronetSir Sidney Herbert, 1st Baronet was a British Conservative Party politician. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1922 to 1931 and 1932 to 1939....
, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
; b. 29 Jul 1890; d. unm. 1939, when the baronetcy expired. - Lt Michael George Herbert, b. 1893; d. unm. 1932.