Edward Joseph Hale (December 25, 1839 ? February 15, 1922) ^[1] was an American diplomat and journalist. He was the Ambassador to Costa Rica from 1913-1917 and publisher of The Fayetteville Observer from the mid-1860s to 1919.

Biography [ edit ]

Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina , he was youngest son of his parents. His parents were Margaret Walker and Edward Jones Hale, a newspaper editor and owner of the political newspaper The Carolina Observer . ^[2]

He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , receiving a B.A. and an LL.D. ^[3] While there, he was a member of the fraternity of Delta Psi (aka St. Anthony Hall ). ^[3]

During the civil war , he served in 5th North Carolina Infantry, Confederate States of America. ^[4] He was later appointed to the staff of General James Henry Lane as major. ^[2] He was promoted to assistant adjunct and inspector general. ^[3] At the end of the war he was recommended for promotion to brigadier general, but did not achieve the rank. ^[1]

Career [ edit ]

General Sherman destroyed the Carolina Observer's building immediately on entering Fayetteville in 1865. After the war, Hale briefly has a publishing business in New York. He returned to Fayetteville and resuming publication of the Observer, renamed The Fayetteville Observer as its editor and publisher. ^[3] Hale's four sons joined the business, and it remained in the family until sold in 1919. ^[5]

His diplomatic career began when President Grover Cleveland appointed him as consul for Manchester, England . In 1913 he became ambassador to Costa Rica, under the presidency of Woodrow Wilson . He remained ambassador until 1917, ^[6] he was recalled after the overthrow of the government of Costa Rica, leading the Wilson administration to refuse to recognize their new government. ^[1]

In between the two diplomatic appointments, he was the moving force behind the creation of the canal system of the Cape Fear River. ^[1]

References [ edit ]