–by Lynda Wright, Head of Technical Services, McGraw-Page Library

Randolph-Macon College alumnus J. Rives Childs will be featured on a Virginia historical marker in Lynchburg, Virginia later this year. Born in Lynchburg in 1893, Childs graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 1912 and received a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Harvard University in 1915. During World War I, Childs served as a code-breaker in the army’s German Cipher Section of military intelligence.

After the war, Childs joined the American Relief Administration, assisting with famine relief in the newly-formed Soviet Union. While in Russia, Childs met and married Georgina de Brylkine. In 1923 Childs began his 30-year career in the American Foreign Service. With diplomatic posts in North Africa and the Middle East, Childs became the United States’ first ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1946. Childs was awarded the Medal of Freedom for his assistance with the Allied North Africa campaign while stationed in Tangiers.

Strong Virginia Roots
Throughout his career, Childs maintained his strong Virginia roots, returning for visits and furloughs, and ultimately settling in Richmond after the death of his wife. He especially cultivated his relationship with Randolph-Macon College, where his great-grandfather, John Early, was a founding Bishop and chairman of the college’s Board of Trustees for the college’s first 40 years.

Childs was a renowned book collector, amassing one of the world’s most extensive collections of the works of Jacques Casanova and related materials. Childs himself wrote several works about Casanova, including a biography, the definitive bibliography of Casanoviana, and he established a journal dedicated to Casanova studies. Childs also collected the works of Retif de la Bretonne, Ange Goudar, and Henry Miller.

Generous Donor
Many RMC faculty and alumni remember seeing Childs on campus during his retirement years, reading in the library and eating with students in the dining hall. Childs donated his extensive rare book collections to the McGraw-Page Library at Randolph-Macon College. At his death in 1987, he endowed scholarships to provide study abroad opportunities to Randolph-Macon students.

Lynda Wornom Wright
Wright, who serves as head of technical services in the McGraw-Page Library and is an associate professor, has done extensive research on Childs. She has presented her research at several conferences and is currently working on an article about Childs for the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography.

Wright earned her B.A. from University of the South, her M.A. from University of Virginia and her M.S. from Columbia University.