W. Averell Harriman

American businessman, politician and diplomat (1891–1986)
Person human Q345531
W. Averell Harriman
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W. Averell Harriman

Summary

W. Averell Harriman is a human[1]. His place of birth was New York City[2]. He was born on November 15, 1891[3]. He died in Yorktown Heights[4]. He died on July 26, 1986[5]. He worked as a diplomat[6], politician[7], polo player[8], and businessperson[9]. He ranks in the top 0.65% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,120 views/month, #6,475 of 1,000,298).[10]

Key Facts

  • Born in New York City[2], W. Averell Harriman…
  • W. Averell Harriman passed away in Yorktown Heights[4].
  • W. Averell Harriman was born on November 15, 1891[3].
  • W. Averell Harriman died on July 26, 1986[5].
  • Burial took place at Arden[11].
  • W. Averell Harriman's father was Edward Henry Harriman[12].
  • W. Averell Harriman's mother was Mary Williamson Averell[13].
  • Among W. Averell Harriman's spouses was Marie Norton Harriman[14].
  • Among W. Averell Harriman's spouses was Pamela Harriman[15].
  • W. Averell Harriman was married to Kitty Lanier Lawrance[16].
  • A child of W. Averell Harriman was Mary Averell Harriman[17].
  • A child of W. Averell Harriman was Kathleen Harriman Mortimer[18].
  • W. Averell Harriman held citizenship in United States[19].
  • W. Averell Harriman worked as a diplomat[6].
  • W. Averell Harriman's professions included politician[7].
  • W. Averell Harriman's professions included polo player[8].
  • W. Averell Harriman worked as a businessperson[9].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of Governor of New York[20].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of United States Secretary of Commerce[21].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union[22].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs[23].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs[24].
  • W. Averell Harriman held the position of director[25].
  • W. Averell Harriman was employed by Union Pacific Corporation[26].
  • W. Averell Harriman's education included a stint at Groton School[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in New York City[2], W. Averell Harriman… he was born on November 15, 1891[3]. His father was Edward Henry Harriman[12]. His mother was Mary Williamson Averell[13].

Education

Educated at Groton School[27], a school[28], in United States[29], founded in 1884[30] and Yale University[31]. W. Averell Harriman earned the academic degree of Bachelor of Arts[32].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include diplomat[6], politician[7], polo player[8], and businessperson[9]. Among W. Averell Harriman's employers was Union Pacific Corporation[26]. Positions held include Governor of New York[20], a governor[33], in United States[34], founded in 1777[35]; United States Secretary of Commerce[21], a position[36], in United States[37], founded in 1913[38]; United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union[22], a historical position[39], in Soviet Union[40], founded in 1918[41]; Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs[23], an United States Assistant Secretary of State[42], founded in 1949[43]; Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs[24], a position[44], founded in 1959[45]; and director[25], a profession[46].

Recognition

Awards received include Presidential Medal of Freedom[47], Four Freedoms Award – Freedom Medal[48], Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame[49], and Order of the Patriotic War[50].

Personal Life

Spouses include Marie Norton Harriman[14], an art collector[51], 1903–1970[52], of United States[53]; Pamela Harriman[15], a diplomat[54], 1920–1997[55], of United Kingdom[56], awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour[57]; and Kitty Lanier Lawrance[16], 1893–1936[58]. Children include Mary Averell Harriman[17], a tutor[59], 1917–1996[60], of United States[61] and Kathleen Harriman Mortimer[18], a journalist[62], 1917–2011[63], of United States[64], specialised in journalism[65]. Political affiliations include Democratic Party[66] and Republican Party[67].

Death and Burial

W. Averell Harriman died on July 26, 1986[5]. He died in Yorktown Heights[4]. He is buried at Arden[11].

Works and Contributions

Things named for W. Averell Harriman include W. Averell Harriman Award[68], an award[69], in United States[70], founded in 1968[71].

Why It Matters

W. Averell Harriman ranks in the top 0.65% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (2,120 views/month, #6,475 of 1,000,298).[10] He has Wikipedia articles in 20 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[72] He is known by 31 alternative names across languages and contexts.[73]

Entities named for him include W. Averell Harriman Award[68], an award[69], in United States[70], founded in 1968[71].

FAQs

Where was W. Averell Harriman born?

W. Averell Harriman's place of birth was New York City[2].

Where did W. Averell Harriman die?

W. Averell Harriman passed away in Yorktown Heights[4].

Who were W. Averell Harriman's parents?

W. Averell Harriman's father was Edward Henry Harriman[12]. W. Averell Harriman's mother was Mary Williamson Averell[13].

Who was W. Averell Harriman married to?

W. Averell Harriman's spouses include Marie Norton Harriman[14], Pamela Harriman[15], and Kitty Lanier Lawrance[16].

What did W. Averell Harriman do for work?

W. Averell Harriman worked as diplomat[6], politician[7], polo player[8], and businessperson[9].

Where did W. Averell Harriman go to school?

W. Averell Harriman was educated at Groton School[27] and Yale University[31].

What awards did W. Averell Harriman receive?

Honors received include Presidential Medal of Freedom[47], Four Freedoms Award – Freedom Medal[48], Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame[49], and Order of the Patriotic War[50].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [4] . wikidata.org.
  3. [12] . wikidata.org.
  4. [13] . wikidata.org.
  5. [14] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  6. [15] . wikidata.org.
  7. [16] . wikidata.org.
  8. [19] . wikidata.org.
  9. [20] . wikidata.org.
  10. [21] . wikidata.org.
  11. [22] . wikidata.org.
  12. [23] . wikidata.org.
  13. [24] . wikidata.org.
  14. [25] . wikidata.org.
  15. [17] . wikidata.org.
  16. [18] . The Peerage. wikidata.org.
  17. [27] . wikidata.org.
  18. [31] . wikidata.org.
  19. [66] . wikidata.org.
  20. [67] . wikidata.org.
  21. [6] . wikidata.org.
  22. [7] . wikidata.org.
  23. [8] . wikidata.org.
  24. [9] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  25. [26] . wikidata.org.
  26. [11] . wikidata.org.
  27. [47] . crsreports.congress.gov. crsreports.congress.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  28. [48] . wikidata.org.
  29. [49] . wikidata.org.
  30. [50] . wikidata.org.
  31. [32] . wikidata.org.
  32. [3] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  33. [5] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [68] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [51] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [58] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [61] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [62] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  27. [63] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  28. [64] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  29. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  30. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  31. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  32. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  33. [69] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  34. [70] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  35. [71] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [10] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [72] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [73] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

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Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). W. Averell Harriman. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/w-averell-harriman
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BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_w-averell-harriman_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{W. Averell Harriman}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/w-averell-harriman}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 14d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-20 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Occupation diplomat, politician, polo player +1
    "/* wbeditentity-update:0| */ QuickStatements 3.0 [[:toollabs:qs-dev/batch/32084|batch #32084]]: import P21 and P106 from GND (26)"
  2. 26d ago · Printstream · 2026-05-08 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    P14396 register/person/arw-118546104
    Local thumb
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P14396]]: register/person/arw-118546104, #quickstatements; #temporary_batch_1778148440554"
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