Juan Federico Elmore

Juan Federico Elmore, born in Lima in 1841, studied at the University of Virginia under the name Frederick Elmore during the three academic sessions from 1857–1858 to 1859–1860. His subjects ranged from languages and mathematics to philosophy and law. ¹

As secretary to Aurelio García y García’s mission, he helped staff the negotiations that established treaty relations with Japan in 1873 and China in 1874. He subsequently represented Peru in China. A contemporary report of Ulysses S. Grant’s arrival in Beijing in June 1879 places Elmore among the foreign representatives who welcomed the former president at the American legation. ^{2, 1}

Francisco García Calderón sent him to Washington during the War of the Pacific. Elmore pursued a financial and diplomatic plan intended to obtain American support for peace without surrendering Peru’s nitrate territory. In August 1881, James G. Blaine agreed to conduct full diplomatic relations with him while President Garfield’s grave condition delayed the formal presentation of credentials. The hoped for intervention failed as American policy changed after Garfield’s death. ^{3, 4}

After Eduardo Villena briefly replaced him, Elmore returned to the legation under Miguel Iglesias. In March 1885 he formally notified Washington that Peru would terminate its commerce and extradition treaties after the required year’s notice, while offering to negotiate new agreements. His later career included service as Peru’s foreign minister in 1891–1892, succeeding his brother Alberto. ^{3, 5, 1}