William Short

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William Short
First United States Minister to Spain
In office
September 7, 1794 – November 1, 1795
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	David Humphreys
Second United States Minister to the Netherlands
In office
June 18, 1792 – December 19, 1792
Preceded by	John Adams
Succeeded by	John Quincy Adams
Third United States Minister to France
In office
June 14, 1790 – May 15, 1792
Preceded by	Thomas Jefferson
Succeeded by	Gouverneur Morris
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Personal details
Born	September 20, 1759
	Surrey County, Virginia
Died	December 5, 1849 (aged 90)
	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Alma mater	College of William & Mary
Profession	Lawyer Diplomat Financier Philanthropist
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William Short was born on September 30, 1759, in Surrey County, Virginia. He studied law under George Wythe at the College of William & Mary, where he was a founding member and president of Phi Beta Kappa. Short described his legal education in a letter to his nephew in 1816, mentioning Wythe's lectures, readings, and moot courts:

With respect to the study of the law there is one observation which I will make to you, or rather one caution which I will give you founded on my own experience. Scientific students [of the law] are apt to despise the mere technical and practical past of the business—that is the process or forms of pleading. I had studied with our great Chancellor Wythe, following his course of law lectures for the appointed time. I also studied particularly under the direction of Mr. Jefferson—and had received the applauses of both. I had plead[ed] causes also in a simulated court, where our professor presided, and I was considered able and eloquent, etc. In point of general knowledge I am sure I may say without vanity that I [was] prepared more than most of the Lawyers who then were practicing at the bar. I had read and made copious notes on Coke['s] Lyttleton. I had done so with Blackstone, of course. I had read the best reporters, but I was miserably ignorant of the mere technical forms. These were known to the clerks of courts and to every pettifogger, and I despised them.

Short was related to Thomas Jefferson by marriage, and became a protégé of Jefferson's while still in school. Jefferson would eventually refer to Short as his adopted son, and Short would speak of Jefferson as his "second father." In 1784, when Jefferson became Minister to France, Short served as his secretary, launching Short's career as a diplomat. He continued to look after American interests in France after Jefferson returned to the United States in 1789. Short was named Minister Resident to the Netherlands in 1792 and also worked in Spain, where he helped negotiate the Treaty of San Lorenzo. In 1802, he returned to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, often visiting Virginia, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C., where he was a frequent guest at the Jefferson White House. Short was given a recess appointment as Minister to Russia in 1808, but was ultimately not confirmed; the position was later filled by John Quincy Adams. Short settled in Philadelphia and spent his time managing his investments and contributing to philanthropic causes. He died in Philadelphia on December 5, 1849.

See also

Wythe the Teacher