▁Wil kins ▁Short ▁( Oct ober ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 7 9 4 ▁– ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 3 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁botan ist . ▁He ▁primarily ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Kentucky . ▁Short ▁discovered ▁several ▁species ▁of ▁plants ▁and ▁has ▁six ▁species ▁of ▁plants ▁named ▁after ▁him . ▁He ▁attended ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁University ▁and ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Pennsylvania . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁being ▁a ▁botan ist , ▁he ▁pract iced ▁medicine ▁and ▁taught ▁mater ia ▁med ica . ▁Short ▁also ▁owned ▁a ▁s izable ▁her b arium . ▁Short ▁retired ▁from ▁teaching ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Short ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁October ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 7 9 4 , ▁in ▁Wood ford ▁County , ▁Kentucky . ▁His ▁parents ▁were ▁P ey ton ▁Short ▁and ▁Maria ▁Sym mes ▁Short . ▁Short ▁had ▁four ▁sib lings ▁and ▁four ▁half - s ib lings . ▁Two ▁of ▁his ▁grand par ents ▁were ▁John ▁Cle ves ▁and ▁Anna ▁T uth ill ▁Sym mes . ▁He ▁lived ▁on ▁his ▁father ' s ▁farm ▁during ▁his ▁early ▁life . ▁Short ▁received ▁his ▁primary ▁education ▁from ▁the ▁well - known ▁teacher ▁Josh ua ▁F ry . ▁ ▁Short ▁attended ▁Trans ylvan ia ▁University ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 0 ▁and ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Arts ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 1 3 , ▁he ▁studied ▁under ▁Cas par ▁W ist