William Barbey
Swiss botanist (1842–1914)
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William Barbey (also known as William Barbey-Boissier after his marriage; 14 July 1842 – 18 November 1914) was a Swiss botanist and politician. The standard author abbreviation Barbey is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.[1]
Biography
Barbey was born on 14 July 1842 in Genthod, in the canton of Geneva, the son of Henri Barbey and Hélène-Marie Iselin.[2] He attended the Academy of Geneva and then studied engineering at the École Centrale de Paris.[2] From 1862 to 1869, Barbey worked at an export business in New York City.[2] He married Caroline Boissier, the daughter of prominent botanist Edmond Boissier.[2]
After his marriage, Barbey studied botany and undertook botanical research in Spain, Palestine, Greece and Asia Minor.[2] In 1885, he founded the publication Bulletin de l'Herbier Boissier, which in 1910 became the Bulletin de la société botanique de Genève.[3][2] He built, largely at his own expense, the Yverdon–Saint-Croix railway.[2] However, as a supporter of Sunday observance, he insisted that the trains did not run on that day.[2] He lived in, and was an honorary citizen of, Valeyres-sous-Rances and Sainte-Croix in the canton of Vaud.[2] Barbey served as a Liberal member of the Grand Council of Vaud from 1885 to 1909.[2] He died on 18 November 1914 in Chambésy, aged 72.[3][2]