William Darlington
William Darlington | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Birmingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 1863 (aged 80) West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, botanist, politician |
| Years active | Early 1800s–1863 |
| Known for | Representing Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district; botanical works including Flora cestrica; Darlingtonia californica named after him |
William Darlington (April 28, 1782 – April 23, 1863) was a notable American physician, botanist, and political figure who represented Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district as a Democratic-Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1819 and 1823.
Early life and education
Born in Birmingham, Chester County, Pennsylvania, Darlington was related to Edward and Isaac Darlington as a cousin and to Smedley Darlington as a second cousin. He received his early education at the Friends School in Birmingham and was raised on a farm. His fascination with botany emerged early in life. Pursuing medical studies, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1804. In 1806, he undertook duties as a ship's surgeon on a voyage to the East Indies before returning to West Chester in 1807 to establish his medical practice. At the onset of the War of 1812, he organized a volunteer company and held the rank of major.
Political and later career
Darlington secured election to the Fourteenth Congress as a Democratic-Republican and subsequently served in both the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Congresses. His public service continued when he was named canal commissioner in 1825. From 1831 through 1835, he held the position of inaugural president of the West Chester Railroad. Later, from 1868 to 1878, he partnered with Robert Cornwell to practice law in West Chester.
In 1823, Darlington became a member of the American Philosophical Society. Three years later, he established a natural history society based in West Chester. His contributions to botanical literature include significant works such as Mutual Influence of Habits and Disease (1804), Flora cestrica (1837), and Agricultural Botany (1847). The Flora cestrica was produced collaboratively with input from Thomas Potts James and Ezra Michner, while Abigail Kimber provided specimens referenced within the publication.
Yale University honored him with an L.L.D. degree in 1848, followed by Dickinson College awarding him a Doctor of Physical Science in 1855. The California pitcher plant, Darlingtonia californica, was named after him by John Torrey in 1853. Several botanical specimens collected by Darlington are preserved by the Academy of Natural Sciences.
In 1849, he authored Memorials of John Bartram and Humphry Marshall; with notices of their Botanical Contemporaries.
Darlington also served as director and president of the National Bank of Chester County from 1830 until his passing in 1863; during this period, fellow botanist David Townsend acted as chief cashier. He died in West Chester and was laid to rest at Oaklands Cemetery.