PROMLXENT PERSONS
153
manual labor, and accordingly he acquired
a thorough knowledge of the classical lan-
guages, and in 1781 was offered the posi-
tion of tutor in Hampden-Sidney College,
which he accepted, serving in that capacity
for some time; he studied theology under
the preceptorship of Dr. John Blair Smith,
president of Hampden-Sidney College, and
was licensed to preach in September, 1787,
and ordained in October, 1788, in which
year he was elected vice-president of the
college, and upon Dr. Smith's resignation,
in the year 1791, succeeded to the presi-
dency, filling that honorable position until
1796, when he tendered his resignation,
which was accepted, and during the remain-
der of his life he devoted his time and at-
tention to supplying neighboring churches
and also taught a classical school ; he served
as moderator of the general assembly of the
Presbyterian church in 1809, and as clerk
of the Hanover Presbytery during the
greater part of his ministry ; the loss of his
hand was supplied by one of silver, and this
fact, together with his clear and musical
voice, gained for him the name of "Lacy
with the silver hand and silver tongue ;" his
death occurred in Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania, December 6, 1815.
Short, William, was born at "Spring Gar- den," Surry county, Virginia, September 30, I759» son of William Short, a planter of means, and Elizabeth Skipwith, his wife, daughter of Sir Peyton Skipwith. He was educated at William and Mary College, and was an original member of the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, and its president from December 5, 1778, until its suspension in 1781. He was chosen a member of the exec- utive council of Virginia in 1783, and when Thomas Jefferson was appointed minister
tc France in 1784, Short accompanied him
as secretary of legation. After Jefferson's
departure from France. Short was made
cl'.arge d'affaires, his commission being the
first one that was signed by Washington as
President. On January 16, 1794, he became
minister to The Hague. He was next ap-
pointed a commissioner to treat with the
Spanish government concerning the Florida
and Mississippi boundaries, the navigation
of the Mississippi, and other open questions.
His negotiations resulted in a treaty of
friendship, commerce and boundaries, which
was signed October 27, 1795. He returned
to the United States in iSoi, having been
absent in the service of the country for
seventeen years. In 1849 he acted as the
medium for the revival of the Phi Beta
Kappa chapter at William and Mary Col-
lege. His died in Philadelphia, December
5 of the same year.
Stuart, Archibald, was the son of Alex- ander Stuart, one of the founders of Liberty Hall Academy, now Washington and Lee University. He was educated at William and Mary College, which he left in 1780, and joined the regiment from Rockbridge, in which his father was major, and fought in the battle of Guilford Court House, where the father was wounded and taken prisoner. During the entire campaign, young Stuart had with him the official seal of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, of which he was vice-president, which seal, many years after his death, was found in a secret drawer in his escritoire. This seal his son, Hon. Alexander H. H. Stuart, transmitted to the society at its revival in 1849, but since the civil war it has been lost sight of. After the revolution, Mr. Stuart studied law under Thomas Jefferson. In 1783 he was elected
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