Short, Charles Wilkins (1793-1863) Papers, 1802-1869

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Short, Charles Wilkins, 1793-1863 

Title:  Papers, 1802-1869 

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department. 

Size of Collection:  5 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. A S559 

Scope and Content Note 

Papers consist of correspondence, 1811-1849, with his uncle, William Short of Philadelphia, discussing William’s activity in Philadelphia, medicine, and medical schools; family and business correspondence, 1818-1863; letter book, 1818-1822; botanical correspondence, 1815-1834, with scientists in Europe and America; diary, 1860, kept at “Hayfield” near Louisville; records of medical cases from Short’s practice at Hopkinsville, Ky., 1817-1825; lectures to students in the Medical Dept. of Transylvania University; a catalog of plants collected, preserved, and distributed, 1833-1838; land papers relating to land in Ill., Iowa, Ky., and Ohio; statements of account, 1841-1847, for the building of Short’s house and operation of his estate, “Fernbank” in Hamilton County, Ohio; memoranda of letters written and received, 1816-1860; account book; commonplace book; notebooks; and drawings. Includes some correspondence of William Short, Charles Wilkins, and John Cleves Short. The botanical correspondence includes letters from Asa Gray, Sir William J. Hooker, Thomas Nuttall, Constantine S. Rafinesque, Thomas Say, John Torrey, and Lunsford P. Yandell. 

Biographical Note 

1793: Born in Woodford County, Kentucky. 

1811: Graduated from Transylvania University. 

1815: Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with an M.D. 

1817-1825: Practiced medicine in Christian County, Ky. 

1825: Became professor of materiamedica and medical botany at Transylvania University. 

1838: Joined the faculty of the Louisville Medical Institute. 

1863: Died and was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.

Folder List 

Box 1  

fl.  1 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1813-1815. 

fl.  2 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1815-1824.  

fl.  3 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1825. 

fl.  4 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1826-1827.  

fl.  5 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, enclosing five  

letters from Charles Wilkins, 1819-1832.  

fl.  6 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1833-1835.  

fl.  7 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1836-1837.  

fl.  8 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1838. 

fl.  9 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1839. 

fl.  10 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1840. 

fl.  11 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1841. 

fl.  12 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins Short, 1842-1846.  

fl.  12a Statement of account against William Short by Wallis and Caldwell , 1842 May   

13-Sept. 14. 

   

Box 2  

fl.  13 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1813-1820.  

fl.  14 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1821-1825.  

fl.  15 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1826. 

fl.  16 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1827. 

fl.  17 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1828-1830.  

fl.  18 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1831-1833.  

fl.  19 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1834-1835.  

fl.  20 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1836-1837.  

fl.  21 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1838. 

   

Box 3  

fl.  22 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1839. 

fl.  23 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1840. 

fl.  24 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1841. 

fl.  25 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1842. 

fl.  26 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1843. 

fl.  27 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1844. 

fl.  28 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1845. 

fl.  29 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1846. 

fl.  30 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1847. 

fl.  31 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1848-1849.  

   

Box 4  

fl.  32 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1812-1813.  

fl.  33 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1816. 

fl.  34 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1817. 

fl.  35 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1818. 

fl.  36 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1820. 

fl.  37 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1821. 

fl.  38 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1822. 

fl.  39 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1823. 

fl.  40 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1824. 

fl.  41 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1825. 

fl.  42 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1826. 

fl.  43 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1827. 

fl.  44 Correspondence from William Short to John Cleves Short, 1828. 

fl.  44a Correspondence from William Short to Peyton Short, 1787-1801.  

   

Box 5  

fl.  45 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1806-1819.  

fl.  46 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1825-1827.  

fl.  47 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1828-1830.  

fl.  48 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1832-1833.  

fl.  49 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1834-1835.  

fl.  50 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1836-1837.  

fl.  51 Correspondence to William Short from A. M. Denis of France, 1838-1846.  

   

Box 6  

fl.  52 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins to William Short, 1809-1811.  

fl.  53 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins to William Short, 1812-1818.  

fl.  54 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins to William Short, 1820-1821.  

fl.  55 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins to William Short, 1823-1837.  

fl.  56 Correspondence from William Short to Charles Wilkins, 1819-1827.  

fl.  57 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins to Charles Wilkins Short and John Cleves  Short, 1825-1826.  

fl.  57a Letter from Joseph L. Fry to Charles Wilkins, 1827 July 8.  

fl.  58 Correspondence from John Cleves Short to William Short, 1821-1827.  

fl.  59 Correspondence from John Cleves Short to Charles Wilkins, 1819-1823.  

fl.  60 Correspondence from John Cleves Short to Charles Wilkins Short and Mary   Short, 1823-1863.  

fl.  61 Correspondence from Charles Wilkins Short to John Cleves Short, 1821-1857.  

fl.  62 Correspondence to John Cleves Short, 1805-1863.  

fl.  63 Correspondence to Betsy Harrison Short, 1814-1841.  

   

Box 7  

fl.  64 Charles Wilkins Short letter memoranda, 1833-1862. 

fl.  65 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1814-1818. 

fl.  66 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1825-1831. 

fl.  67 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1832-1835. 

fl.  68 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1836-1838. 

fl.  69 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1839-1843. 

fl.  70 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1845-1850. 

fl.  71 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1851-1853. 

fl.  72 Miscellaneous letters to Charles Wilkins Short, 1854-1863. 

fl.  73 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short and Mrs. Short from their son, William  Short; and a letter to Lucy Short, 1840-1866. 

fl.  74 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his sister, Jane, and her husband  James Weir, 1829-1842.  

fl.  75 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1839-1846. 

fl.  76 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1847-1848. 

fl.  77 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1849-1850. 

fl.  78 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1851. 

fl.  79 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1852. 

fl.  80 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1853-1859. 

fl.  81 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives, 1860-1863. 

fl.  82 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives: heirs of John   Edmunds of Va., 1842-1852.  

fl.  83 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from his relatives. Letter from R. Ridgely, Jr. to his aunt, Mrs. Eliza Ridgely, about Aaron Burr   and James Wilkinson, 1807 Feb. 9.  

fl.  83a Correspondence concerning the visit of Lafayette to Cincinnati. 

   

Box 8  

fl.  84 Botanical correspondence, v. 1, 1815-1834; v. 3, 1837-1841.  Letters to Mary Henry Churchill, 1810-1815.  

pkg. 84 Botanical correspondence, v. 1, 1815-1834. 

   

Box 9  

fl.  85 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from James Breathitt, 1825-1826. 

fl.  86 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from James Breathitt, 1827-1828.  

fl.  87 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from James Breathitt, 1829-1834. 

fl.  87a Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from John S. Chipman, 1850-1853.  

fl.  88 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short relating to Dr. Josiah Gregg; also a  letter from Gregg to George Englemann, 1850-1851.  

fl.  88a Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Dr. John F. Henry and   Greenbury R. Henry, relative to land in Iowa; and a letter from Daniel Henry to   Dr. John F. Henry, 1827 Jan. 13.  

fl.  89 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from A. Maclure on the health, death,  and disposal of library of his brother, John, 1834-1835.  

fl.  90 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from John Margoun about land in Ill., 1856-1862. 

fl.  91 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Lunsford P. Yandell, 1836-1838. 

fl.  92 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1827-1838. 

fl.  93 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1839-1840. 

fl.  94 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1841-1846. 

fl.  95 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1846-1847. 

fl.  96 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1848-1849. 

fl.  97 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1850-1852. 

fl.  98 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel Younglove, 1853-1858. 

   

Box 10  

fl.  99 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1846-1847. 

fl.  100 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1848. 

fl.  101 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1849. 

fl.  102 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1850. 

fl.  103 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1851-1852. 

fl.  104 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1853. 

fl.  105 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1854-1855. 

fl.  106 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1856. 

fl.  107 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1857. 

fl.  108 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1858 Jan.- June.  

fl.  109 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1858 July- Dec. 

fl.  110 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1859 Jan.- June.  

fl.  111 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1859 July- Dec. 

fl.  112 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1860 Jan.- June.  

fl.  113 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1860 July- Dec. 

fl.  114 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1861 Jan.- June.  

fl.  115 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1861 July- Dec. 

fl.  116 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from Samuel H. Carpenter, 1862-1863. 

   

Box 11  

fl.  117 Papers relating to the claim of William Short of Philadelphia on Mrs. Kirkman,  1842-1845. 

fl.  118 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from H. R. Denis in relation to Mrs. Kirkman’s and Jackson’s debt, 1846-1849. 

fl.  119 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from H. R. Denis, Elijah Peal and  others in relation to stocks, etc., 1847-1852; list of stockholders in the Louisville  & Portland Canal Co., 1847 Jan. 1.  

fl.  120 Receipts to Charles Wilkins Short for payment of claims against the estate of  Peyton Short, 1841.  

fl.  120 Memorandum of the debt of Charles Wilkins Short to William Short, 1825-1829. 

fl.  121 Illinois land papers; list of land warrants and tax receipts, 1853-1862.  

fl.  122 Indiana land papers, 1849. 

fl.  123 Iowa land papers; tax receipts, 1862.  

fl.  124 Christian County, Ky. land papers, 1836. 

fl.  125 Franklin County, Ky. land papers, 1833. 

fl.  126 Louisville land papers, vouchers of payments on real estate, 1846-1856. 

fl.  127 Union County, Ky. land papers, 1838-1846. 

fl.  128 Land papers; maps. 

fl.  129 Papers about a monument over the graves of Mrs. Ridgely and Mrs. Wilkins and  tombstone of Mrs. Henry at Lexington, Ky., 1841-1862.  

fl.  130 Correspondence to Mrs. Charles Wilkins Short, 1831-1865.  

fl.  130 Letter to Mary Churchill Richardson from Dr. Daniel Drake, 1852 July 6.  

fl.  131 Correspondence of William Short, grandson of Charles Wilkins Short, 1867- 1869.  Opening announcement for the Hambleton Male & Female College, 1867. 

fl.  132 Verses on the death of Mrs. Jane Short, 1808 May 3; verses to the memory of  Armistead Churchill Short, 1836 Dec. 27; a prayer, 1838 Jan. 7; excerpts from  the Bible and miscellaneous papers. 

fl. 133 Invitation to concert and supper given by the ladies of White Sulphur  Neighborhood, Scott County. 

fl.  134 Correspondence to Charles Wilkins Short from C. S. Rafinesque, 1818-1834.  

   

Box 12  

fl.  135 Ohio land papers, 1811-1820. 

fl.  136 Hamilton County, Ohio land papers, 1822-1852. 

fl.  137 “Fernbank Accounts, Ohio,” 1840-1847.  

fl.  138 Bills of “Fernbank,” Hamilton County, Ohio, 1843-1846.  

fl.  139 Expenses of building house, Hamilton County, Ohio, 1841-1843.  

fl.  140 Building accounts, Hamilton County, Ohio, 1842-1846. 

fl.  141 Receipts for taxes on his land in Ohio; also various small accounts, 1821-1849. 

fl.  142 Miscellaneous accounts, 1843.  

fl.  143 Miscellaneous accounts, 1844.  

fl.  144 Miscellaneous accounts, 1845-1846.  

fl.  145 Canceled checks, 1844-1845. 

fl.  146 Correspondence from John Cleves Symmes to his daughter, Anna Harrison,   1802-1809. 

   

Box 13  

fl.  147 Recommendations and certificates from Transylvania University, 1811. 

fl.  148 Tickets for lectures at the Medical Dept. of the University of Pennsylvania, 1813- 1815.  

fl.  149 Letter to Charles Wilkins Short from Nathaniel Chapman about exams; letter to   

Dr. Hewson from Short et al., 1814 Oct. 30; social invitations, 1814-1815. 

fl.  149 Meteorological observations made in Lexington, 1816-1817.  

fl.  150 Records of medical cases from Hopkinsville, Ky., 1817-1825.  

fl.  151 Circular from Transylvania University. 

fl.  152 Miscellaneous medical papers, 1814-1835. 

fl.  153 Materia medica course syllabus, 1826-1827. 

fl.  154 Notes on cathartics.  

fl.  155 Cholera lecture, ca. 1840. 

fl.  156 Notes on Asiatic cholera.  

fl.  157 Notes on cholera morbus.  

fl.  158 Lecture on diarrhea.  

fl.  159 Lecture on dysentery.  

fl.  160 Several plates by Dr. Short illustrating the growth stages of the human embryo,  muscles of the jaw and face, muscles and blood vessels of the arm and leg, and a   leg brace.  

fl.  161 Plan of a bee house. Botanical drawing.Colored plate of a plant illustrated by M. E. Eaton. 

162 Notes on a course of lectures delivered at the University of Pennsylvania by  Benjamin Smith Barton on the theory and practice of medicine, 1813-1814.  

   

Box 14  

163 Memoranda of letters and account book. 

164 Letter copy book, 1818-1822. 

165 Book of geometry and trigonometry problems.  

166 Catalog of plants collected, preserved, and distributed.  

167 Daily journal for 1860.  

168 Daily memorandum book for 1861.  

169 Commonplace book. 

170 Commonplace book. 

171 Account book, 1833-1859. 

   

pkg. 171 Fragments of newspapers which were used by Dr. Short to mount his botanical  a specimens, 1816-1834.