William Barbey

William Barbey (also known as William Barbey-Boissier after his marriage; 14 July 1842 – 18 November 1914) was a Swiss botanist and politician.

Biography Barbey was born on 14 July 1842 in Genthod, in the canton of Geneva, the son of Henri Barbey and Hélène-Marie Iselin. He attended the Academy of Geneva and then studied engineering at the École Centrale de Paris. He built, largely at his own expense, the Yverdon–Saint-Croix railway. However, as a supporter of Sunday observance, he insisted that the trains did not run on that day. He lived in, and was an honorary citizen of, Valeyres-sous-Rances and Sainte-Croix in the canton of Vaud. Barbey served as a Liberal member of the Grand Council of Vaud from 1885 to 1909. He died on 18 November 1914 in Chambésy, aged 72.