Peter Collinson

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Peter Collinson

1694-1768

English naturalist and wealthy Quaker cloth merchant whose commercial contacts with the American colonies led to a beneficial two-way exchange of plants with co-religionists and others. Through his influence, John Bartram was appointed King's Botanist. Although best known for his patronage of John and William Bartram, Collinson also sent Benjamin Franklin news about German studies of electricity that inspired Franklin's kite experiment.

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