Humphreys, David

Col. David Humphreys (1752-1818) played multiple roles during the American Revolution. He was the private secretary to George Washington and later took on the role of a commissioner to the southern Indians for a brief time. During the 1780s, he collaborated with William Short in Paris, although, generally speaking, Short did not hold him in high esteem. They corresponded frequently during Short's diplomatic mission in Spain, between 1793 and 1795, and Humphreys' term as minister to Portugal. He succeeded Short as minister to Spain in 1796 until 1801.