E. C. Jeffrey was born in
St. Catharines,
Canada West. From 1892 to 1902, he was a lecturer at the University of Toronto. While on leave of absence, he received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1899. In 1902 he became there an assistant professor of vegetable histology. In 1907 he was promoted to a full professorship of plant morphology. In 1933 he retired from Harvard University as professor emeritus. In 1906, Jeffrey was elected a member of the
American Academy of Arts and Sciences. ==Death==