The Short Family became members of the Norton Family when four of Jacob Norton's (1778-1848?) children married members of the Short Family. The first Short known is Lanman Short. Researching and documenting Lanman is ongoing so my main starting person for the Short family is with his son, Josiah Short and his wife Sophia.
Josiah is estimated to have been born about 1780 and Sophia about 1779, both in North Carolina. Josiah is listed in the 1800 US Census records of Hillsborough, Wake County, North Carolina. The 1810 US Census has Josiah and his father, Lanman, in Barren County, Kentucky. In 1830, census records has Josiah living in Hardeman County, Tennessee. Josiah has been noted as a pioneer settler of Tennessee. Land records show Josiah living in Tippah County, Mississippi before 1939.
Josiah and Sophia lived in Fulton, Polk County, Arkansas by 1849. Josiah was listed on the 1850 census records of Fulton County living with his son George Washington Short. Josiah was 70 years old. In 1860, census records show him to be 84 years old and living with George & Priscilla Fry as a chairmaker. In the book "Arkansas Made Volume I" by Swannee Bennett & William B. Worthen, Josiah is listed as a Chairmaker in Polk County. He also owned property in the county as is referenced below.
Josiah's date of death is unknown but he died in Polk County, Arkansas after 1860, Sophia died in 1849 in Polk County, Arkansas. Their children were born in North Carolina and Tennessee, but this is unproven.
The children known were:
Lucinda Short (b. 1810) George Washington Short (b. 2/8/1812) Sophia Short (b. 11/28/1813) married William Norton (1809-1860) in 1832 Nancy Short (b. 3/30/1815) married Edward Norton (1815-1885) in 1833 Elizabeth Short (b. 1820-25) Nancy and Sophia Short's known histories are included with their husbands.
George Washington Short was born 2/8/1812 in Tennessee and died 2/29/1890. He and his wife, Hetty, are buried in a cemetery at Ben Ficklin which is a ghost town near San Angelo, Texas. The grave is marked "J.W." He was called Washy. Washy and Hettie's son, Luke, became a well-known figure in the history of the "Old West", a link to his biography is at the end of this page.
Land Grant, Hardeman County, Tennessee, October 2, 1834
Land Grant, Hardeman County,Tennessee, October 18, 1834
Lant plat for property owned by Josiah Short in Tippah County, Mississippi
Patentee: SHORT, JOSIAH Patent Date: 5/4/1839 Accession: STA MS2870__.261 Location: Tippah County, MS Township: 3-S Range: 4-E Section: 30 Aliquot: SW Meridian: Chickasaw Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566) Longitude: -88.9251880723469 Latitude: 34.7895527753475
Google Maps Information: 34°47'22.4"N 88°55'30.7"WNorth Tippah School District, MS Q3QF+RW Ripley, Mississippi
Land plat for property owned by Josiah Short in Polk County, Arkansas
Patentee: SHORT, JOSIAH W Warrantee: COFFEE, JOEL Patent Date: 4/10/1854 Accession: MW 0769-383 Location: Polk County, AR Township: 2-S Range: 28-W Section: 19 Aliquot: NENE Meridian: Fifth Principal Authority: September 28, 1850: ScripWarrant Act of 1850 (9 Stat. 520) Longitude: -94.0224724289437 Latitude: 34.565966385015
Patentee: SHORT, JOSIAH W Warrantee: COFFEE, JOEL Patent Date: 4/10/1854 Accession: MW 0769-383 Location: Polk County, AR Township: 2-S Range: 28-W Section: 19 Aliquot: NENE Meridian: Fifth Principal Authority: September 28, 1850: ScripWarrant Act of 1850 (9 Stat. 520) Longitude: -94.0224724289437 Latitude: 34.565966385015
Google Maps Information: 34°33'57.5"N 94°01'20.9"WMill Creek Township, AR 71953 HX8H+92 Yocana, Arkansas
For Individual Histories, click on the following pictures:
Luke Short
Wayne Short
A story about the shoot out between Luke Short and Jim Courtright in Fort Worth, TX is told in the following magazine on pages 217-218:
The following is another story about Luke Short in the Frontier Times, September, 1929, page 497: