THE SHORT FAMILY
The black Short family's first recorded appearance in the United States begins with the purchased on the slave market, a Negro woman known as Silla, or Pricilla and three young men believed to be her sons. Whether all three were her sons is assumed, although there are indications that one may not have been. The purchaser of record, a white farmer named William Short from Haywood County, Tennessee named one of the young men after himself, William Short (b); another after his brother Henry and the third he named Alonzo.

SILLA SHORT
Our research now picks up with Silla aka Pricilla and the siblings Henry and Alonzo Short. For research purpose Silla has been established as the matriarch of the Short Family

Extrapolating backward from Silla's first appearance in the census records of Haywood County Tennessee it was established her year of birth as 1813. I do not proclaim the birth year of Silla as being 100% accurate since no census records were kept of blacks before the 1870's and there were no birth certificates issued for blacks.

The 1870 census also show another black Short family who's head of household was named "Cupid". Records indicate that Cupid and William (b) were born in 1825 thereby ruling out William (b)and Cupid as being brothers, however it opens the door to speculation that Cupid may have been the slave of the white William Short's brother.
The link between Cupid and William Short (b) is still being researched. Records show that Cupid was married to a slave named Susan. Cupid and Susan had five children: Anderson (1853), Garfield (1857), Susan (1862), Crity aka Crety (1865) and Elizabeth aka Liza birth year unknown. From this point the trail of William (b) and Cupid grew cold. No trace of either has been found since 1880.



THE AUSTIN FAMILY
While we have expended much time and effort toward the Short Family, we have not forgotten the Austin Family. During research of this nature one must pursue one link at a time. The information is overwhelming and difficult to say the least, however we are now at the point where we can vigorously pursue the Austin Family History.

Upon viewing the information contained on this web site I'm sure you will have noticed the many inter-marriages between the Short and the Austin families. One branch of the Austin's comes from Lauderdale, Tipton and Dyer Counties of Tennessee. Two other Austin families are believed to have originated in Haywood, Harderman and Fayette Counties of Tennessee. We are working the Lauderdale, Harderman and Fayette connection at this time.
                                                                                - Roosevelt Short
                                                                                  Great-grandson of Silla Short






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