Peyton Short
Encyclopedia
Peyton Short was a land speculator
and politician in Kentucky
. He was a member of the first Kentucky Senate
. He was the brother of William Short
; he married the daughter of John Cleves Symmes
, and was a brother-in-law of future President William Henry Harrison
.
. He received his early education under the tutelage of his brother William
. He followed his brother to The College of William and Mary where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. The society was struggling to retain membership, and Short was frequently absent from meetings with poor or no excuse given. His attendance improved as his fines for tardiness and absenteeism grew. He graduated from William and Mary in 1780.
Though many sources refer to him as "Major
" Peyton Short, no documentation of his rank has been discovered. If the rank was legitimate, it was most likely earned in either the Virginia or Kentucky militia.
Upon his father's death, Short and his brother William became co-executors
of their father's estate
. Because of a scarcity of money in the family, they defied their father's request to immediately pay off all debts and instead decided to hold the majority of his assets for later investment. Short eventually merged much of his brother's inheritance with his own, with no explanation given.
As a young lawyer, Short boarded with a widow in Harrodsburg, Kentucky
. While there, he became acquainted with Rachel Donelson Robards
, who would eventually become the wife of President
Andrew Jackson
. At the time, Robards was married to Lewis Robards, the son of the widow with whom Short was boarding. On one occasion, Robards came home to find his wife and Short having a conversation on the porch. He opined that Short was much too attentive to his wife. A heated argument ensued, and though Robards's mother took her daughter-in-law's side, Robards ordered Rachel never to show her face in the house again. Though they briefly reconciled, Robards accused Short of breaking up their marriage.
Charles Scott
. Rather than cross the wilderness from Virginia
, the pair traveled down the Ohio River
and landed at the Falls of the Ohio. From there, Short journeyed to Lincoln County
, settling in Danville
. While there, he was invited to become a member of the Danville Political Club
, a debating society that was active in that city from 1786 to 1790.
In 1788, he married Maria Symmes, the daughter of John Cleves Symmes
, who he had met at James Wilkinson
's house two years earlier. He moved to Greenfield, his estate in Woodford County
about 1790. The couple had three children: Charles, John, and Anna. His son, John married Betsey Basset Harrison, the daughter of Peyton's brother-in-law, William Henry Harrison
. That year, he partnered with Wilkinson in opening a general store.
Short took an active part in the early political and economic life of Kentucky. In 1789, he became the first collector of the port at Louisville
. In 1791, he was elected one of the trustees of the city of Lexington
, but resigned the post the following year. He was one of the electors chosen to elect the first governor of Kentucky and its first state senators. The other electors chose him to represent Fayette County
in the first Kentucky Senate
from 1792 to 1796.
In 1793, Short became president of the Transylvania Company (a fund-raising organization for Transylvania Seminary, not the land speculation company). In this capacity, he managed a lottery
to raise funds for the school, which was later known as Transylvania University
. He also served on the board of trustees for the seminary. He voted in the minority against elevating Harry Toulmin, a Unitarian
, to the presidency of the historically Presbyterian
institution. Short, Caleb Wallace, and Christopher Greenup
resigned their positions on the board in protest.
Short's wife Maria died in 1802. About 1803, he married Jane Churchill, widow of Armistead Churchill. Together, they had three daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Jane Churchill-Short died in 1808 or 1809.
Short engaged in land speculation
and incurred severe financial losses. In 1809, he traveled through Mississippi Territory
trying to recover his fortune. His attempt was futile, however, and by 1813 the only thing he owned was his own home. Eventually, he had to sell the estate and relocated to Christian County
, settling near Hopkinsville
. He died September 1, 1825 in Christian County.
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
and politician in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He was a member of the first Kentucky Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
. He was the brother of William Short
William Short (American ambassador)
William Short was Thomas Jefferson's private secretary when he was ambassador in Paris, from 1786 to 1789. Jefferson, later the third President of the United States, referred to Short as his "adoptive son". Short, along with Jefferson, was a co-founder of Phi Beta Kappa at the College of William &...
; he married the daughter of John Cleves Symmes
John Cleves Symmes
John Cleves Symmes was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey, and later a pioneer in the Northwest Territory. He was also the father-in-law of President William Henry Harrison .-Early biography:He was the son of the Rev...
, and was a brother-in-law of future President William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
.
Early life
Peyton Short was born December 17, 1761 to William and Elizabeth (Skipwith) Short at Spring Garden, their estate in Surry County, VirginiaSurry County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 7,058 people, 2,619 households, and 1,917 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile . There were 3,294 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
. He received his early education under the tutelage of his brother William
William Short (American ambassador)
William Short was Thomas Jefferson's private secretary when he was ambassador in Paris, from 1786 to 1789. Jefferson, later the third President of the United States, referred to Short as his "adoptive son". Short, along with Jefferson, was a co-founder of Phi Beta Kappa at the College of William &...
. He followed his brother to The College of William and Mary where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society. The society was struggling to retain membership, and Short was frequently absent from meetings with poor or no excuse given. His attendance improved as his fines for tardiness and absenteeism grew. He graduated from William and Mary in 1780.
Though many sources refer to him as "Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
" Peyton Short, no documentation of his rank has been discovered. If the rank was legitimate, it was most likely earned in either the Virginia or Kentucky militia.
Upon his father's death, Short and his brother William became co-executors
Executor
An executor, in the broadest sense, is one who carries something out .-Overview:...
of their father's estate
Estate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
. Because of a scarcity of money in the family, they defied their father's request to immediately pay off all debts and instead decided to hold the majority of his assets for later investment. Short eventually merged much of his brother's inheritance with his own, with no explanation given.
As a young lawyer, Short boarded with a widow in Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg is a city in and the county seat of Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,014 at the 2000 census. It is the oldest city in Kentucky.-History:...
. While there, he became acquainted with Rachel Donelson Robards
Rachel Jackson
Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson, born Rachel Donelson, was the wife of the 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson....
, who would eventually become the wife of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. At the time, Robards was married to Lewis Robards, the son of the widow with whom Short was boarding. On one occasion, Robards came home to find his wife and Short having a conversation on the porch. He opined that Short was much too attentive to his wife. A heated argument ensued, and though Robards's mother took her daughter-in-law's side, Robards ordered Rachel never to show her face in the house again. Though they briefly reconciled, Robards accused Short of breaking up their marriage.
Life in Kentucky
Short came to Kentucky with future Governor of KentuckyGovernor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
Charles Scott
Charles Scott (governor of Kentucky)
Charles Scott was an American soldier and politician who served as the fourth Governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812. Orphaned at an early age, Scott served under Edward Braddock and George Washington in the French and Indian War...
. Rather than cross the wilderness from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, the pair traveled down the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and landed at the Falls of the Ohio. From there, Short journeyed to Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Kentucky
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 24,742 in the 2010 Cesus. Its county seat is Stanford. Lincoln is a prohibition or "dry county" and is part of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, settling in Danville
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
. While there, he was invited to become a member of the Danville Political Club
Danville Political Club
The Danville Political Club was a debating society based in Danville, Kentucky from 1786 to 1790.-Discovery:There are very few extant contemporary references to the Political Club. A U.S...
, a debating society that was active in that city from 1786 to 1790.
In 1788, he married Maria Symmes, the daughter of John Cleves Symmes
John Cleves Symmes
John Cleves Symmes was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey, and later a pioneer in the Northwest Territory. He was also the father-in-law of President William Henry Harrison .-Early biography:He was the son of the Rev...
, who he had met at James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign...
's house two years earlier. He moved to Greenfield, his estate in Woodford County
Woodford County, Kentucky
Woodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
about 1790. The couple had three children: Charles, John, and Anna. His son, John married Betsey Basset Harrison, the daughter of Peyton's brother-in-law, William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States , an American military officer and politician, and the first president to die in office. He was 68 years, 23 days old when elected, the oldest president elected until Ronald Reagan in 1980, and last President to be born before the...
. That year, he partnered with Wilkinson in opening a general store.
Short took an active part in the early political and economic life of Kentucky. In 1789, he became the first collector of the port at Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. In 1791, he was elected one of the trustees of the city of Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, but resigned the post the following year. He was one of the electors chosen to elect the first governor of Kentucky and its first state senators. The other electors chose him to represent Fayette County
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The population was 295,083 in the 2010 Census. Its territory, population and government are coextensive with the city of Lexington, which also serves as county seat....
in the first Kentucky Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
from 1792 to 1796.
In 1793, Short became president of the Transylvania Company (a fund-raising organization for Transylvania Seminary, not the land speculation company). In this capacity, he managed a lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
to raise funds for the school, which was later known as Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
. He also served on the board of trustees for the seminary. He voted in the minority against elevating Harry Toulmin, a Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
, to the presidency of the historically Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
institution. Short, Caleb Wallace, and Christopher Greenup
Christopher Greenup
Christopher Greenup was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative and the third Governor of Kentucky...
resigned their positions on the board in protest.
Short's wife Maria died in 1802. About 1803, he married Jane Churchill, widow of Armistead Churchill. Together, they had three daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, and Sarah. Jane Churchill-Short died in 1808 or 1809.
Short engaged in land speculation
Speculation
In finance, speculation is a financial action that does not promise safety of the initial investment along with the return on the principal sum...
and incurred severe financial losses. In 1809, he traveled through Mississippi Territory
Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Mississippi....
trying to recover his fortune. His attempt was futile, however, and by 1813 the only thing he owned was his own home. Eventually, he had to sell the estate and relocated to Christian County
Christian County, Kentucky
Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. As of 2000, its population was 72,265. Its county seat is Hopkinsville, Kentucky...
, settling near Hopkinsville
Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Hopkinsville is a city in Christian County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 31,577 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Christian County.- History :...
. He died September 1, 1825 in Christian County.