Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Col. William W. Shorts and Martha Jane Witherup




Husband Col. William W. Shorts 1 2

            AKA: William Short 3
           Born: 8 Jul 1805 - Butler Co, PA 2 3 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 13 Dec 1885 - Jacksonville, Duval Co, FL 4 5
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6


         Father: Richard Shorts (Bef 1799-      ) 2
         Mother: Jane Johnson (      -      ) 2


       Marriage: 1826 3 7



Wife Martha Jane Witherup 1 3 7

           Born: 10 May 1803 - Scrubgrass Twp, Venango Co, PA 4 7
     Christened: 
           Died: 1 Jan 1881 - Franklin, Venango Co, PA 8
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6


         Father: John Witherup (1762-1842/1843) 1 9 10 11
         Mother: Mary Brockington (1767-1835) 7 12




Children
1 M Robert Crispen Shorts 4 7

           Born: 7 Sep 1826 - Trumbull Co, OH 4 7
     Christened: 
           Died: 1901
         Buried:  - Hickory Grove Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 13
         Spouse: Catherine Bunnell (1834-1904) 4 7
           Marr: 1853 4 7


2 F Mary Shorts 7

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 



3 M John Decature Shorts 4 7

           Born: Cal 4 Jan 1829
     Christened: 
           Died: 16 Mar 1857
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6



4 M William W. Shorts 4 7

           Born: Cal 7 Mar 1833
     Christened: 
           Died: 22 Oct 1876
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6



5 F Henrietta Shorts 4 7 14

           Born: Cal 30 Jun 1835
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Oct 1863
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6
         Spouse: John McKissick (      -      ) 4 7 14
           Marr: 29 Dec 1853 15


6 F Elizabeth Irene Shorts 4 7

           Born: Cal 28 Feb 1838
     Christened: 
           Died: 17 Apr 1865
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6



7 M Abraham W. Shorts 4 7

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1913-1919
         Buried: 



8 F Anna Holis Shorts 4 7

            AKA: Anne Shorts
           Born: Cal 28 Jul 1845
     Christened: 
           Died: 30 Apr 1870 - Hunnewell, Shelby Co, MO
         Buried:  - Shorts Cemetery, Victory Twp, Venango Co, PA 6
         Spouse: Abraham Balliett (      -      ) 4 7



General Notes: Husband - Col. William W. Shorts


The histories seems to give contradictory statements about the ancestry of this man. [HVC 1919, 628] contains the information given. [HVC 1919, 1065] states that he was the son of Robert and Mary (Porter) Shorts and grandson of James Johnson Shorts. [HVC 1890, 1038] states that his parents were Robert and Mary (Porter) Shorts, and his grandparents were Richard and Jane (Johnson) Shorts.

He came to Venango County, Pennsylvania, in 1825. For two years he was engaged in the lumber business. He was working on the farm for his wife's father at the time of their marriage. After their marriage he removed to (Trumbull County?) Ohio, but did not remain there long, returning to Venango County and settling in Victory Township, where he secured the tract of two hundred acres long known as the old Shorts farm. Besides farming he built boats, in one season constructing twelve, each one hundred feet long and costing one hundred and twenty-five dollars, loading them with pig iron and floating them to Pittsburgh. He was colonel of the 2d Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia, for seven years, and when the Civil war broke out raised Company K of the 4th Pennsylvania Cavalry, entering the service as its captain. He was in command of the 3d Battalion at Antietam, and served two and a half years altogether, being honorably discharged on account of disability. After the war he removed with all of his family but Robert to Hunnewell, Missouri, living there for a number of years, but they all eventually returned to Venango County and again took up their residence on the farm. [CAB, 628 & 1065]

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Sources


1 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 989, 1038.

2 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 628.

3 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 487.

4 —, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Brown, Runk, & Co., Publishers, 1890), Pg 1038.

5 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 629, 1065.

6 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 146.

7 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 629.

8 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 1065.

9 Charles A. Babcock, Venango County, Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1919), Pg 629, 1063.

10 James Brockington Witherup, History of John Witherup Family from 1762 to 1909 (Butler, PA: Ziegler Printing Co., 1909), Pg 1.

11 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 321, 1127.

12 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1913), Pg 321.

13 Venango County Historical Society, Venango County Pennsylvania Cemetery Records and Early Church Histories, Vol. 1, Irwin, Mineral, & Victory Townships (Franklin, PA: Venango County Historical Society, 1992), Pg 163.

14 J. H. Newton, History of Venango County, Pennsylvania (Columbus, OH: J. A. Caldwell Publishers, 1879), Pg 597.

15 Joan S. Hanson & Kenneth L. Hanson, Marriages from Venango County Sources (Apollo, PA: Closson Press, 1994), Pg 167.


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