Peyton Short

Peyton Short (December 17, 1761 – September 1, 1825) 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. Early life Peyton Short was born December 17, 1761, to William and Elizabeth (Skipwith) Short at Spring Garden, their estate in Surry County, Virginia. 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.