William Short, Sr.

William Short is one of three enslaved people mentioned in President Tyler’s will. 

“I desire also that my wife will take good care of my faithful servants William Short and Fanny Hall so that their old age may be rendered comfortable...I invest her also with the authority to sell and dispose of any slave or slaves who may prove refractory, either reinvesting in others, or after such manner as she may deem most conduscive to the interest of my estate…” [1]

William Short served in the War of 1812 alongside John Tyler, and he may be the man named William who is counted in the 1813 inventory of Judge John Tyler (President John Tyler’s father). [2] If this is the case, William Short likely lived and worked at all of John Tyler’s households.

William Short, Sr. was the father of Roscius Short and William Short, Jr. He was also the father of Jerry, John, and Washington Short, whom John Tyler probably sold. [3]

Julia Gardiner Tyler refers to William as Mr. Short in a letter describing the enslaved folks’ reaction to her new portrait: “Mr. Short says ‘It is very graceful, but Missus is before that even.’” [4]

John and Julia Tyler’s son, Lyon G. Tyler, wrote an article in which he refers to William Short as the head butler at Sherwood Forest. [5]

[1] Transcript of last will and testament of John Tyler, 10 Oct. 1859, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia.

[2] John Tyler to John A. Martin, 26 Sep. 1851, Tyler Family Papers, Group A. Special Collections Research Center, College of William & Mary. Will and Inventory of John Tyler, 3 Jan. 1813, Charles City Will Book 2 (1808-1824), Library of Virginia.

[3] John Tyler to Elizabeth Tyler Waller, 16 Jan. 1843, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, 25 Jan. 1856, transcripts of the Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City County, Virginia. Anderson, Leslie. “Roshus Shorts, Company H,” 1st Colored Cavalry, https://1stuscoloredcavalry.wordpress.com/2018/12/24/roshus-shorts-company-h/.

[4] Julia Gardiner Tyler to Juliana Gardiner, 24 Nov. 1848, Gardiner Family Papers, Transcripts of Tyler Family Papers, Sherwood Forest Plantation Foundation, Charles City, Virginia.

[5] “A Planter’s Pride In His Slaves,” William & Mary Quarterly, Apr. 1915 (most likely authored by Lyon Gardiner Tyler), pp. 225-226.