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.
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.
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