b. 23 August 1837, d. 22 August 1922
Birth | 23 Aug 1837 | Americus DeLafayette Shortt was born on 23 Aug 1837 in Floyd County, Virginia.2,3 |
Marriage | | He married first (?) Pepper.4 |
Marriage | | He married second Sallie Matilda Hayter, daughter of James Edmondson Hayter and Louisa Bowen Thompson.4 |
Widowed | 23 Nov 1868 | Sallie died on Nov. 23, 1868. |
Marriage | 10 Mar 1870 | He married third Dorcas Eleanor Hayter, daughter of Aaron Hendrix Hayter and Eleanor Ann Duff, on 10 Mar 1870 in Washington County, Virginia.3 |
| | Dorcas was the first cousin of Amercus' second wife, Sallie Hayter. |
Cens-1870 | 17 Jun 1870 | Three months after their wedding "A.D.L." [he appears to have used his initials rather than his full name whenever possible] and "Ella D." were recorded on the 1870 census. He was 32 and she was 18. A.D.L. owned land worth $2,500 and personal property of $200. Ella owned land worth $3,000.5 |
Land | 9 Oct 1871 | Dorcas' father, Aaron Hayter, died in 1862. Nine years later Dorcus and her siblings mutually agreed on a partition of his land. Dorcus received two tracts of land which totalled less acreage than that received by each of her brothers. Although not stated in the deed, Dorcus received the parcel on which sat the home built by her father some years earlier.6 |
Land-Buy | 28 Nov 1871 | The following month Dorcas purchased an additional 3/4 acres from John and Eliza Caldwell for $37.50. It was part of a larger tract of land which had descended to Eliza from the estate of her father, John Maiden. |
| | This small parcel sat at the northeast corner of present day Maiden Creek R. and Shortsville Rd. and opposite the Shortt residence which was on the west side of Maiden Creek Rd. This intersection was the hub of a small community known as Shortsville. Americus ran a tannery on the acreage Dorcas purchased from the Caldwells. There was also a store on the south side of Shortsville Road. |
Cens-1880 | 15 Jun 1880 | By June 1880 A.D.L. and Dorcas were the parents of 4 children: Minnie (9), Mollie (7), William (4) and A.D.L. Jr. (2).7 [son James was born the following month] |
| | Four additional children followed James but only one survived. Son Aaron died in 1886 just shy of his 3rd birthday, and twin daughters died at birth in 1889. |
Cens-1900 | 2 Jun 1900 | At the turn of the century A.D.L. and Dorcas were again enumerated. They were 61 and 49 respectively and had been married 30 years. A.D.L. listed his occupation as tanner and butcher. Dorcas' entry noted that she was the mother of 9 children, with 6 still living; all but Americus Jr. lived at home. Several non-family members lived in the household including Wily Hagy (24, a carpenter), Sandy Clark (23, a blacksmith) and Cordelia Pew (18, a cook).8 |
Widowed | 18 Jan 1922 | Dorcas died in Jan. 1922. |
Death | 22 Aug 1922 | Americus died on 22 Aug 1922 at age 84.2 |
Burial | | He was buried at Hayter Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.2 |