Jacob is our earliest known Short, although the original family name may have been Schartz, Schoritz, Scheritz, Shertz, Schwartz, or some other variation of the spelling. Jacob was born during the 1740's in the German Rhineland, and on coming to America the family name was spelled by English clerks how it sounded to them or what was easy and, therefore, the name came to be Short.

The Germany from which the family came was one of a loose confederation of some 300 German states and principalities. Many of them were long embroiled in European intrigue and conflict, and many Germans came to America during the middle and latter part of the 18th century. Most were peasants and nearly all were Protestants.

We are not sure if Jacob came to America on his own, was already married, or came as a young boy with his parents. No records as yet have been found of his or Eve's arrival. Indeed, we do not even know Eve's maiden name or Jacob's correct surname, which makes it virtually impossible to find such records. They undoubtedly arrived in America at the port of Philadelphia, since that was the arrival point of virtually all Germans coming to America at that time, although some did come by way of Virginia and New York.

Whether Jacob came to America with his parents, as a young man on his own, or already married, it was common for newly arrived Germans to work a period of indentureship in Pennsylvania for a period of three to five years. It's very likely this was the case of both Jacob and Eve, since we first find them living in Frederick and later in Botetourt County, Virginia. It was common for German immigrants that didn't settle in Pennsylvania to move into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

We assume that Jacob and Eve married about 1769, since their first child, John, was born in 1770. And we know they lived in Frederick County, Virginia (now Berkeley County, West Virginia) since that's where John was born. There is some indication that they may have lived for a short time in Maryland, in the same general area of the Frederick County of that time, since their second son, Jacob in some reports was said to be born in that state. However, others say Jacob Jr. was born in Virginia. He was born in 1772.

However, we know the family was living near Fincastle in Botetourt County, Virginia by November of 1774 when their daughter, Catherine was born. Five more children followed, all born in Botetourt County: Eve in 1775 or 1776, Susannah in 1777, David in 1779, George Washington in 1785, and Samuel in 1792.

The family lived during a time of great transition in America. They lived during the Revolutionary War, saw the birth of our nation, the writing and adoption of our Constitution, and during the presidency of George Washington.

Jacob and Eve lived out their remaining years in botetourt County, Virgina. Jacob died in 1805 and it is believed that Eve died the same year. Their children moved westward with the familes they generated, most going into Kentucky, with two moving into Indiana.

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