TIDEWATER FAMILIES of VIRGINIA ,pp. 545-546
William Short III was the only son of William and Mary Short. He was probably born in Surry County, and was just a boy when his father died in 1676. He lived near Upper Chippokes Creek and, it is believed,on the plantation called Spring Gardens. He had the distinction of being "descended from a family which was among the early settlers in the country.

William married Susanna, but her maiden name is not known. They had only three children who lived to maturity. William, his father's namesake, was very likely the elder, there was a second son, Thomas and their only daughter, MARY, who married WILLIAM HARRISS.

Cabin Point was only a short distance from "Spring Gardens, so it was probably to the Cabin Point Chapel of Southwark Parish, that William and Susanna Short took their family to church. The first chapel had been built in 1680, before William was of age. The chapel, in which William and Susanna worshipped, was built in 1711. The first chapel was built on land owned by Benjamin Harrison, and he saw that the site was deeded to the parish when the second chapel was built.

The chapel was about one mile east of the Cabin Point village and south of the present day Route 10, on the road leading to Benjamin Harrison's former plantation, "Montpelier". The colonial dwelling still stands, and the ancient five-acre graveyard of the chapel is in the midst of a mature forest, but the graves are well defined, and it was still used for burials in 1945. The remains of the old chapel were hauled away for building materials, but the site could be distinguished by the trenches dug to remove the foundation.

The same community of Cabin Point was the focus of trade for the area. Chippokes Creek was navigable nearly to Cabin Point. The Indian trail of years earlier had become a major colonial road, and tobacco and other crops were transported to Cabin Point for shipment down the James River, to ports as far away as England. 35 It was to the Cabin Point tobacco warehouse that William was assigned as inspector, along with William Rookings, Thomas Cocke and Parks Nicholson in September 1737.

Because the economy of the colony was inextrically bound to tobacco, it was necessary to limit its production and insure its quality. Not only was the planting limited, but the harvest also. As has been stated, the second crop of leaves could not be harvested under severe penalty. This would have reduced the quality of the tobacco, and increased the quantity for market. Further, the price at which the tobacco could be sold, was set by the General Assembly.

Inspectors were appointed to check the tobacco brought to the warehouse, where the tobacco was stored, but also the amount for export was controlled. If any planter offered poor quality, that is, unmerchantable tobacco, the resulting penalties were stiff. If a planter offered bad tobacco, it could be ordered burned, and the planter prohibited from planting any more until the General Assembly authorized it. The inspectors were originally appointed by the Council and the Assembly, then later recommended by the county court.

It was not until 1748 that the size of tobacco hogsheads was set and standardized. A hogshead, or large barrel for tobacco was thirty by forty-eight inches, with a fined weight of tobacco reaching 900 pounds. Hogsheads also could contain nearly 108 gallons of rum.

William was instrumental in the growth and influence of his plantation and his family name. By the time of the Revolutionary War, the Short plantation was one of the largest and most affluent in the county, exceeded by only four other plantations in the number of people working it.

William Short made his will on April 10, 1736, and died before September 16, 1741, when his win was proved in court. 40 William signed his win with his signature and he made certain that his sons received an education. He left the plantation of 400 acres on which he lived, to his son, William, as was as another plantation of 400 acres on the Otterdam in Prince George County.

Thomas Short inherited the plantation in Prince George County on Monokanake Creek containing 670 acres. William left the first-born son of Thomas, a parcel of land in Amelia County on Settlers Creek containing 400 acres. Thomas evidently had no sons at the time William made his will. William also bequeathed two cows and calves to his kinsman, Benjamin Heath.