Shorter Family Network
The Shorter family from Charles and Prince George's Counties, Maryland, and Washington, DC, sued for their freedom between 1795-1823, claiming they were descended from a free woman named Elizabeth Shorter.
- Elizabeth 'Betty Short' Shorter
+ Robin - Mary 'Moll Short' Shorter – enslaved by Edward Neale
- Linda Shorter
- Basil Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1791 against Henry Rozer
- Caty Shorter
- Charles Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1791 against Henry Rozer
- John Shorter
- Jane 'Jenny Short' Shorter
- Lucy Shorter – enslaved by William Neale
- Teresa 'Terry' Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1790 against Joseph Boarman
- Charity Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1790 against Ignatius Matthews
- Henrietta Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1790 against Henry Barnes1
- Basil Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Charles Carroll1
- Robert 'Bob' Shorter - enslaved by Mary Neale1
- James 'Jim' Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1790 against Eleanor Bradford
- Jenny Shorter – enslaved by Henry Neale
- Monica Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Edward Hazle
- Chloe Shorter
- Mary Shorter – enslaved by Ignatius Matthews
- Appy (Abby) Shorter – d. abt 1776 – enslaved by Henry Neale
- George Shorter – d. bef 1795 – filed freedom suit against Henry Neale
- Priscilla 'Prissy' Shorter – b. abt 1750 – filed freedom suit in 1792 against John Smith
- Leonard Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Richard Edelen
- Baptist Shorter – b. abt 1771 – filed freedom suit in 1792 against John Smith
- Charity Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against John Smith
- Henny Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Joshua Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Anthony Shorter
- Jenny Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Shadrack Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Nelly Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Peter Shorter
- Lucy Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Charles Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Will Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Gerrard Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Abby Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Henny Shorter – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Henry Neale
- Gerrard Shorter – d. bef 1795
- Elizabeth 'Betty' Shorter – enslaved by Roswell Neale and James Mills
- Eleanor 'Nelly' Shorter – enslaved by James Mills and Hanson Briscoe
- James Shorter – enslaved by Hanson Briscoe
- Edward 'Ned' Shorter
- Charles Shorter
- James 'Jim' Shorter – enslaved by Roswell Neale
- Bridget Shorter
- Lodge Shorter
- Martha 'Pat/Patty' Shorter – d. abt 1744 – enslaved by Raphael Neale and Capt. John Lancaster
- Nell 'Nelly' Shorter – enslaved by Mary Neale and Thomas Taney
- Jane 'Jenny' Shorter – b. abt 1734 – filed freedom suit in 1792 against Eleanor Bradford
- Stephen Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1791 against John Boarman
- Anne 'Nanny' Shorter - filed freedom suit against Raphael Boarman
- Phillis Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Mary Boarman
- Letty Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Mary Boarman
- Gerard Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Mary Boarman
- Minta Shorter
- Nell Shorter - enslaved by William Chandler Brent
- Clem Shorter - enslaved by James Neale
- Teresa 'Terry' Shorter - b. abt 1737 - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- Phillis Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- John Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- Moses Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- Charity Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- Henny Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Anne Chunn
- Ignatius 'Nase' Shorter - enslaved by Henry Howell
- Betty Shorter - enslaved by John Smith
- Thomas 'Tom' Shorter - enslaved by Richard Jordan
- Clem Shorter - enslaved by John Lancaster and John Smith
- Nelly Shorter - enslaved by John Lancaster
- Ned Shorter - enslaved by Widow Boarman
- Jem Shorter - enslaved by Thomas Reeves
- Nanny Shorter - b. abt 1742 - enslaved by John Lancaster
- Ignatius 'Nase' Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against John Fenwick
- Betty Shorter - enslaved by John Lancaster
- Patty Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Clement Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Charles Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Ned Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Bett Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Joseph Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- James Shorter - filed freedom suit in 1792 against Thomas Stone
- Ned Shorter - enslaved by Edmund Plowden
- Clem Shorter
- Jack Shorter
- Peggy Shorter - enslaved by Thomas Tanney
- Fanny Shorter - enslaved by Thomas Tanney
Unknown Branches
The following are descendants of Elizabeth Shorter, though it is uncertain through which line.
- Peggy Shorter
- Patty Shorter
- Joseph Shorter - enslaved by Thomas Brewer
- Caty Shorter
- Caty Shorter
- Osborn Shorter - enslaved by Mary Hurley
- Sal Shorter - enslaved by Robert Brent
- Terry Shorter - enslaved by Henry Diggs
- Charles Shorter - enslaved by Henry Diggs
Footnotes
1. Jenny Shorter says in her deposition that Henrietta, Basil and Robert are the siblings of Lucy, but Terry Shorter says that they are her siblings. [back]
