The Family of Robert Shortbridge
Submitted by Candy Parent

Robert Shortridge was born to Andrew & Sary Shortridge [death certificate]. Robert's father, Andrew, appears on at least two of the petitions to form Tazewell County out of Russell County. [http://www.rootsweb.com/~vatazewe/petition.htm]. Andrew is listed on the 1806 Tax List as an out of town land owner. Andrew served in the Revolutionary war and married Nancy Garrison according to the abstract of the Revolutionary War pension file recorded in Achives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County, by Nettie Schreiner-Yantis c. 1973, page 211.
Robert married Rebecak Brown on 31 Dec 1807 [Archives, 203]. He is listed on tax lists for 1809-1820 with the exception of 1811. [Archives, 280] In 1825, Robert is recorded as living on land owned by Patrick Kindrick. [Archives, 189].
Muncie Shortridge, lists Mary Ann Payne as another spouse of Roberts. There is no record of this marriage, but many researchers list several children by this couple.
He married Ruth Yates Lester on June 4, 1850 according to marriage records submitted to the Tazewell Court by Joseph Looney. I have not determined exactly whose children belong to whom, but here is the listing from the 1850 Tazewell County Census: Page 280, #885, Robt Shortridge 61; Ruth 42; Geo. 33; Addison P. 21; Elija 13; Ben F. 11; Nancy 9; Arminta 8; Simon 5; Cynthia 2; Malissa 20; John 3 (possibly Malissa's son); Betsy 1(possibly Malissa's son). Many researchers, including Muncie Shortridge, attribute children to Robert and Ruth before they were married. Included in this group is my ancestor, Nancy. Is this an error based on the 1850 census record? Does Nancy really belong to Mary Ann Payne?
All together, I have a total of 24 children listed for Robert and his three "wives". Robert died in Buchanan County, Virginia on either April 28 or October 18, 1859 (I have two certified death certificates, each with different dates) from cancer. He was 67 when he died. I am unsure if he moved to Buchanan County or if he lived in the part of Tazewell that became Buchanan County in 1858. Robert was a farmer.