Documents

A cousin of William Short informs him that an enslaved man has stolen money and fled to Europe.

A friend informs that he has taken care of William Short's business, encloses a letter from his brother Peyton, and discusses cost of living in Europe, his difficult financial situation, and legal issues between him and his wife.

The second half of this letter is published by Founders Online in Philip Mazzei to Thomas Jefferson, 6 December 1784. 

A fellow Virginian informs William Short that he has gotten married and discusses Congress moving from Trenton, social events in Richmond, and news about mutual acquaintances.

A friend of William Short updates him on political, legal, and cultural events in Virginia and the backcounty, relays information about relations between Virginia and Maryland, and discusses British debt.

A friend and fellow Virginian provides William Short with news from home, mostly about family and acquaintances.

A friend and fellow Phi Beta Kappa member writes to William Short, describing his travels in Europe and discussing sexual encounters.

A friend of William Short relays news from home and asks Short to compare France to Virginia.

A college friend describes his health problems on his journey from Lyon to Amsterdam.

A friend and fellow Phi Beta Kappa member discusses his relationship with a married woman and news about acquaintances in common.

A friend updates William Short on events in the United States, in particular relating to the Episcopal clergy, and informs him he has seen his brother Peyton Short and Maj. Thomas Edmunds.

This letter is incomplete; only the last page can be found in the William Short Collection at LOC. The date of the letter is therefore inferred from its place in the microfilm reel.