I have not run across these people but I have just started to explore Short/Shortts in Antrim. It is a daunting task. I have been actively researching in Ireland for about 8 years. I have a web site with some of my Irish Short/Shortt research http://publish.uwo.ca/~bgordon/ and my data base on http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cotyroneireland/surnames/short.html There you can get an idea of where I have looked. I have just checked out the householders index for you on PRONI but nothing. Leaving in 1851 is too early to find these people in Griffith's Valuation which starts about 1858 and ends about 1862. Irish vita stats begin in 1845 for Protestant marriages, fathers of couple named as well their abode and profession. In 1863 which is too late for you unless some of the family remained behind all births, marriages and deaths of Protestant and Catholics began. During the early years after 1863 registration was slow. I would think that carpet weavers would hang out in Belfast. Half of Belfast is in Antrim and half in Down. Have a look at my two sites and then get back to me if you have any questions. I'll think on this to see if I can come up with anything. I am shortly going to join the Ulster Historical Foundation so I can use their data bases. They have a section called "History from Headstones" and in Antrim I found the following: Graveyard Name Civil Parish Town / Townland Surname Inscription Map Milltown Shankill Belfast SHORT Milltown Shankill Belfast SHORTSINGER, BERINGER On http://www.irishgenealogy.ie/gravestones/index.cfm I found: This is the only one early enough for you: Purchase Full Inscription 7314 JOHN SHORT 1837 DUNLUCE ANTRIM Purchase Full Inscription with Map of Cemetery All for now Margaret Gordon On 30-Aug-08, at 8:14 AM, Al S wrote: > Hi! The mention of the SHORT family in this posting prompts my > response. I > am a member of the SHORT family that departed Antrim for Glasgow's > Calton > parish about 1851. They were carpet weavers. They departed Glasgow > for New > York in 1880 and took up residence in Philadelphia. I do not know > what town > they were from in Antrim. > The names are William & Isabella (nee' Davidson?) SHORT and John & > Elizabeth > (nee' Surginor?) SHORT. It is thought that they were adherents of a > Protestant denomination. > William was the father of John, and John named his son after his > father. > Any thoughts or clues would be appreciated as I do not know anything > about > this bunch that hailed from Antrim. I have not yet begun to search > any Irish > records. > Many thanx for your attention. It's appreciated. > Al