Ada County ID Archives Biographies.....Short, O. F. 1866 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/idfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 22, 2012, 11:08 pm Source: See below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher O. F. SHORT, a farmer and orchardist of Ada county, living near Eagle, has so directed his energies and his activities as to win a very substantial measure of success, indicated in the beautiful home that he occupies — one of the most attractive places in his section of the state. Mr. Short was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, August 7, 1866, a son of O. F. and Celia C. (Catlin) Short. The father removed to Kansas in early manhood and there established and published the Atchison Champion. He was also a government surveyor and surveyed nearly the entire state of Kansas, being active in that work from the '50s until 1874, when he was killed by Indians about forty miles south of Fort Dodge. In the surveying party were Mr. Short, his son, D. T., Allen Shaw and his father, John Hay Kuchler and another man, all of whom were massacred by the Indians. General Miles captured the murderers and they were all kept at Leavenworth, Kansas, for a year and then sent to St. Augustine, Florida. Finally they were brought back and released at Omaha, Nebraska, on promise of good behavior, but they immediately began depredations again and were never punished for their crimes. Many of them are living today on the Rosebud reservation in Montana, where General Custer was killed. The mother of O. F. Short of this review died in 1912, at Grand Junction, Colorado. Fannie Kelly, the famous white queen of the Sioux Indians, who was captured as a child by the red men, interceded with the Indians for Mrs. Short following the massacre of her husband and obtained from the Indians five thousand dollars for her. O. F. Short of this review came to Idaho with his uncle, Truman C. Catlin, who in time was known as one of the most prominent stockmen of the state. Mr. Short worked for his uncle, riding the range and driving cattle from Idaho to Omaha, Nebraska. He was also employed on his uncle's ranch in Montana, handling cattle. In 1887, however, he returned to Kansas and was there married to Miss Florence Smith, a sister of Mrs. Truman C. Catlin. They were children together on Eagle Island in Idaho and Mr. Short fondly cherishes the memory of Mrs. Catlin as the person who reared himself and his wife. In 1889 Mr. and Mrs. Short came to Idaho and took charge of the farm of T. C. Catlin, comprising four hundred and forty acres near Eagle. Of this property Mr. Short afterward purchased three hundred and twenty acres but has since sold all of the place save fifty-five acres, upon which he now resides. Of this thirty acres is planted to prunes and his is one of the finest prune orchards of the state. The remainder of his land is devoted to general farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Short have been born two children. Margaret, who is now the wife of A. E. Boyd, of Boise, is the mother of four children: Alvin; James and Francis, twins; and Florence Grace. Oliver Francis Short, Jr., the second child, married Ada Bays. On August 30, 1919, he met an accidental death, leaving a wife and one child, Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Short are now most pleasantly situated in life. They have erected upon their farm one of the beautiful homes of Idaho — a fine residence built entirely of cobblestones in attractive architectural design. The living room is beamed in old mission style and the house is modern throughout. It contains fifteen rooms, with large windows and broad porches, with a wide lawn, surrounding it, and its furnishings indicate the cultured taste of the owners. Mr. and Mrs. Short well deserve the prosperity that has come to them as the reward of his business enterprise and progressiveness. Additional Comments: Extracted from: IDAHO DELUXE SUPPLEMENT CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1920 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/id/ada/photos/bios/short51gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/id/ada/bios/short51gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/idfiles/ File size: 4.4 Kb