Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Short, James 1874 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com February 26, 2006, 1:10 am

Author: History Grundy County 1882

James Short, merchant, Coal City. Mr. Short was born November 14, 1874, in 
Grundy County, Ill. Is one of five children by Lemuel and Sarah (Burr) Short, 
viz., James, W. B., Alvina, Lemuel and William. Mr. Short had but little 
advantage of school, owing to the scarcity of school-buildings in his younger 
days. At the age of nine, he was put to herd cattle on the wild, unbroken 
prairie, which was covered with stones. This he followed until about twenty-
one years old. He can recall many interesting reminiscences of his early "cow-
boy" life. On one occasion, he scared up a wolf, and made chase with his pony, 
and finally drove the wild animal to a thicket. When he alighted from his 
horse, he noticed that the wolf had bitten the pony's legs, which were 
bleeding freely. This sad sight aroused Mr. Short's temper, and awakened his 
love for his prairie companion, which he mounted, and returned to the thicket 
with a full determination to destroy the beast that had so shamefully 
lacerated his horse's forelegs. He either found the same wolf or another, and 
chased his for about four hours over the prairie, whipping and lashing him 
with his large cow-whip until he had put out one eye of the wild animal, and 
cut his head so badly that it was covered with blood, and it lay down to rest, 
at which juncture of the race our little hero alighted, and with stones beat 
the wolf to death. From this time on the faithful horse, would run any wolf 
that aroused from his lair. This was not all that our subject amused himself 
at. Every cattle dealer that came along had with him a fast horse, which he 
would bet on, and every wager was promptly accepted by Mr. Short, and his pony 
always won the race. Over the prairie, where rocks were as thick as hail after 
a hard storm, would this wiry little chap run his horse and secure the booty. 
In 1875, he engaged in cattle dealing for himself, which he has continued 
since with good success; he was for awhile in the meat business at Coal City, 
and in 1880, he opened a line of dry goods, which he is still running. Was 
married, in 1874, to Frances LATTIMER, the result being one child - Frances. 
His wife died in 1876, and in 1881 he was married a second time to Mrs. 
Caroline Clark, a daughter of William MOORE, an old settler of this county. 
She was married to Loren G. Clark, resulting in four children - Ettie, 
Gertrude, Henry and Alla. Mr. Short was President of the Board of Trustees 
when the village of Coal City was organized. He votes the Republican ticket.

Additional Comments:
Source: History of Grundy County, Illinois. (1882) Chicago: O.L. Baskin & Co. 
Historical Publishers.

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