J. G. SHORT. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is a good example of the public servant, for he is faithful to every duty, is accurate, painstaking and honorable and is also genial and accommodating. He is a native of the county in which he now lives, for here he first saw the light of day February 25, 1864, and, as a natural sequence, he has ever been interested in every enterprise tending to benefit the county of his nativity, and has done all in his power to make it the magnificent commonwealth that it now is.
His father, John Short, was born in Tennessee, in 1824, and was one of the early pioneer families of that State. He came to Stone County, Missouri, over forty-two years ago and located in the vicinity where he now lives, the journey thither from Roane County, Tennessee, being made by wagon. He was married in Roane, his native county, to Miss Elizabeth Coleman, a member of an old Tennessee family, who was born and reared in Roane County, Tennessee Shortly after their marriage Mr. Short and his wife came West, and since that time he has been one of the highly respected citizens of Stone County. On July 4, 1876, his wife died, at the age of forty-three years, having become the mother of an old fashioned family of thirteen children, of whom eight are living: George W.; Nancy, wife of Andrew O’Brien, of Christian County; Sarah, wife of Joel O’Bryan, of that county; Rachel, wife of C. L. Steel, of Stone County; Jackson G. (the subject of this sketch); Lucy, wife of Charles Robertson, of Lawrence County, Missouri, and Huldie and Viola at home. The father has long been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church; politically he is a stanch Republican, and has always manifested much public spirit. He is the owner of a good farm in the northern part of the county, on Spring Creek, and is much honored in the section in which he resides. During the great strife between the North and South, when his home was being raided by bushwhackers, he had been captured, and, his life being in danger, his plucky and determined wife came to his aid with an ax, and in the struggle to rescue her husband killed one of the men.
The youthful days of Jackson G. Short were profitably spent on his father’s farm and in attending the district schools of that section. At the youthful age of eighteen years he was married to Miss Permelia Long, a daughter of Joseph Long, a pioneer of this section. He was born on Blue Grass soil, was reared in Tennessee, and from that State came to Missouri at an early day. He reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are now living in the northern part of Stone County, on a farm, and after a useful and well-spent life died at the age of eighty-two years, in 1892. Mrs. Short was the youngest of his family, and was born February 18, 1868, and her widowed mother now makes her home with her. She is a native of Cedar County, Missouri Mr. and Mrs. Short continued to reside on the farm until he was elected to the office of county collector, in 1892, on the Republican ticket, since which time he has resided at Galena. He is a public-spirited citizen, and is in every respect a worthy young man, perfectly capable of successfully filling the position he now occupies, and much more responsible ones. He is the owner of a good farm ten miles north of Galena and also owns residence property in the town, all of which he has acquired through his own efforts, and by good management. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church and both have the utmost respect of all who know them. They have five children,as follows: William B., Elizabeth, Fannie, Lucy and George, the two eldest of whom attend school.