SHORT, WILLIAM S., farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 7, P.O. Greenfield, was born Sept. 16, 1832. His father, Thomas J. Short, was born Sept. 27, 1805, in Tennessee; was married to Catherine Overby, who was born in 1807. They emigrated to Greene County, Ill., in 1829, and rented land of Mr. Hubbard; remained there for five years, then borrowed money from Samuel Thomas to enter 80 acres of land, paying 25 per cent, for said money, and cut cord wood at twenty-five cents per cord to pay said interest. As he accumulated wealth he entered land, and bought from others, till he owned 1,000 acres at his death, which was valued at $35,000. He died in 1876, at the age of seventy. His wife died in 1849, at the age of forty-three. Having sixteen children by his first marriage, was married the second time to Rebecca Whittle; have two children by this marriage. The subject of this sketch is the sixth child; was married 1854 to Elizabeth M., who was born in 1830, in South Carolina; have thirteen children: Amanda E., Rosa A., Louis S., Martha J., Thomas J., Eliza B.; infant son, Dickey, Elizabeth M., William S., Catherine, Samuel J., Mary A., and adopted son James H. Mr. Short owns 357 acres of land.
Source: [Anonymous], History of Greene County, Illinois; Its Past and Present (Chicago: Donnelley, Gassette & Loyd, Publishers, 1879), p. 627.