US Congressman, Entrepreneur. He was a United States Representative from the State of North Dakota. He was born one of three children as Don Levingston Short to prominent rancher Hugh Connoran "Con" Short (1874-1951), and his wife Anne Otley Corkery Short (1876-1940), in Le Mars, Iowa, on June 22, 1903. He later moved with his family to Billings County, North Dakota, and settled on a ranch while still a young child. He was educated locally at the local Medora, North Dakota, common public schools and later attended the prestigious St. James School in Faribault, Minnesota. He then became interested in agricultural pursuits and he took a short course at the prestigious Montana State College at Bozeman, Montana, in 1918 and 1919, and also attended and graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy in Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1921, and was a student a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from 1922 to 1926. Following his education, he continued with his agricultural pursuits becoming a cattle rancher and farmer. He then took an interest in politics and served as a County Supervisor, and a Farm Security Advisor in 1937, and again in 1938. He also served as a Member of the North Dakota State House of Representatives in 1957. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Otto G. Krueger (1890-1963), on January 3, 1959. A Member of the Republican Party, he then served North Dakota's 1st District (Eighty-Sixth Congress and Eighty-Seventh Congress), as an At-Large Delegate in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1963. He was originally elected in 1958, and reelected in 1960. Following his term in the United States Congress, his congressional district was abolished and it was redistricted to the 2nd District. He then decided to run for a second term in the United States Congress and was elected to the newly created 2nd District in 1962. A Member of the Republican Party, he then served North Dakota's 2nd District (Eighty-Eighth Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1965. He was an unsuccessful Candidate to represent the Eighty-Ninth Congress having been defeated for reelection in 1964. His defeat was attributed to the efforts of North Dakota United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), who actively and covertly worked to have him defeated even refusing to endorse him as he had eagerly given his support in previous elections. The nature of his and the United States Senator Milton Young's dispute was money versus stewardship. He and United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), had disagreed about the need for a highway through an unspoiled piece of America's scenic national treasure, The Badlands. He then voted against building a US highway through the National Grasslands and United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), disagreed with him. His efforts won in the long run as no US highway was ever built and the land remains unspoiled and pristine. Two years later, he was asked to run for United States Congress again, but declined the offer. Following his second term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Rolland William Redlin (1920-2011), on January 3. 1965. After leaving the United States Congress, he resumed his agricultural pursuits including cattle ranching and farming after moving back to his ranch in Beach, North Dakota. His health later deteriorated and he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's' Disease which led to his retirement. He passed away at a nursing home in Dickinson, North Dakota, on May 10, 1982, at the age of 78. Following his death, his funeral service was held at the United Community Church in Beach, North Dakota, and at the Johnson Funeral Home in Beach, North Dakota, and he was buried in Medora Cemetery in Medora, North Dakota. During his lifetime, he also served as President of the Medora Grazing Association, as President of the North Dakota Stockmans Association, was a Member of the Livestock Sanitary Board, was a Member of the Production Credit Board, and was the Vice-President of the National Cattlemen's Association along with helping to organize a national beef council. He counted the likes of President of the United States Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994), and President of the United States George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018), as his friends, and upon his death was remembered by the North Dakota political writer Darrell Dorgan, the brother of North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan as one of the last true statesmen. He was married to Edith Whittemore Short (1907-1987), a teacher, at the Wibaux Community Church in Wibaux, Montana, on February 26, 1931, and the couple had three children together, Anne Whittemore Short Johnson (1933-2016), Connie Short McDonald (1935-2017), and Arthur Connoran Short (1937-2016). His wife Edith passed away in Medora, North Dakota, on June 15, 1987, at the age of 80, and she is buried beside her husband in Medora Cemetery in Medora, North Dakota.
US Congressman, Entrepreneur. He was a United States Representative from the State of North Dakota. He was born one of three children as Don Levingston Short to prominent rancher Hugh Connoran "Con" Short (1874-1951), and his wife Anne Otley Corkery Short (1876-1940), in Le Mars, Iowa, on June 22, 1903. He later moved with his family to Billings County, North Dakota, and settled on a ranch while still a young child. He was educated locally at the local Medora, North Dakota, common public schools and later attended the prestigious St. James School in Faribault, Minnesota. He then became interested in agricultural pursuits and he took a short course at the prestigious Montana State College at Bozeman, Montana, in 1918 and 1919, and also attended and graduated from Pillsbury Military Academy in Owatonna, Minnesota, in 1921, and was a student a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from 1922 to 1926. Following his education, he continued with his agricultural pursuits becoming a cattle rancher and farmer. He then took an interest in politics and served as a County Supervisor, and a Farm Security Advisor in 1937, and again in 1938. He also served as a Member of the North Dakota State House of Representatives in 1957. He then decided to run for a seat in the United States Congress and was elected to succeed the outgoing United States Representative Otto G. Krueger (1890-1963), on January 3, 1959. A Member of the Republican Party, he then served North Dakota's 1st District (Eighty-Sixth Congress and Eighty-Seventh Congress), as an At-Large Delegate in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1959, to January 3, 1963. He was originally elected in 1958, and reelected in 1960. Following his term in the United States Congress, his congressional district was abolished and it was redistricted to the 2nd District. He then decided to run for a second term in the United States Congress and was elected to the newly created 2nd District in 1962. A Member of the Republican Party, he then served North Dakota's 2nd District (Eighty-Eighth Congress), in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1965. He was an unsuccessful Candidate to represent the Eighty-Ninth Congress having been defeated for reelection in 1964. His defeat was attributed to the efforts of North Dakota United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), who actively and covertly worked to have him defeated even refusing to endorse him as he had eagerly given his support in previous elections. The nature of his and the United States Senator Milton Young's dispute was money versus stewardship. He and United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), had disagreed about the need for a highway through an unspoiled piece of America's scenic national treasure, The Badlands. He then voted against building a US highway through the National Grasslands and United States Senator Milton Young (1897-1983), disagreed with him. His efforts won in the long run as no US highway was ever built and the land remains unspoiled and pristine. Two years later, he was asked to run for United States Congress again, but declined the offer. Following his second term in the United States Congress, he was succeeded in office by the incoming United States Representative Rolland William Redlin (1920-2011), on January 3. 1965. After leaving the United States Congress, he resumed his agricultural pursuits including cattle ranching and farming after moving back to his ranch in Beach, North Dakota. His health later deteriorated and he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's' Disease which led to his retirement. He passed away at a nursing home in Dickinson, North Dakota, on May 10, 1982, at the age of 78. Following his death, his funeral service was held at the United Community Church in Beach, North Dakota, and at the Johnson Funeral Home in Beach, North Dakota, and he was buried in Medora Cemetery in Medora, North Dakota. During his lifetime, he also served as President of the Medora Grazing Association, as President of the North Dakota Stockmans Association, was a Member of the Livestock Sanitary Board, was a Member of the Production Credit Board, and was the Vice-President of the National Cattlemen's Association along with helping to organize a national beef council. He counted the likes of President of the United States Richard Milhous Nixon (1913-1994), and President of the United States George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018), as his friends, and upon his death was remembered by the North Dakota political writer Darrell Dorgan, the brother of North Dakota Senator Byron Dorgan as one of the last true statesmen. He was married to Edith Whittemore Short (1907-1987), a teacher, at the Wibaux Community Church in Wibaux, Montana, on February 26, 1931, and the couple had three children together, Anne Whittemore Short Johnson (1933-2016), Connie Short McDonald (1935-2017), and Arthur Connoran Short (1937-2016). His wife Edith passed away in Medora, North Dakota, on June 15, 1987, at the age of 80, and she is buried beside her husband in Medora Cemetery in Medora, North Dakota.
Bio by: The Silent Forgotten
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