- REV. WALLACE M. SHORT, the scholarly and devoted pastor of
the Congregational Church
- at Evansville, Rock County, is a man distinguished not less
for his ability as a pulpit orator than for his profound interest
in everything that relates to the moral and spiritual welfare
of the community. He is at once loyal to the denomination with
which he is associated, and faithful to the larger church of
which it is but a part.
- Rev. Wallace M. SHORT was born at College Springs, Iowa,
June 28, 1866, and is a son of
- James B. and Eugenia (NOE) SHORT, natives of Illinois and
Ohio, respectively. They were the parents of three sons and
two daughters, four now living: Rev. Wallace M.; Rev. William
H.; Jessie M., a graduate of Beloit College; and Frank E., in
business in Beloit; Alice, who died in childhood, was the eldest
child. The father was a farmer, and made a location in Iowa
in 1856, at College Springs. There he reared his family, in
the quiet and strength-giving surroundings of a rural life, and
there he lived until 1894, in which year he gave up the farm
and went to Beloit, Wis., to spend his last days. He is a deacon
of the Congregational Church, and with his wife has long been
a devout member of that religious body. Mr. SHORT was a soldier
in the Civil war, and served as a member of the 8th Iowa Cavalry.
He was in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., and altogether participated
in about thirty engagements, great and small. During his active
life James B. SHORT was a man of considerable prominence in local
affairs, and held various township offices, meeting all responsibilities
placed upon him to the satisfaction of all concerned. His father,
John SHORT, was a native of Tennessee, of Scotch-Irish descent,
and followed an agricultural life. He was born in the closing
part of the eighteenth century, and moved to Granville, Putnam
Co., Ill., while still a young man. He served in the Black Hawk
war, was a man of character and energy, and lived to be fifty-five
years of age. He reared a family of eight children. Ebenezer
NOE, the father of Eugenia, referred to above, was born in Connecticut,
and was of French descent. He was a farmer, and after he lived
in Iowa carried the mails at an early day, on horseback. He
was an early settler in that State, and is still living at College
Springs, at the venerable age of eighty-nine years. He is the
father of seven children, four of whom are now living. His father
served in the war of 1812.
- Rev. Wallace M. SHORT attained his manhood on the farm at
College Springs, began his
- education in the local schools, continued it at Amity (Iowa)
College, and was graduated form Beloit (Wis.) College in 1893,
taking the full classical course. He made his theological preparation
for the ministry at Yale, and received his diploma from that
institution in 1896. The same year he was called to the pastorate
of the Congregational Church at Evansville, and at once entered
upon its duties. He has won standing in this community, not
only as a capable and earnest preacher and pastor, but as an
enlightened and progressive citizen of the town. Mr. SHORT made
his own way through college. He learned the cheese-maker's trade
when quite a young man, and followed it at College Springs, and
also at Maryville, Missouri.
- The year 1896 is a memorable one in the history of Mr. SHORT.
It was the year of his
- graduation from Yale, it was the year of his call to Evansville,
and it was the year of his marriage. On July 8, that year, he
wedded Miss Mary E. MORSE, daughter of James and Jennie (SMITH)
MORSE, the former born in Ohio, the latter in England. Her grandfather
MORSE, who is now residing in Racine, at the advanced age of
ninety-three, was a relative of Samuel F. B. MORSE.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c) 1901, pp. 92-93.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|