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William J. Short and Bert
Shearer, leading grocers of Moberly, rank
among the progressive and
prosperous men of the city, with a store at 112
North 4th street, where
they began business July 21, 1913.
William J. Short was born
in Mexico in 1877, the son of Edward and
Anna (Walsh) Short, both
natives of Ireland. In 1879, the Short family
located in Moberly as the
father had accepted a position with the Wabash
Railroad Company and the
parents spent the rest of their lives here and
are buried in St. Marys
cemetery.
William J. Short attended
the public schools of Moberly. He then
entered the Faessler
machine shops, learned the trade of machinist and
remained with that concern
for eight years. In 1909 he was elected col-
lector of the city of
Moberly and was reelected in 1911, serving four years.
At the expiration of his
term of office, Mr. Short engaged in the grocery
business with Mr. Shearer
and has continued in the store to the present
time.
In 1904, Mr. Short married
Miss Nora O'Connell, of Moberly. She is
daughter of Benjamin and
Mary (Hurley) O'Connell, both natives of
Ireland. They came to
Moberly in 1875 and Mr. O'Connell has taken an
active part in the
development of this section. He helped build the first
telegraph line from Macon
to Moberly. He was then employed by the
Wabash Railroad
Company in the car department. He retired in 1918.
Mr. O'Connell was police
judge of Moberly for six years, from 1907 to 1913,
and was a capable officer.
Two sons have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Short:
Edward and Wilbur, both
at home.
Mr. Short has taken an
active part in the civic life of M berly and
has prompted many of the
progressive movements here, He is a member
of the Court of Honor, the
Yeomen, the National Union and the Machinists'
Union, having served as
financial secretary of the latter four years. |