White Deer Land Museum
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  • Eloise Lane Articles 1-100
    • Articles 1 - 20 >
      • About Eloise Lane
      • The "White Deer" Name
      • The Log House
      • Obtaining The Land
      • The Lands Organized
      • Cattle Brands Tell Story
      • Ghosts And All . . .
      • Southern Kansas Railroad
      • Fire Guard Dam
      • When The Railroad Came
      • The Sutton RR Station
      • Post Office At Pampa
      • The Bell Family
      • J. C. Short
      • Pampa 1892-1902
      • Pampa Laid Out in 1902
      • Crystal Palace Founded
      • Gray County Organization
      • Organization - Continued
    • Articles 21 - 40 >
      • The "White Deer" Name
      • Gray County - Lefors
      • McLean - The Largest Town
      • Gouge Eye
      • The "Mother Road"
      • German Family Reunion
      • Desks From Hopkins
      • Grandview School Begins
      • The Oil Money
      • History Wall Painted
      • Boydston Or Boydstun?
      • Ontario???
      • Laketon - Early Farming
      • Laketon - Continued
      • First Couple To Marry
      • Hoover
      • Water Well Drilling
      • Kingsmills Visit Pampa
      • George Tyng Left
    • Articles 41 - 60 >
      • Tragedy In Utah
      • T.D. Hobart - Manager
      • M.K. Brown Arrives
      • Rider Livery Stable
      • The Pioneer Cottage
      • Pampa's First Doctor
      • Doctor Makes House Calls
      • A Red Cross Nurse
      • Pampa's First School
      • Hobart Went To London
      • Cemetery Began In 1904
      • First Business District
      • C.P. Buckler Arrives
      • Five Barrett Brothers
      • Influence Of The Santa Fe
      • Trains Still Roll
      • John V. Thomas - Teacher
      • Cattle-loading Center
      • Rolla J. Sailor & Arrowheads
      • A.H. Doucette Arrives
    • Articles 61 - 80 >
      • Lands Are Advertised
      • The Holland Hotel
      • Wheat Left Pampa
      • First National Bank Begins
      • Pampa News Begins
      • First Denominational Church
      • 2nd Office Of WD Lands
      • J.N. Duncan Arrives
      • Nels Walberg Sells. . .
      • Dormer Simms
      • Fourth Of July Celebrations
      • Pampa's First Cars
      • Pampa In 1907-08
      • J. S. Wynne Family Arrives
      • Gray County State Bank
      • Baptist Church Organized
      • Joe And Lizzie Bowers
      • Threatened By Prairie Fire
      • Library Began In 1907
      • J.R. Henry
    • Articles 81 - 100 >
      • Sir Gordan & Lady Cunard
      • Three Vicars Brothers
      • Dodd Grain And Produce
      • December 29, 1991
      • D.C. Davis Family
      • Long Christmas Celebration
      • First Christian Church
      • Facts About Pampa
      • Buster Brown
      • The Last Hanging
      • Bones Hooks
      • The "Red Brick" Is No More
      • The Purviances Family
      • The Dr. E. von Brunow Park
      • Boards Of 1st Headquarters
      • Mary Jane Purvis
      • Cook - Adams Addition
      • Nativity Scenes
      • Clyde Carruth
  • Eloise Lane Articles 101-200
    • Articles 101 - 120 >
      • The Mine Tragedies
      • Additions To Pampa
      • Third Family In Pampa
      • Frank Dittmeyer
      • Bricklayer Indian Jim
      • A.A. Tiemann
      • First Movies And Lights
      • Pampa Incorporated
      • Mark And Sara Fletcher
      • Annie Baker Daniels
      • Pampa's Business District
      • Birthday Tea Of 1919
      • Former Pampa Minister
      • John Mack Patton
      • The First Brass Band
      • Early Graduating Class
      • "How We Met"
      • F.P. Greever Is Assassinated
      • George Tyng's Father
    • Articles 121 - 140 >
      • L. H. and Lula Greene
      • John and Lena McKamy
      • Robert and Mary Yeager
      • "Dear Old PHS"
      • Supt. Believed in People
      • William A. and Ruth Greene
      • Jason A and Alice Poole
      • Wayside School
      • Pampa Football Begins
      • The Pampa School Building
      • Rev. C. E. Lancaster
      • Panhandle Lumber Co.
      • Will Wilks & Mora Hughey
      • An Unusual Valentine
      • Charles A. Tignor
      • O. A. Barrett
      • Poppies In Flanders Fields
      • Barnard & Williams Families
    • Articles 141 - 160 >
      • 4th of July Celebrations
      • Cuyler Street Underpass
      • The King Family
      • Kretmeier and Baer Families
      • Stephen B. Oates
      • Phebe Worley
      • Organization of Gray County
      • First Courthouse
      • Pampa Laid Out in 1902
      • Pampa in 1902
      • W. R. Kaufman
      • The Pampa Country Club
      • Living In Pampa in 1902
      • Pampa Buildings of 1902
      • May Foreman Carr
      • Scaffers - Early Residents
      • Nita Luna
      • Former Sub Debs Reminisce
      • PHS In 1932
    • Articles 161 - 180 >
      • PHS Appreciated
      • The Forth Worth and Denver
      • From Pampa to Childress
      • The Origination Of "Taps"
      • The Warners
      • J. C. Studer
      • Floyd, John and Otto
      • Our American Flag
      • Stories and Memories
      • Museum in Pampa?
      • The Franklin Farm
      • The Franklin Family
      • Beryl Wayne Vicars
      • Historian Made Cookies
      • The Pioneer Cottage
      • The Orginial Swastika
      • Library Clerk
      • Women's Clothing Store
    • Articles 181 - 200 >
      • Jon and Pat McConal
      • Whitey Walker Gang
      • How Rudolph Began
      • Gwendolen Avenue
      • Jerry Kerbow
      • Two Paintings
      • Second Part - Paintings
      • Bones Hooks
      • Original Nativity Figures
      • Why "V" Instead of "U"
      • Pampa Incorporated
      • Prairie Fires
      • Abert's "Day of Anxiety"
      • George Autry's "A Fable"
      • Girls Basketball
      • Thomas and Lard
      • Henry and Jenny Ledrick
      • C. J. Walstad
      • Ledrick and Walstads
      • Bert and Annie Lard
      • Peter Gray
      • H. H. and Kate Heiskell
      • The Story of Elsie (Lard) Hall

J. C. Short - Early Mail Carrier

Eloise Lane PhotoEloise Lane
Very likely J.C. Short attended a gathering which was also attended by George Tyng when Tyng was circulating a petition for a post office at Pampa . The gathering was held in a cottonwood grove close to the home of Henry Thut near present Lefors.

On June 4, 1892,Tyng wrote to Frederic Foster: "There were 60 males and 36 females of dancing age. Those attending favored Clark against Hogg for Governor of Texas .

"We enjoyed the picnic with lots to eat and Thut's 'wine,' and the adjournment to the Lovett dugout on Survey 28, Block B2 where dancing was kept up until Sunday morning's sunrise made it impossible to longer set back the clock ... besides which the fiddlers were exhausted. We sent down to the roundups near Cantonment for them on Saturday afternoon.

"The men were of all sorts. The women were a charming surprise ... well dressed, well mannered and with self possession not to be expected from their isolated lives.

"Like a nice bird I sneaked off to my blankets under a cottonwood tree as soon as sure that the 'pizen' was working right; but Henry Taylor represented White Deer throughout the fandango with becoming energy."

Seventeen days before the post office was established at Pampa , the post office at Lefors was established on October 12, 1892 with Henry Thut as postmaster. The post office was in the Thut home. A location paper in the National Archives shows that the name "Vera" was crossed through and the name "Lefors" was substituted. (Vera was the oldest child of Perry and Emma LeFors). The Postal Service-required that "Lefors" should be written with a small "f."

J.C. Short was elected the first rural mail carrier and carried the mail from Mobeetie to Lefors. The mail was carried on horseback, and sometimes on buckboard, once a week. Often J.C. would make the long trip in the worst of weather carrying only a postal card.

James Cornelius Short had first come from Cook County to the Panhandle with a herd of cattle in 1889. The following year he added his herd to that of John Stump with the intention of homesteading in this area. His wife, the former Amanda Elizabeth McCarty, came by train to Clarendon where she was met by her husband. With two children they traveled by wagon about 70 miles to join the Stump group, who were living near the present site of Miami .

J.C. looked after his cattle and helped men who had large herds. There were no fences then to keep the cattle confined to one location. The plains were covered with tall grass, and the only trees grew along the banks of the creeks and rivers.

In 1891 J.C. and Amanda filed on a homestead quarter section of land about a mile north of present Lefors. The land was bought on a 40-year contract at $1.50 an acre.

The Short family lived in a half dugout for a number of years. The dugout had a huge fireplace in one end, two windows and a door in the other. The dirt floors-were covered with wooden boards.

A deep well pumped water into a barrel. From there the water flowed through the milk trough where the milk was kept cool in gallon crocks. The excess water ran into a dirt tank for cattle. A hinged lid covered the trough which was shaded by a large tree. Wild grapevines climbed the windmill tower.

At that time there were only a few scattered farms in the area. There was plenty of fresh water and grass and an abundance of prairie chickens, quail, deer and antelope. Large lobo wolves caused a great deal of trouble by stealing cattle.

Because most of the land was known as open range, settlers began to build fences running north and south to keep the cattle from drifting. The cowboys who were hired to ride and watch these fences were called "line riders." Many disputes between ranchers were held over these drift fences.

A few yards in front of the Short home there was a well traveled trail over which cattle were driven to market at Dodge City . These cattle were of the longhorn variety and came from southern and central Texas . They were driven in herds of about 200 in a division and were kept about two hours apart.

Many arrowheads were found in a nearby ravine. This indicated that the site must have been an Indian battlefield.

In 1905 J.C. and Amanda built a six-room, two-story house where they spent the rest of their lives. During their long years of service, they did much for the growth and development of Lefors and Gray County . Amanda died on September 26, 1935, and J.C. died on January 26, 1943. Both are buried in Fairview Cemetary at Pampa .

Their children were George (who died at birth), Dora, Zella: May, Helen Lee, Margaret, Bertie Idella, Alice Etolia, James Michael "Jim," Sophia Anna, Josephine Blanch and Charlotte Pauline.

Dora had two interesting experiences when she was very young. One day J.C. was digging post holes for a fence when he discovered that his small daughter was no longer with him. After the family and neighbors searched for some time, they found Dora wedged tight in a post hole.

Another time Dora was rocking her baby sister while Amanda was hanging washed clothes on the line. A large animal which looked like a dog came toward the little girl. Dora, who thought the animal was a dog belonging to the Thut family, said, "Hello, Sport!" The animal, a mountain lion, ran away and was later killed by Jim Williams.

Alice, who married John L. Smith at Lefors on June 6, 1943, was well known for her many philantrophies. With Vera Back she started the Alanreed McLean Museum in 1966. She died at McLean on October 3, 1980, and was buried beside her husband and parents in Fairview Cemetery at Pampa .

Bertie, who was a single woman at the time, was elected a school trustee when the present Lefors High School was built in 1928. She married Arthur Henry at Amarillo on February 16, 1929. For several years they lived near and in Perryton with their children Patricia Ann and James Arthur.

After J.C. Short died in 1943, the Henrys leased and later bought the Short ranch near Lefors. Now, in 1989, Pat Youngblood, the Henrys' daughter, and her two daughters live on the land which Pat's grandparents homesteaded in 1891.

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116 S Cuyler St | Pampa, TX 79065 | Phone (806) 669-8041 | Fax (806) 250-2185

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