Louisiana Annie Brown (1856 - 1940)

Born 15 Oct 1856 in Louisiana, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 May 1940 at age 83 in Douglas, Cochise, Arizona, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Robert Wood [send private message] and Patricia Presley [send private message]

Biography

• Fact: Residence (1860) De Soto, Louisiana, United States
• Fact: Residence (1880) Precinct 6, Grayson, Texas, United States
• Fact: Residence (1900) Northwest portion Justice Precincts 1-2 & 3, Tom Green, Texas, United States
• Fact: Residence (1900) Northeast portion Justice Precinct 1, Tom Green, Texas, United States
• Fact: Residence (1910) Light, Cochise, Arizona, United States
• Fact: Residence (1920) Gleeson, Cochise, Arizona, United States
• Fact: Residence (1930) Gleeson, Cochise, Arizona, United States
• Fact: Residence (1935) Same House
• Fact: Residence (1940) Supervisorial District 2, Cochise, Arizona, United States
• Fact: Burial Gleeson Cemetery, Gleeson, Cochise, Arizona, United States
• Fact: http://familysearch.org/v1/LifeSketch Indian Raids and Outlaws, by Trish Gannon

Published in the October 2016 issue of The River Journal

Louisiana “Lou” Brown Short lived an eventful, and likely difficult, life. She was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1854, the youngest of four siblings: her sister Sarah Frances (Fannie) was my great-great grandmother.

Sometime before she was six years old her father died, and by the time she was ten, the War Between the States would arrive right outside her front door: the Battle of Mansfield, where she was living in the 1860s, was fought in April of 1864. The battle was a victory for the Confederacy, and stopped the Red River Campaign in its tracks. But it likely didn’t seem quite so victorious to the women and children of Mansfield, who were left to care for around 4,500 casualties (from both sides) in the makeshift hospitals and recovery wards set up within their homes, churches and schools. Captain Nathanial Allen wrote in his diary of that aftermath: “Left Mansfield for the Regt (regiment) this morning early, reported that they were about getting another fight near Pleasant Hill, find dead & wounded all along the road.” It would have been a gruesome sight, particularly for a ten-year-old.

Within just a couple years of the battle, Lou’s mother died. Lou and her sister Fannie were sent to live with their aunt and uncle on the Texas frontier.

Robert Allen McGrady and Elizabeth Cox had settled in Montague County, on land the whites were busily appropriating from the local Kiowa and Comanche, with predictably bloody results. Of her uncle McGrady it was written: “Only one settler had up to that time made a location in the Clear Creek valley, and thus into a wild and unimproved region Mr. McGrady made his way to meet the hardships and privations incident to pioneer life and to aid in the reclamation of this district for the purposes of civilization.” His two young nieces met those hardships with him.

When Lou turned 16, she married John Pleasant Short and, in the census of that year, she was living with him and his parents at their home in Grayson, Texas. Also living there was her brother-in-law, Luke Short, who would later become known as one of the American West’s most famous gunfighters, and a member (and reason for its formation) of the Dodge City Peace Commission, which included his friends Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Although John Pleasant never gained the notoriety of his brother, Lou’s new husband was cut from the same cloth. In 1887 (Lou would have been just 33 at the time, younger than my oldest daughter), John Pleasant and his brother Henry were charged with the shooting of one Charles Schuyler. Their brother Luke came to their financial rescue, an action that helped lead to his sale of an interest in his Ft. Worth saloon, the White Elephant. His financial needs might also have played a role in Luke’s shooting of former Ft. Worth marshal Jim Courtright, who is rumored to have been running a protection racket at the time, though it’s also said that Luke Short refused to pay.

Lou and her husband would move to Cochise, Ariz. in the early 1900s, and she would give birth to ten children, all but one of them boys. She would die there in 1940, at the age of 86, outliving her husband by 21 years. To my eyes, saturated as they are with the Pacific Northwest, her gravesite looks bleak.

We have reached that time of year when the nights get cold, the leaves turn color, and my personal odometer turns over another year. Each year I get to share my birthday with some wonderful women (many happy returns Laura and Jacquie, Carol and Angela!). I have so many friends and family born around the same time as me that we have come to refer to this period as Librafest—a weeks-long celebration full of cake and laughter. Two very special people born close to me—one day before and two days after, though many years removed—are my two granddaughters, Keira and Lyric. This year, a third granddaughter (Delilah Rey) will join our party, with an expected birth day the day following mine.

And you probably will not be surprised to learn that Louisiana Brown Short was born on October 15, 162 years ago, another Librafest participant.

I didn’t discover that Louisiana had existed until about a decade ago, after I had become addicted to genealogy research. But “remembering” Louisiana is important to me, particularly when I feel overwhelmed and that life is particularly difficult.

Lou knew what “difficult” was in a way that I will never know; in a way that I hope my three beautiful granddaughters will never know. As I celebrate the continuation of my life and those of so many I care about, I also take time to celebrate that life lived by this strong, courageous woman.

Letter written by Lou Short to her sister, Mary Austin, 18 Apr 1899 Dear sister, I receive your most kind letter that came to hand a few days ago and to know that you all was well once more this (finds?) us all well and hope it will find you the same. Sister have (?) it been same. You heard from sister Fannie. I haven't heard from her in about two months. Mary, we had a nice home (?) going all to buy cattle and if he does I guess that I can not come I will let you know before long sister. I had a letter from cousin Frank McGrady and he said that they all was well, he said old Aunt Sallie Means has been sick but was well, have you hear anything about cousin being in jail or not?

We as soon not think of anything to write, or not. I will close for this time. Tell Georgia and Gus to write to me (?) give my best wishes to all tell the boys that George said them to write to him for he would be so glad to hear from your sons more news.

Your far away sister Lou Short, so good bye

Letter written from Lou Short to her sister Mary Austin from San Angelo in June 1899 (was very difficult to read) Dear Sister. I will take the (???) of (???) you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along.

This (finds?) us all well at present and hope it still finds you all the same also in very good (???) I got a letter from Georgia and she said that you were sick (?) if you could and come to this country your health would be all wright in a little while. Sister if I could I would come down there but I can not come now for Mr. Short is gone from home all the time he is buying & selling cattle, he is not home now I am looking for him Sunday with about 200 of cattle. Sister this is a healthful country (?) it is not (?) of country. Sister we have not much property we have 1300 of cattle (?) in winter but we are going to build up again. We have over 100 head of cattle now and a little ranch leased out from (town?) My children gets to go about two month out of a year to school. We work hard. Sister you come to this country this fall I want you to come out hear and spend all of the summer with me. Sister if I could write to our (?) a letter do you think that he would let you come out here or not. My hand has been bad with (arissa?) for about four weeks. I am afraid that it will cause me to lose the youse of my fingers. Well as no more I will close for this time hoping to see and hear from you soon.

I am as ever your sister, Lou Short, San Angelo Texas.

Sources

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 16 May 2017, 14:59), entry for Louisiana Brown(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LZN6-6DX); contributed by various users.
• "Arizona Deaths, 1870-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLNV-777 : 12 December 2014), William K. Brown in entry for Mrs. Lou Short, 1940; citing Douglas, Cochise, Arizona, reference , Department of Library and Archives, Phoenix, Arizona; FHL microfilm 2,114,694.
• Story about Lou written by Trish Gannon (self) in the Oct. 2016 issue of The River Journal, titled "Indian Raids and Outlaws." See at Family Search https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZN6-6DX
• Story about Lou's brother-in-law Luke Short mentions Lou and her husband John, "The Notorious Luke Short, Sporting Man of the Wild West" written by Jack DeMattos and Chuck Parsons.
• 1860 Federal census, Mansfield, Desoto, Louisiana with mother "Sally Brown"
• 1880 Federal census, Precinct 6, Grayson, Texas "Lue Short" living with her inlaws, J. Washington Short and Hettey, plus husband John P.
• 1900 Federal census, Justice Precinct 1, Tom Green, Texas "Lou Short" with husband John Short
• 1910 Federal census, Rucker Canyon (St.) Light, Cochise, Arizona. "Lou Short" with sons Young and William.
• 1920 Federal census, Tombottom highway, Gleeson, Cochise, Arizona, "Lou Short" widowed, living in home of daughter Hetty Baker.
• 1930 Federal census, Gleeson, Cochise, Arizona, "Lou Short" living alone in a home she owned.
• Arizona death record Mrs. Lou Short, Douglas, Cochise, Arizona. She fell and broke her neck.
• Succession records of her maternal grandfather Richmond Cox.