1912 Homestead

The Short family owned the homestead for two generations until losing it to bankruptcy. Melvin and Renda Short were the first generation of Shorts and the second owners of the homestead. While under the Short family ownership, the homestead was used for hay farming, sheep raising, dairy producing, and horse caring. They purchased the property in 1927 from the original owner. The

property was much larger when Melvin and Rhenda owned the

place, with it extending to the north, south and east. They were

likely the owners who laid the foundations for property as it

is today. Both of them were from Kansas and had moved to

Wyoming at different times. They had three boys, though

one died at a young age. The two surviving boys were

Vernon and Bud. In the 1960’s, Rhenda passed away

and Melvin later re-married. At some time after

re-marrying, Melvin and his wife moved off the

property but remained in Wheatland. The son

Vernon, the second generation, then took over the

homestead when Melvin became too old while

Bud had moved away. Vernon was married three

different times and it was during the course of the second

marriage that he lost the homestead to bankruptcy. The cause of this could have been from supporting his second wife’s expensive thoroughbred horses, the divorce, or a combination of both. The homestead then left the Short family ownership, though some people in Wheatland still refer to it as the old Short dairy farm.