Robert Valentine Short

“ In March, 1844, I started on a visit to my boyhood home in Pennsylvania, stopping at Alexandria, Ohio, where I cast my first vote on Monday, April 1,—the day before being my twenty-first birthday. Returning to Delaware in July, I worked at the tailor's trade until the spring of 1845, also studying surveying under Davis' system. ”

“ I was born on the 31st day of March, 1823, in a log cabin on a farm near the village of Fairview, Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, about thirteen miles west of Pittsburg. In the fall of that year my parents emigrated to Richland County, Ohio, settling on a frontier farm two and one half miles from Mansfield, the county seat. Here my mother died when I was about two years of age. My father then sold out and moved to another farm near Ashland, where we remained until I was about six years old. ”

“ Not finding that congenial, in the spring of 1840 I contracted with one Anderson Deem, a tailor in Ashland, Ohio, to serve an apprenticeship of two years and three months at the tailor's trade. After serving out my time, on the 2d day of November, 1842, with $7.50 in my pocket, I started out as a journeyman tailor. Struck a job the first day in Gallion, Ohio, working seven days. From there went to Delaware, Ohio, at which place I worked and attended two terms at the Wesleyan University. ”