Hidalgo County New Mexico


John "Shorty" Dickson
March 14, 1887 - January 5, 1947
Shorty was born in Motley, Minnesota to James Alexander Dickson and Hester Bausman, (both from Scott Twp, Pennsylvania) along with seven brothers and sisters Antice (Settled in Bowie, AZ), Ethel (married Charles Holman), Myra (Eaglerock, CA - married a Mr. Blair), Leora (LA County, CA) , Mona (LA County, CA), James Ford (Settled in Mammoth, AZ) and Saville (settled in Tombstone and Bisbee, AZ). Shorty’s father James A Dickson’s was son of Robert Dickson and Agnes Ballentine who settled in Mount Lebanon, PA when the Dickson family came to America from Ireland around 1841. The Original immigrant Dickson line of Robert Dickson has been traced back to Presbyterian, Dromara, Down, Ireland area around 1840.

Shorty’s father James A Dickson also homesteaded Bear Spring Ranch near Ft. Bowie, AZ. Hester (AKA Hess) traveled out later with the children from Motley. John W. Dickson was a teamster and blacksmith cattle rancher and also raised goats for their hair. Shorty Dickson got his nickname from the fact that he was only 5 foot 3 3/4 inches tall. He was however, very strong for his size.

Shorty married Anna “Cynthia” Viola Dobson in Douglas on July 17, 1926 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Douglas, AZ. Children John, Mayrie, Helen, Thomas James, and Leo Ralph were born to them.

Shorty Dickson was helping with round-up for Floyd Kimble when he and Robert Lee Pague and Lafayette Joseph Haines died from carbon monoxide poisoning from an unvented heater in their bunkhouse near Apache, AZ. His son John says that they had an unusual storm that came through and iced everything up, “sealing” the house that normally didn’t need any venting. Walter Adams, who decided not to spend that night there, was the one that found them. He ran and got the Kimble’s.

Of a side note, Shorty’s “WD” brand is one of the longest continuously registered cattle brands in the state of Arizona.