Hidalgo County New Mexico


Miller, John Franklin “Shorty“
August 20, 1860 - February 14, 1940
Shorty’s parents were Levi Miller of Missouri and Caroline E Baxter of Texas and he was born in Hamilton County, Texas. He was a brother to Robert N Miller and May Miller Atkinson.

He came to Rodeo after getting shot by employees of the LC Ranch while walking around and rounding up strays. He had a young Mexican working for him and he apparently scared off the attackers and saved Shortys life.

Shorty lived up in Maverick Canyon, in the Peloncillos. and broke horses. Probably had 30-40 mustangs. There wasn’t a road to town for a car so he used pack mules and stayed at the Millers when in town for supplies.

One time he went to his sister May Atkinson’s to have her husband David pull a tooth. Shorty sat down in a chair and gripped the arms tight while David got ahold of the tooth and was pulling on it. Shorty and the tooth were holding on so tight that Clyde was pulling the chair off of the floor! When it was over, Shorty got back on his horse and went home.

Died at the ripe old age of 79.