Dewey Jackson Short
Politicians come and go but few have had the impact and longevity of Dewey Jackson Short. His leadership in Congress shaped the lives of the people and the landscape of Stone and Taney counties.
Dewey Short was born April 7, 1898 in Galena, Missouri, a small Ozarks town. When he finished high school, Dewey went to college at Baker University in Kansas. Upon graduation from Baker, he went to the Boston College School of Theology, earning an advanced degree in divinity in 1922. Dewey then spent 1922-23 studying abroad in Berlin, Heidelberg, and Oxford. When he returned to the United States Dewey entered in the ministry and pastored several churches, becoming well-known for his public-speaking abilties. He earning the title of the "Orator of the Ozarks."
Dewey's speaking skills and staunch Republican values led him to a political career. He ran for the House of Representatives from Missouri's 14th district in 1928. He won the election and served a two-year term. However,
Dewey was defeated in his 1930 re-election bid. He also lost an election for the Senate in 1932. In 1934 Missouri had a newly created 7th district which encompassed much of Dewey's Ozark home. He ran for Representative, won, and continued to hold that seat until 1956.
Dewey's silver tongue gained him many admirers. He spent a great deal of time on the road visiting constituents and speaking to various groups. He also spent time lobbying fellow Congressmen for funding for his dearest project, Tablerock Dam.
Tablerock Dam was first proposed in 1906 to help control flooding on the White River in Stone and Taney counties. Although Bull Shoals and Powersite Dams were completed downriver, Tablerock was never funded, partly due to the Great Depression and World War II. But, as soon as the war was over, Congressman Short renewed his efforts on behalf of the dam. In 1952, monies became available and construction of the dam began in 1954. It was officiallydedicated on June 19, 1959. The dam created Tablerock Lake, the area's largest lake and the site of many recreational opportunities today. During the Eisenhower administration Dewey became the Under Secretary of the Army, travelling and speaking around the world on behalf of the military. When his career as a public servant ended, Dewey returned to theOzarks where he died on Nov. 19, 1979. To honor his achievements, the Tablerock Visitor Center was named in his honor in 1984.
Works Consulted
Photograph of Dewey Short from Short Collection, Lyons Memorial Library, College of the Ozarks
Wiley, Robert S. Dewey Short: Orator of the Ozarks. v. 1. Cassville, MO: Litho, 1985.
-----. "The Silver Tongued Orator: Dwey Short." In the Heart of Ozark Mountain Country. Ed. Frank Rueter. Reeds Spring, MO: White Oak Press, 1992, pp. 64-66.
