George S. “Shorty” Otis, resident of Fairview since 1897, believes modern civilization is over crowding him in East Fairview where he resided for over 25 years. He no longer lives on the outskirts of anything nor has the enjoyment of country life, Shorty related to the Fairview News. Homes, roads and schools were slowly smothering the freedom of a past decade, and the transition from country life to suburban living is more severe with elderly people.

Shorty came to this area driving a four-oxen hitch pulling a heavily loaded freight wagon on the Fort Totten-Fort Stevenson Trail. He was helping Ira Alling haul feed and equipment from Devils Lake, N.D., to the Alling cattle spread on the Lower Yellowstone. Williston at that time was no more than a water stop on the new Great Northern Railroad, and Buford was the chief trading post for ranchers of the territory Shorty said. Aug. 4, 1897, Alling’s outfit crossed the Missouri River, and Shorty has lived here ever since.

The next year Shorty left the Alling ranch to take up a homestead at the head of Four Mile. Here he lived in his warm dugout home for five years. The door was never locked and many cowboys stopped by to visit, eat his renowned sourdough biscuits and swap yarns. Shorty worked on different ranches around the territory, including the Whistler Ranch and Andrew Nohle. Those who knew Shorty Otis remembered him for his good nature, honest character, keen sense of humor, willingness to work and calmness in facing life’s challenges. Although only five feet and three inches tall and weighing as much as a good-sized bag of wet oats, Shorty proved over and over to his bosses he could handle horses or oxen and could hold up his end of the log.

It was while working cattle in the Chinook and Fort Benton area, Shorty became a friend of Charlie Russell. He was at the camp the morning the incident happened that became the subject of Russell’s painting, “A Bronc for Breakfast.” Another cowboy at this camp was Bill Story from the Great Falls area at that time. Story claimed to be the roundup cook when the horse bucked right into the fire upsetting the breakfast. That night when the men came in from the roundup, Russell made a charcoal sketch of the incident on the side of the wagon. One of Shorty’s most prized possessions was this Stetson, on the brim of which Russell had sketched Shorty topping off his cowpony “Curly.” That hat was lost years later in a bad windstorm.

Shorty had also freighted into Landusky, Phillips County, Mont., the day before Kid Curry gunned down Pike Landusky. One of Shorty’s favorite events he loved to tell and retell was the day Bill Cheney let him ride “Nig” because Shorty had told Cheney he wanted the “privilege of riding the best horse that ever lives.”

Shorty had been born George Sterling Otis, son of William and Martha Otis, near Village Creek, Iowa, on Oct. 2, 1869. He was next to the youngest of six children. His mother died when George was 5. His father remarried in 1884 and homesteaded near Devils Lake, N.D.

In 1910 while visiting relatives near Waterloo, Iowa, Shorty met Elsie Gates. He convinced Miss Elsie that Elsie Otis was a nice sounding name and that the Lower Yellowstone Valley of Montana was the best place to live. They were married at Waterloo on July 2, 1910. They built a two-story house on the North Dakota side of the state line. Marriage was a change to the hard-riding, fun-loving cowboy. It was to make him a steady, home-loving, gentle family man who gave up both tobacco and “salty” language.

Shorty worked at many jobs around Fairview, handling a livery stable for Richardson, delivering milk, working at harness repair, janitor at East Fairview School, justice of the peace, farming and sometimes using his Model T as a taxi. The later job his wife and daughters gladly saw him give up because he drove the Ford in much the same manner he had spurred his cowpony to cut off a “tail-up” cow. Shorty also set a record of 14 years as clerk of East Fairview School Board.

Shorty and Elsie raised three girls: Mrs. Ves (Velva) Hurley, Mrs. Julius (Florence) Anderson and Mrs. Norman (Dorothy) Finsaas.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Information compiled from Courage Enough and the Fairview News.