The remains of Alfred and Martha B. Shorter rest at Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia under a remarkably clean tombstone topped with a draped urn. Martha was born 25 January 1799, and died 22 March 1877. When her funeral services were conducted at the Baptist Church, it was said by the Rome Weekly Courier to be the largest congregation "ever known to have assembled on a week day."
Alfred, born 23 November 1803, lived five more years without Martha. His obituary ran in the 20 July 1882 Cedartown Advertiser:
Death of Col. Shorter of Rome.
On Tuesday at 2 P. M. Col. Alfred Shorter in his 79th year died at his home surrounded by his friends and kindred. For more than a year his physical strength has been failing and by degrees death took possession of his frame, the vital flame burned itself away and his noble form was left cold and pulseless. His biography would be the history of Rome, for forty years he has lived among his people, been identified with her interests, took part in the great transactions that concerned the welfare of the community and by his kindness, honesty and energy endeared himself to all her people. He became immensely rich. He used his money for the public good. The Shorter College which he has just completed will stand as a monument to his memory to all coming generations.
Alfred Shorter continued to give to the Shorter College even after his death. His will was printed in the local newspaper. It provided -
To Shorter College, $23,000 Rome water-works bonds; $7,000 Rome bonds; 100 shares Rome railroad stock. And it is my will that the corpus of said property as above mentioned be regarded as sacred and for ever be set apart as a permanent endowment of said college, the interest or income from said bonds or stock to be used in the employment of teachers, in reduction of tuition, in giving assistance to poor but worthy students, keeping up repairs or in any other way the trustees in their judgement think will best advance the interest of said college.
To Shorter College $5,000 for additional apparatus, furniture and improvement of grounds, under direction of the president.
Are you wondering what's up with all the "letter" posts? I am participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge (links to official page). This challenge lasts through the month of April, with Sundays off. Each day follows a different letter prompt, in order, from A to Z. Click here to see all my letter posts on one page (in reverse order). This blog as a whole is one of my themes – telling the tales of tombstones, primarily from those found in the Southern United States and usually the State of Georgia. You may follow along with me by email and other social media platforms listed at the top of the sidebar. I and other bloggers in the challenge on Twitter will also be using #atozchallenge.
Though this is my second year in the challenge, it's my first with two blogs. I am also participating with Lincecum Lineage. Though it is a one name study blog, my theme there is "kinfolk direct." These genealogy and family history posts all involve a direct relative.
Are you participating in the challenge, too? Please leave a link to your blog in the comments, I'd love to pay you a visit. Good luck to all involved!
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