File:John U. Shorter biography from National Magazine A Monthly Journal of American History, Volume 14 (1891).png

Honorable John U. Shorter. Hon. John U. Shorter, First Assistant District Attorney of Kings County, and a prominent member of the Bar of the City of Brooklyn, was born in Russell County, Alabama, January 9, 1844. His is a distinguished lineage among the southern aristocracy. His grandfather was the late Judge Eli S. Shorter, of Georgia, the lifelong friend and associate of the famous Judge Roger B. Taney, then Chief Justice of the United States. He is spoken of in the History of the Bench and Bar of Georgia as the foremost lawyer of his time, and a man of remarkable attainments. John Gill Shorter, and Eli S. Shorter, both nephews of Judge Shorter, were prominent and distinguished citizens of Alabama until their deaths, both occurring since the close of the civil war. John Gill Shorter was at one time governor of the state, and Eli S. Shorter, for many years Alabama's Representative in Congress, where he became the warm personal friend of the late Hon. S. S. Cox. When John U. Shorter was a babe he was taken by his parents to their new place of residence in Columbus, Georgia, and there the rudiments of his education were obtained, and there he spent his boyhood and youth. While still studying, the war of the Rebellion broke out, and young Shorter, like many other young men, felt that his duty demanded his presence on the field of battle, and dropping his studies he joined his father in the army of Virginia, remaining in service till the fall, when he entered the military academy of the south, at the University of Alabama, remaining there about a year, and then being detailed, on a requisition from the State, to be the instructor in tactics at the camp of Alabama troops at Talladega. He entered the service again from here as adjutant of the thirty-first Alabama regiment, one of those he had instructed. He was only eighteen years of age when he received his commission as officer, and served with credit at and around Vicksburg before the siege of that city. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Baker's Creek, being removed to the prison for officers at Sandusky, Ohio, where he passed a long confinement in study to the best of his ability and resources. When the war ended he found himself in common with the large majority of young Southerners destitute of means, and he was therefore obliged to rely upon his own efforts, and to teach school for a time at Bainbridge, Georgia, while pursuing his law studies. Later he read law in the office of Gov. Shorter, his relative at Eufaula, Alabama, being admitted to practice from there. The Southern States did not offer inducements for as large a practice as Mr. Shorter desired, and he therefore removed to New York in 1870, and taking up his residence in Brooklyn, he entered into active practice there, and for over twenty years has been a prominent figure at the Bar, and has built up a good practice, manifesting especial ability and knowledge in criminal jurisprudence. In 1883 he was called to his present office that of 1st Assistant District Attorney of Kings County, and so successful has he been in the prosecution of cases under his office that he has made a lasting and enviable reputation as a jurist and public officer, ranking among the first members of the Bar of New York State. Mr. Shorter has always been a Democrat, and he has always bent his energies, and in other and material ways aided in promoting the interests of his party, and not only as a lawyer, a public officer, and a politician has he distinguished himself, but in refined and cultivated circles he is always welcome as a social addition. In manner genial and approachable, the first impression of those who meet him is only an introduction to the opinion which is sure to be formed on closer acquaintance. George Williams Travers.

	This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1929.
This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.

https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/PDMCreative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0falsefalse