Son of pioneers, Robert Valentine Short and Mary Geer Short. Steam boat captain on the Willamette. Lost his life in shipwreck on the Columbia.

News Article (probably the Oregonian): ON DUTY TO THE END
The Barge Columbia Wrecked and Two Lives Lost
The following is a correct account of one of the most distressing accidents that has taken place for some time in the boating line. It was the wrecking of the barge Columbia at Astoria last Saturday morning by which Captain Marshall B. Short, one of the best known men on the river, lost his life, together with one of his deck hands. The barge, loaded with wheat, had just been towed down the river to Astoria by the steamer Ocklahama, of which Captain Short was master. In making the landing the barge ran against the wharf, injuring her bow and making a hole through which considerable water entered her hold. She was made fast to the wharf, and Captain Short, together with several others, went into her hold to ascertain the extent of the damage. A bulkhead was built around the leak with sacks of wheat and boards, and while this work was going on the barge began to list and settle.
The men below were warned of their danger, as the barge was a round bottomed one and easily listed to either side by shifting a very small part of her cargo. The barge settled slowly until she rested on the bottom, when she began to roll considerably. All the men except Captain Short and August Peterson, a deck hand, realizing their danger, left the hold and came on deck. The two latter had started, and Captain Short was almost out of the hatchway, when the barge gave a sudden lurch, bringing down the wheat, which was piled eight sacks high about the hatchway, in an overwhelming torrent. The unfortunate man gave one cry, and then a confused mass of sacks and broken timbers sank from sight, carrying with it what was now no longer the fearless young captain, but only a crushed and lifeless human form.
Despite the utmost efforts the body was not recovered until 9 o'clock in the morning, nearly six hours after the accident. As soon as the tide went out Saturday evening the body of Peterson was recovered from the hold, where he had met death either by suffocation or drowning, as he was found still clinging to a beam where he had endeavored to keep above the surface of the water.
The body of Captain Short arrived in this city Sunday morning on the steamer R. R. Thompson and was conveyed to his home on Market street, between Second and Third. Here a large number of friends of the deceased captain paid visits of respect, among them being a delegation from Willamette harbor of pilots, who came in a body to pay their last tributes to the memory of the departed. One of the many floral offerings was a handsome piece representing a broken wheel, presented by the crews of the steamers Ocklahama and Bonita.
On Monday morning the remains were taken on board the steamer Modoc and conveyed to Wilsonville, Clackamas Co., accompanied by a large number of relatives and friends. From there one of the largest funeral corteges ever witnessed in that section followed the body to its final resting place in the family lot in Pleasant Hill cemetery. Here a most touching Spiritual burial service was held, conducted by President Brown of the First Spiritual society of Portland, and Mrs. Flora Brown.
While the grave was being filled the flag of the Ocklahama, which had covered the casket of its departed master on the up-river voyage, was held at half-mast by Captains Patterson and Pope, and when the sad task was finished the grave was completely covered with flowers.
Captain Marshall B. Short was aged 26 years, 5 months and 16 days at the time of his death. He was one of the youngest captains on the river, and was known and liked by the river men. He has been in the employ of the Union Pacific company for six years, and was mate on the steamers Lurline and Bonita for nearly three years. Last August he took out captain's papers, and was soon assigned as master of the towboat Ocklahama, the largest and best towboat on the river. He was generally regarded as a careful and competent master, and was in the midst of duty when death overtook him. He had been married less than three years, and leaves a wife, parents and six brothers and sisters to mourn his loss, his two remaining brothers being both captains. He was the youngest son of Hon. R. V. and Mary Short, Oregon pioneers of 1847.