Spencer Shelton

Spencer Shelton. son of Nelson Shelton and Fannie Sadler Shelton, was born in Lincoln County, North Carolina, died near Hughes Springs in Cass County, Texas at the home of his son, George R. Shelton, on 01 Feb 1902. Spencer had moved his family from North Carolina to Cass County in 1855.

Spencer Shelton married two sisters in Lincoln County, Sarah Ann and Catherine Morris, sisters of Benjamin Morris and Levina Morris Cloninger. Sarah Ann was born arid died in Lincoln County, 17 Sep 1823-15 not 1844. Catherine was born 27 Sep 1821 in Lincoln County’, and died 22 Sep 1898 in Cass County, Texas. Spencer and Catherine Shelton were buried in the Shelton-Rankin Cemetery.

Spencer and Sarah Ann Shelton had two children:

1. William Wesley Shelton, born in NC 28 Dec 1841, died in Cass County 20 May 1926. He was a Civil War veteran. He married Mary Elizabeth Blanton and they had eight children: (1) John Spencer Shelton; (2) Anna Leona Elizabeth Shelton (Carter); (3) William Henry Shelton; (4) Julia Ida Shelton; (5) Walter Jackson Shelton; (6) Virdie May Shelton; (7) Dana Delwin Shelton; and (8) Mollie Ray Shelton (Boyd).

2. Benjamin F. Shelton was born 03 not 1844, died 05 Aug 1862. He died of measles during the Civil War.

Spencer and Catherine Shelton had nine children:

3. Amos Mack Shelton was born 24 Apr 1850 in Lincoln County, NC. He married Sarah Blanton and they had nine children: (1) Menard M. Shelton; (2) Anna Shelton; (3) and (4) were children who died in infancy; (5) Leila Shelton (Abernathy); (6) Effie Shelton (Cook); (7) Alpha Shelton (Shaddix); (8) Walter Pendleton Shelton; and (9) Mack Grover Shelton.

4. James Henry “Jim” Shelton was born 01 Mar 1852 in NC, married Ellen. They had at least six children, perhaps others. (1) Mack Shelton; (2) Wesley Shelton; (3) Mood Shelton; (4) Lena Reed Shelton; (5) Modena Shelton; (6) Marie Shelton.

5. Asbury Mood Shelton was bora 27 Aug 1854 in NC, and died 12 not 1950. He married Lura Estelle Reed and they had seven children: (1) Dupree Middleton Shelton; (2) Cyrus Quintan Shelton; (3) Morris Shelton; (4) Beauford Berry Shelton; (5) Jewel Alta Shelton: (6) Lauman Mood Shelton; and (7) Hoyt Wysinger Shelton.

6. George Rademy Shelton was born 01 Apr 1856, the first of Spencer’s children to be born in Texas. He died 12 Jul 1939 and was buried in the Shelton-Rankin Cemetery. He married Zoe Maxvifia Rankin, daughter of James Alexander and Sarah Elizabeth Cloninger Rankin, on 28 Dec 1887. Zoe was born 15 Jul 1867 and died 17 Feb 1929.

George and Zoe lived on a part of the old Shelton home place, farmed, and reared their family. Their house was about a mile north of the Rankin place which was located on a curve in the old Linden-Hughes Springs highway in the Gravity Community. The children of George and Zoe Shelton were: (1) Welborn Trenton Shelton, 17 Dec 1888-31 Jul 1982. Welborn married Janie Sarah Haywood, 05 Oct 1894-25 Mar 1966, both buried in Hughes Springs. Their children were Vance Shelton, Vernon Shelton, W. C. Shelton, and Zoe Nell Shelton. (2) Catherine Oreta Shelton, 25 Feb 1892-10 Dec 1918, married J. Riley Lefrwich, 1894-1966. They had one child, James Arthur Leftwich. (3) McJames Aubrey Shelton, 21 Sep 1893- 12 Sep 1918. Aubrey was killed in action in France during World War I. (4) Benjamin “Bennie” Shelton, 06 Apr 1896-17 Oct 1979, married Hattie Fay Smith, born 15 Sep 1902, died 26 Dec 1998. Bennie and Hattie had four children: Nevelle Shelton, 24 Apr 1919-08 Nov 1928; Rufus Benjamin Shelton, 31 Jul 1921-15 Dee 1994, married Bobbie Jean Sennight; Warner Glenn Shelton, born 02 Aug 1925, is married to Marilyn and lives in the Atlanta area in Georgia; Spencer Dale Shelton, 21 Sep 1936-09 Sep 1958. He married Kay White. He was killed in a plane crash in Alaska while serving in the USAF. (5) Roy Carlton Shelton, 11 Apr 1899-24 Jul 1976. He married (1) Gladys Lucille Llewellyn, 09 Jun 1904-28 Sep 1940. They had two children: Deteia Lee Shelton, born 21 Apr 1926, married Donald Windham; and Weldon “Bud” Shelton. Roy married a second time to Arliss Carson. (6) Bertha Lorine Shelton. 29 Aug 1902-17 Dec 1990, married Acie Allen Bullington, 29 Dec 1903-26 Sep 1954] Their children were: Jeanette Bullington, Hulene Bullington, and Acie Bullington. (7) Looney Vinson Shelton, 13 Apr 1907-03 Feb 1987, married Rena Lineberger, daughter of William Walter and Sudie Emmerline Goodson Lineberger. (Walter Lineberger’s father was John Robertas Lineberger who came to Texas with John Cloninger and lived with the Cloninger family for some time.) Rena Lineberger Shelton was born 04 Aug 1904, died 25 Nov 1992, Dallas, Texas. They had one daughter: Mary Evelyn Shelton, born 08 Feb 1930.

7. Margaret Anna Shelton. born 20 Feb 1858. She married Plez Womack. They had no children, but adopted a girl named Eula.

8. Buddy Shelton, 20 Feb 1860-23 Aug 1862.

9. Jefferson Davis Shelton, 12 Mar 1863-22 Aug 1900. He manied Modena Reed and they had four children: Ethel Olivia Shelton; Ophelia Shelton; Charles Reed Shelton; and Granville G. Shelton.

10. CharEe S. Shelton, 27 Nov 1865-13 Nov 1885.

11. Sarah Jane Shelton, 27 May 1868-28 Jun 1871.

– Submitted by Audrey Cook Rankin