William P. Shelton was born in 1834 in Kentucky. Catherine Shelton was born in one of the Carolinas. Both families moved Illinois and settled in Jasper County. They were called "High Sheltons" and "Low Sheltons". One family was tall; the other family was short. Five children of each family married each other.

Children of William P. and Kathryn Shelton were:

1. Lewis
2. Rufus
3. Walter
4. Nan Munsell
5. Belle Allen
6. Arella Mathus, and
7. Francis Mathus

Lewis Shelton married Trudy Bruce, March 29. 1900. They had two boys and two girls:

1. Lilly
2. Ruby Lane
3. Harvey, and
4. Riley

One day in 1906, Lewis took his three year old son, Harvey, to Mt. Vernon (they lived eight miles northeast of Mt. Vernon). They went into Strattons Hardware on the square. There were several little red wagons tacked up just outside the door of the store. Inside, little Harvey saw something he never forgot. A monkey, on a chain, was sitting in a window catching nies. A man came in with a big "yeller ring-necked" dog. The dog walked over to inspect the monkey and the monkey jumped on the dog's back. The dog took for the door yelping, and they about scared little wide-eyed Harvey to death when they came by him. The monkey hung to the dog's back until his chain jerked him off. Lewis and little Harvey left the store with the boy wanting one of the little red wagons. His father promised to buy the boy one the next time they came to town. Before they could return to town again, Lewis Shelton died at the age of 33, leaving his wife and four little children. Baby Riley died not too long after. Lily was never married and died when she was 35. Ruby died in 1941 at 37 leaving four boys: Virgil, Vernon, Verdon, and Harvey Lane; and a baby girl of 19 months. Harvey and Ruby Shelton had married a sister and brother, Lena and Sam Lane. Harvey and Lena raised the baby girl of Sam and Ruby Lane, Little Norma Jean.

After Lewis Shelton died, Trudy married his double cousin, Dave Shelton, who had two boys and two girls: Orly, Claude, Della Chambliss Dement, and Pearl Bodine.

Dave and Trudy had five boys:

1. Raymond
2. Floyd
3. Walter
4. Foster, and
5. Lester and one daughter,
6. Alice Fields.

Harvey Clark Shelton was born January 19, 1903, and married Lena Opal Lane on February 1, 1923. Lena Opal was born June 28, 1903, the daughter of Carol and Nancy Davis Lane. In 1932, Harvey Shelton and Earl Atkinson left Jefferson County in a Model T Ford to go to Colorado to build bridges.

The children of Harvey and Lena Shelton were:

1. Verna Dean who married Warren Taylor
2. Eva Lena who married Marvin Wilson
3. foster daughter, Norma Jean Lane who married Norman Thomason

The grandchildren were: Barbara Williams Winkleman, LaVita Bolyard Miller, Dean Taylor, Wayne Wilson, Terry Todd, deceased, Tanett, and Trisia Thomason.

The great-grandchildren were: Donald, Dan, and David Williams, Tamora and Angela Winkleman. Wayne Bolyard, and Tina and Betty Miller, Melody and Eldon Wilson, and Shawn and Aaron Taylor.

Harvey Shelton worked for the Illinois Central railroad as a switchman in the Bluford yards until February 1949 when he lost his left arm in a railroad accident.
- Eva Lena Shelton Wilson

Facts & Folks
Submitted by Sandy Whalen Bauer