James Shelton (abt. 1734 - bef. 1815)

Born about 1734 in Amelia County, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Susanna (Vardaman) Shelton — married before 1760 in Amelia County, Virginia Colony

Descendants

Died before Nov 1815 before about age 81 in Lincoln County, Tennessee, USA

Biography

James Shelton was a Virginia colonist.

James, son of Ralph Shelton, Jr. and Mary Daniel, was born about 1734 in Amelia County, Virginia Colony. He passed away before November 1815 in Lincoln County, Tennessee.

James married Susanna Vardaman before 1760 in Amelia County, Virginia Colony. It is not certain Susanna's maiden name was Vardaman. It is generally assumed due to one of their sons being named Vardaman. There were Vardamans living in this area of Virginia at the time, but it has not been possible to definitely connect Susanna with any of them. Since Susanna is not listed among the heirs involved in the sale of James' land in 1816, it is assumed she died before that date.

Their known children based on the settlement of James' estate are:

1. Melinda Shelton (b ?? - d aft Nov 1816), married Benjamin Hudson
2. Susanna Shelton (b c 1760-bef 1830), married Michael Luttrell, Jr.
3. Vardaman Shelton (1763-1815), married Priscilla Unknown
4. Priscilla Ann Shelton (c 1765-aft 1830), married Nathan Luttrell
5. Peter Shelton (c 1775-1857), married 1st Mary Graham, 2nd Sarah Keith
6. Clary Shelton (c 1780-bef 1806), married Jesse Luttrell/Littrell
7. Lettice "Letty" Shelton (1782-1846), married Charles Duncan
8. Haman L. Shelton (c 1784-1856), married 1st Unknown, 2nd Mrs. Elizabeth Hoskins
9. James Shelton, Jr. (1786-1831), married Lydia Rutherford
10. Jarman C. Shelton (1788-1835), married Martha Winfrey

Note: Nathan and Michael Luttrell were brothers; Jesse Luttrell was their cousin.

The family left Amelia County about 1781 and moved to Henry County, Virginia, although James appears to have remained in Amelia County until after 1782. He is listed on the VA Early Census that year in Amelia County.^[1] In 1781 James' father, Ralph Shelton, received a land grant of 78 acres in Henry County, Virginia.^[2] This grant was apparently in the part of Henry County that became Patrick County, Virginia in 1790/1791. Both Ralph and James Shelton appear on the tax rolls in Patrick County from 1791-1793.

In 1791, 1792 and 1793 James Shelton was taxed on 191 acres of land in Patrick County, Virginia acquired from Ralph Hudson & Hezh. Boman.^[3] In 1793, the notation "son of Ralph" is given next to the entry for James' 191 acres. By at least 1794 James had lost his sight. For 1794 and 1795 James Shelton, "Blind, son of Ralph," is listed with 181 acres in Patrick County.^[3]

About 1796-1797, James and several members of his family began to sell their land in Virginia. James gave consent for the marriage of his daughter, Clary Shelton, to Jesse Luttrell on 9 August 1798 in Garrard County, Kentucky.^[4] By 2 Mar 1799 James Shelton is in Lincoln County, Kentucky. He received a grant of 146 acres in Lincoln County, Kentucky on the Green River.^[5] Jesse Littrell/Luttrell and Peter Shelton were chainmen for the survey of this land. It adjoined land claimed by Abraham Rife and Vardiman Shelton. Along with James are his son Vardaman Shelton, Jesse Luttrell/Littrell (married Clary Shelton, James' daughter), and several of Jesse Luttrell's kinsmen.^[6] He is listed on the "Second Census of Kentucky," the tax lists for 1799-1801, on 23 August 1800 in Lincoln County.^[7]

James Shelton was one of the earliest settlers in Lincoln County, Tennessee. He arrived there about 1808-1810 together with several of his family members:

• brother Hezekiah Shelton traveled to Kentucky, but apparently stayed in Lincoln County, Kentucky although some of his children moved on to Lincoln County, Tennessee -- Mark Shelton, Anderson Shelton, Frances Shelton wife of Jesse Littrell, Drury Shelton
• half-brother Aesop who married Elizabeth Luttrell
• sister Derina Shelton and husband William McGehee
• sister Elizabeth Shelton and husband William Arnold

It is not known exactly when the Shelton family arrived in Lincoln County, but people were settling on Shelton Creek by about 1808.^[8] Records exist showing the Shelton and Luttrell families in Lincoln County by at least 1811. In 1813 James bought 105 acres in Lincoln County from William Bond on Clear Creek (renamed Shelton Creek), near Smithland.

This 105 acre tract was sold at the time of the settlement of the estate of James Shelton on 1 November 1816 and registered 15 November 1816. The entire tract was purchased by James' son, Jarman Shelton, from the other heirs: Nathan Luttrell (husband of Priscilla Shelton), Peter Shelton, James Shelton, Jr., Benjamin Hudson (husband of Melinda Shelton), Letty (Shelton) Duncan, Michael Luttrell (husband of Susanna Shelton), Priscilla Shelton (widow of Vardaman Shelton); all of whom signed the deed of sale. Priscilla Shelton (widow of Vardaman) was the administrator of the estates of her husband and of James Shelton, Sr.^[9][10]

The exact date of James' death is unknown. The inventory for the estate of his son, Vardaman, was recorded on 26 August 1815 by Vardaman's widow, Priscilla Shelton. She was also the administrator for James' estate. His estate inventory was recorded a few pages later at the same time the sale of the estate of Charles Duncan (husband of Letty Shelton) was recorded; all in 1815.^[11] The estate was finally settled with the sale of the 105-acre tract (above).

Sources

1. ↑ Virginia, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Virginia Census, 1607-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
2. ↑ Virginia Land Office Grants D, 1780-1781 (v. 1 & 2 p. 1-920), p. 667 (Ree; 45)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 24, Number 3, p. 37.
4. ↑ Garrard County, Kentucky. Lancaster Court House; Ancestry.com. Kentucky pioneer and court records [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2004. Original data: McAdams, Harry Kennett,. Kentucky pioneer and court records: abstracts of early wills, deeds, and marriages from court houses and records of old Bibles, churches, grave yards, and cemeteries. Lexington, Ky.: Mrs. H.K. McAdams, 1929; p 100
5. ↑ Kentucky, Land Grants, 1782-1924 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997. Original data: Jillson, Willard Rouse. The Kentucky Land Grants. Vol. I-II. Louisville, KY, USA: Filson Club Publications, 1925. Book 13, p 302
6. ↑ From a list of original land grant surveys along Green River in Lincoln and Casey Counties, Kentucky (1781-1836). p 498
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Tax Lists, 1799-1801 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006. Original data: Clift, G. Glenn. Second Census of Kentucky, 1800. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2005; p 266
8. ↑ Secrist, M. "Lincoln County, Tennessee. History Revealed Through Biographical and Genealogical Sketches of its Ancestors." 2011; Kindle e-book, Location #109
9. ↑ Lincoln County Deed Bk D, pp 264-265
10. ↑ Shelton, Dr. Frank H.; "Ralph Shelton Family of Early Virginia." 1982; p 60-61; as cited on D-Descendants of John & Charity (West) Parker.
11. ↑ Lincoln County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions 1814-1817; p 220

• Ancestry Family Tree. Source links to a private family tree on ancestry.com
• Shelton-2229 was created by Vernon Ferguson through the import of v.GED on Jan 24, 2015.