Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887, Jessamine Co. WASHINGTON F. SHELY (deceased), a well respected citizen of Jessamine County, Ky., was born in Fayette County, May 24, 1802; a son of David and Mary (Hurst) Shelby, who came to Kentucky in a very early day. The subject remained on the farm near Lexington, receiving a limited education in his boyhood days. When quite a young man he came to Jessamine County, on the now old homestead, which has an old style mansion where the children of our subject were all born and, with their mother, the most of them still reside there. His wife's maiden name was Catherine H. Willoughby, born October 14, 1808, and who was once the beautiful daughter of Alexander Willoughby (he a son of Hugh Willoughby, who was a Virginian and immigrated to Kentucky in the latter part of the eighteenth century) and still retains a great deal of her beauty. Her marriage with the subject of this sketch was consummated on October 7, 1825. Of the children born to this union, four are now living; Dewitt C., born August 18, 1831; James W., born April 28, 1834; Arkansas, March 4, 1836, wife of Joseph Fritzlen of Nicholasville; Joshua A., an infant and Mary H. deceased. Our subject died January 1, 1841. Mrs. Shely, in 1843, married William T. Willis, who went out as a captain in the Mexican war and was killed at the battle of Buena Vista. One child born to this union is living: Alexander W., born March 25, 1844. The survivors of this old and respected family are all members of the Presbyterian Church. James W. Shely is the youngest son of Catharine Willoughby and the late Washington Shely of Jessamine County. He was born on the old homestead in 1834. His mother was the daughter of Alexander Willoughby, a soldier in the war of 1812. He was in several hard fought battles, and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. He was a member of the company commanded by James Monroe, afterward President of the United States, serving eight years. The mother of Mr. Shely was born in 1808. Washington Shely was born in 1802 and was married in 1825. The names of their children are Mrs. Elizabeth McAfee, Mrs. Mary Miller (died in 1885), Dewitt Clinton, James W. and Mrs. Arkie Fritzlen. Washington Shely died in 1842. Shely Hurst Willoughby Fritzlen Williams McAfee Willis Miller = Lexington-Fayette-KY VA http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jessamine/shely.wf.txt