Kentucky:  A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, Kniffin 2nd ed., 1885
Caldwell Co.

B. F. CANTRELL was born in Caldwell County, Ky., August 9, 1826, and is a
son of James and Hannah (Wadlington) Cantrell, natives of South Carolina
and Kentucky.  Thompson Cantrell, subject's grandfather, was born in 
South Carolina, and in an early day moved to Indiana, where he died about
1833.  James Wadlington, subject's maternal grandfather, a native of
North Carolina, came to Kentucky several years before the present century,
and settled about one and a quarter miles east of Princeton, on what is
now known as the Eldred farm.  He was a man of considerable prominence, 
and at one time owned a large number of slaves.  He died in 1853, at the
age of eighty years.  James Cantrell, subject's father, was a soldier in
the war of 1812.  He came to Caldwell County many years ago, and settled
two and one-half miles east of Princeton, and died in 1872, aged 
eighty-three years.  Mrs. Cantrell died in 1865, at the age of sixty years.
B. F. Cantrell remained with his parents on the farm until the age of
twenty-five years, and in 1847 went as a soldier to Mexico in Company C,
Third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry.  His regiment was in Gen. Scott's 
command, but saw no active service, aside from marching to the Mexican
capital, when the American army took possession of that city.  After 
returning from the army he engaged in farming on the old home place, where
he remained until 1852, when he purchased a farm seven miles south of
Princeton.  He has since owned a number of farms and purchased his present
farm of 160 acres in 1869, and has resided upon it since that time.  Mr.
Cantrell was married to Elvira A. Dunning, daughter of Miles and Patsey
Dunning, of Trigg County, Ky., January 9, 1852.  To this marriage the
following children were born: Rodolphus (deceased), Mary B. (deceased),
Forrest (deceased), Henry B. (deceased), and E. H.  Mrs. Cantrell died in
1861, aged thirty-three years.  Mr. Cantrell's second marriage took place
September 6, 1864, to Mary E. Adams, daughter of Sanford and Elizabeth
Adams, of Caldwell County.  This union has been blessed by the following
children: Robert E. (deceased), Florence, Mallibert, S. J., Albert R. and
J. J. Wheeler.

Cantrell Wadlington Scott Dunning Eldred Adams 
=
SC IN NC Mexico Trigg-KY 

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/caldwell/cantrell.bf.txt