History of Posey County Indiana, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago,
1886. Reprinted by Unigraphic, Inc., Evansville, IN 1967
[Mason Co]

JOHN F. SHELTON is a native of Mason County, Ky., born November 20, 1823.
His father, John Shelton, was of Dutch-French descent, born in Virginia,
May 5, 1797, and when fourteen years old went to Mason County, Ky., where
he lived at the time of his marriage.  In 1824 he moved to Fort Branch,
Ind., where he remained one year, and then moved to Vanderburgh County,
where he purchased 240 acres of land, and lived until his death
November 8, 1857.  He was among the first settlers of southern Indiana,
and was of a very benevolent disposition.  The mother was of English
lineage, born August 11, 1798, in Kentucky, and died March 11, 1847.  
Our subject received his education in the log schoolhouse of primitive 
days and was compelled to submit to many hardships.  He attended school
only about three months during the year, and owing to the scarcity of 
the "almighty dollar," went barefooted until the snow fell.  At the age 
of eighteen years he assumed control of the farm, but received no
remuneration for his services.  July 25, 1850, he married Sophronia B.
Merritt, born July 29, 1832, in Indiana.  The have three children: LeRoy
C. (deceased), Sophronia E. (deceased) and Wilmina.  Mr. Shelton started
in life with 80 acres of land, but soon after traded it for 72 acres in
Robb Township, which he afterward increased to 190 acres.  His wife
died September 3, 1858, and September 15, 1859, he married Mary Cavett,
born November 3, 1830.  The have three children: James A., Penelope A.
and Ella Gertrude.  Mr. Shelton is a Republican and a member of the
I.O.O.F., and has been a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for
forty years.

Shelton Merritt Cavett
=
VA Gibson-IN Vanderburgh-IN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/mason/shelton.jf.txt