My Genealogy Hound

William D. Shelton, farmer and citizen of Fayette County, was born in Shelby County, Tenn., October 27, 1861. Our subject and a sister, Bittie Winston, who died in infancy, were the only children born to the marriage of Jno. W. and Mattie A. (Cross) Shelton, who were both natives of North Carolina but moved to Tennessee when young and were married in Fayette County. The father then taught school in Fayette and Shelby Counties for a few years and was then admitted to the Memphis Conference of the Methodist Church, and a few years later was transferred to the Louisville Conference where he was pastor in many different circuits, until he was placed on the superannuated list and moved to Nashville, Tenn. Our subject entered Vanderbilt University at the age of sixteen and remained until his father’s death in 1880, and then followed various occupations in Nashville for a year, including piano tuning and traveling salesman for a few months for a wholesale music firm; then moved with his mother, who still lives with him, and commenced farming in Fayette County, which he still continues in connection with piano tuning. March 12, 1885, he married Miss Ridley Shelton of Fayette County. They have one daughter, Mattie Lee. Mr. Shelton and his mother are members of the Methodist Church, and in politics he is a Democrat. He has been quite successful as a farmer and is one of the progressive young men of the county.