Chandler & Medley & Shelton Family Info
This submission also has some local history
in it!
Submitted by Kim
Roberts Foster at DrsCatsNdogs@aol.com
Do you know when the markers
were added (placed in the cemetery) for Richard W Chandler (1820-1894),
Melissa Chandler (1833-1901) and Richard W Chandler (1867-1935)? I have
been searching for information on them for a while, have walked Cedar Grove several
times as I have many relatives buried there. Richard W. Chandler was my
Great great Grandfather, he was born in Virginia. Malissa (as my
grandmother spelled her granny's name) was born Melissa Witherspoon in
Gibson County, Indiana. The census data I have (1870 & 1880)
suggest Malissa was born 1839/1840. They married in Gibson County, Indiana
February 15, 1866. Their eldest child was Richard Witherspoon Chandler,
born December 11, 1867. They had 6 children, the third of which was my Great
Grandmother, Cornelia Simpson Chandler Shelton. (census data
available)
My grandmother, Ethel May
Shelton Roberts liked to share stories of her grandparents, aunts & uncles.
Richard W Chandler was a full blood, red headed Irishman. I have a photo of him
and of Malissa. Richard was an MD during the Civil War. He was attacked by
a group of drunken soldiers one evening and lost an eye as a result. (the
injured eye is noticable in the photo I have). My grandmother didn't say if the
soldiers were Union or Rebel, but I know he was a Union doctor. Malissa was
his second wife. His first wife, Martha A was born in Virginia in 1824. They had
one son, Boliver B, born in about 1843 in Virginia. (census data available). Do
you know who I might contact to find out who placed the new markers in Cedar
Grove? I would appreciate any help you can provide as I have run into some
brick walls. My grandmother died in 1995 and I have many unanswered questions.
Please feel free to share my email address with anyone who might be able to
help. Thank you, Kim Roberts Foster
The marker for Silas D
Medley Jr is actually Silas Bartholomew Medley. He was born July 1871 in
Louisiana, died 1906 in a sawmill accident. My grandmother, Ethel May Shelton
Roberts, said that he worked in a sawmill near Stamps. He was
married to my Great Grandmother's sister, Martha Artemese Chandler, aka Aunt
Mack. "Aunt Mack & Uncle Si" as they were known had 5 children,
after Si Medley's death, Mack married Thomas Hampton Roberts, a widower with 3
children. Hamp's son, Clarence, married Mack's niece, Ethel May Shelton.
Clarence Roberts & Ethel Shelton were my grandparents. Kim Roberts Foster
If you have any information
please contact DrscatsNdogs@aol.com
Richard W. Chandler
During the Civil War Richard was attacked by
a group of drunken soldiers and lost an eye.
1880 Clay County Illinois Census for Clay
City (enumerated June 1, 1880) pg 1, supervisors district 7, enumeration
district 155
Dwelling 7, family 7
Richard W Chandler, age 61 Physician, born
in VA, both parents born VA
Malissa, 40, keeping house, IN, AL, IN
Richard W. Jr, 13, son, IN, VA, IN
Hattie J, 10, dau, IN, VA, IN
Cornelia S, 8, dau, IN, VA, IN
Omega B, 5, son, IN, VA, IN
Martha A, 2, dau, IN. VA, IN
1850 Twelve Mile Prairie, St Clair County, Illinois Census (enumerated Nov 5,
1850)
Richard W Chandler, 32, Physician, VA
Martha A, 26, VA
Bolivar B., 7, VA
1870 Montgomery Township, Owensville Post
Office, Gibson County, Indiana census (enumerated July 18, 1870) pg 77
Dwelling 545, family 551 Chandler, RW, 51, physicain, $1500, $800, VA
Malissa, 31, keeping house, IN
R. W., 3, IN
Hattie, 9/12, IN
Witherspoon, John, 58, male, SC
next door to Chandler family in
1870
dwelling 544, family 550
Simpson, John Sr, 83, male, farming, $6000,
NC
Panthena, 75, keeping house, KY
Peter, 44, male, farming, $6200, $1500, IN
Harmon, Levi, 21, male, farming, $300, IN
Eliza, 19, IN
Richard & Malissa named their daughter,
who was born in Aug 1871, Cornelia Simpson Chandler. It is not known if these
Simpsons were relatives or just good friends & neighbors. Cornelia was my
paternal great grandmother.
Richard Witherspoon
Chandler
12/11/1867 - 2/7/1935
parents Richard W Chandler and Malissa
Witherspoon Chandler
First wife: Ella J Shelton (dau of James
Dallas Shelton & Francis L Rumsey, she was the sister of my great
grandfather Robert Newton Shelton). Ella was born abt 1873 and died
between 1904 & 1909. She married Richard on November 16, 1891 in Miller
County, the marriage is recorded in Book F pg 298.
They had 5 children:
1. dau Myrtle M Chandler born July 1893
(married Marvin O Kirby) PHOTO AVAILABLE
2. son Ola R Chandler born 1/5/1896 PHOTO
AVAILABLE
3. dau Lillian L Chandler born 1900
4. son Charles E. Chandler, aka Charley born
July 13, 1901 (Owned Chandler's Gas Station on Hwy 82
in Texarkana AR. Lived with Aunt Bob Shelton Elkins in 1920 at time of
Miller
County AR census.)
5. dau, Francis B. Chandler born 10/1903
(married James E. Crow)
Second wife was Nannie, whom he married
about 1908.
Census Info:
1920 Baker, Lafayette County, Arkansas
Census
Chandler, Richard W, 53, born Indiana
Naonie, 52, wife, AR
1910 Monroe Township, Sevier County,
Arkansas census (enumerated April 22, 1910)
Chandler, Richard, 43, married 2 yrs, IL
Nannie, 42, married 2 yrs, 5 children, 5 living, GA
?????, Ida M., stepdaughter, 24, single, AR (last name not listed)
Chandler, Ola, son, 14, AR
Silas Bartholomew
Medley, married Martha Artemese Chandler on January 25, 1894
in Genoa, AR. They were know as Si & Mack to the family. The marriage
is recorded in Book G pg 386 Miller County marriage records, "Si"
was born in Louisiana in July 1871 and died in a sawmill accident
in 1906. His niece, Ethel Mae Shelton Roberts (my grandmother), said Aunt
Mack told her Si had worked in a mill near Stamps. After Si's death,
Mack married widower Thomas Hampton Roberts and raised his 3 small children.
Hamp's oldest son, Clarence Roberts, married Mack's niece, Ethel and was my
grandfather.
Si & Mack had 5 children (all deceased
now):
Son, Otho C Medley born 6/17/1895
son, Bert Lee Medley born 10/27/1897
dau, Lether Marie Medley born 10/1899 died April 1901
dau, Maud Ethel Medley born 5/29/1901
son, Claud E. Medley born 9/18/1903
Bolivar M Shelton
Full name Bolivar Montgomery Shelton,
aka "Bollie" born June 5, 1893. My Grandmother, Ethel May
Shelton was his younger sister. (She was born on Bollie's 10th birthday,
June 5, 1903.) Bollie's parents were Robert Newton Shelton and Cornelia
Simpson Chandler. Richard W & Malissa Chandler, also buried in Cedar
Grove, were his maternal grandparents.
Bollie was stationed in France during
WWI and was billeted in the home of Alice Auroux and her family, Alice
became a penpal of Ethel May Shelton Roberts, Bollie's sister. I have Alice's
letters and some hand made handkerchiefs that she sent as gifts to
my grandmother. I also have several photos of Bollie in France as a young
man and photos taken shortly before his death. Bollie was in the VA
Hospital in Hot Springs for a while before his death there on June 23,
1941. I have 2 different obits for him. He was a postmaster for many
years. He married Mary Elizabeth Roberts on 12/25/1925 in Lewisville,
Arkansas. Mary was a distant cousin of his sister Ethel's husband.
Mary had one son, Rayford Mason, whom Bollie adopted. Rayford changed his
name to Rayford Mason Shelton, he is a lawyer in Texarkana.
Arkansas, Private 344 Field
Artillary 99 Division
World War 1 Draft Registration
Bolivar Shelton, aged 24
Born Genoa Arkansas
June 5, 1893
naturalized Citizen
single, no children
registered in San Augustine Texas on June 5, 1917
Name: Bolivar Shelton
City: Not Stated
County: San Augustine
State: Texas
Birthplace: Arkansas;United States of America
Birth Date: 5 Jun 1893
Race: Caucasian
Roll: 1983665
Cornelia
& RN Shelton (my paternal great
grandparents)
Their Wedding Photo
Click on photo for a larger picture
Cornelia Simpson Chandler married Robert
Newton Shelton in Cameron, Miller County, Arkansas on July 15, 1891. I
have their wedding photo and the original marriage license. Acorrding
to my grandmother, Cornelia weighed 93 pounds at the time of her marriage
and her nieces and nephews called her "Aunt Maim". They
had 3 children. Bolivar Montgomery Shelton, aka Bollie, born June 5, 1893,
Albert Henry Shelton born July 26, 1899, and Ethel May Shelton born June
5, 1903. Ethel married William Clarence Roberts. Cornelia was the daughter
of Richard W Chandler and Malissa Witherspoon Chandler. RN Shelton was the
son of James Dallas Shelton and Francis Louisa Rumsey. He was born January
16, 1870 and died July 6, 1930. Cornelia was born August 4, 1871 in
Indiana and died December 26, 1933. She died in the home of her
daughter, Ethel and son in law, Clarence Roberts.
According to Bowden Funeral Home records, she died at the home of Mr
& Mrs WC Roberts (her daughter, Ethel's home). Son BM Shelton made
arrangements for the funeral. 1920 Miller County Arkansas census lists
birth place of RN Shelton as Arkansas. According to Bowden Funeral
Home records, his son's BM & AH Shelton were responsible for the
burial arrangements.
RN was a farmer and had many other jobs
to help support the family. He had a pair of mules that he used in his odd
jobs. Those jobs included hauling pipe from the Cotton Belt Railroad
to Fulton and logging. He also ran the road grader for Miller County. I
have photos of him logging and running the grader. The grader was a large
grader blade hitched behind the mules, like a plow would be. My
grandmother told us stories of how her Daddy kept the roads passable, he
was also responsible for building Artex Road in Genoa and for cutting
"Redding Hill" on Artex Road to a usable slope. In school,
we used to run on Artex during track practice and I remember how steep
"Red Hill" was (the kids also called it Dead Man's
Hill). My Grandmother said when the road was initially built, the hill was
so steep it was impassable. She was so proud her Daddy built that road.
Artex Road curves passed the Mill's Settlement where Mill's Plantation,
begun in 1869, used to be a thriving community. James Carter Mill's
sawmill was in a curve just before the road reaches Rock Springs Cemetery.
The community died out around the turn of the century. There is a
historical marker in the woods at the site of the old plantation home.
RN's sister, Fannie (Francis L Shelton) married Everett L Mills, son of
James Carter Mills. (they had 2 daughters before Fannie's death in 1909).
RN's parents are buried in Rock Springs Cemetery. James Dallas Shelton and
Francis Louisa Rumsey had 12 children. I have their original marriage
license dated November 22, 1869.
The Genoa Church of Christ sits on land
that was originally part of a land grant to Robert Newton Shelton and his
father James Dallas Shelton. The land was donated for the church. Across
the highway, the remainder of that land grant has been divided among the
descendants. Henry Shelton's daughter Patty, married Martin Fricks
and their children and grandchildren live on the section of land Henry
inherited. Ethel's descendents live on the section of land she inherited.
Julia D
Shelton
Photo of Julia D "Julie" Rumsey Shelton,
wife of Albert Shelton, mother of Francis M Shelton, Martha Eugenia L
Shelton and Thomas Albert Shelton.
Click on photo for a larger view.
Julia D Rumsey was the second wife of
Albert Shelton. They marreid October 1, 1865 in Lafayette County,
Arkansas. I have the original marriage license and a photo of Julia, which
the family called Julie.
Julie & Albert Shelton had 3 known children:
1. a son, Frances M Shelton born
3/29/1867
2. A dau, Martha Eugenia L. Shelton,
born about 1869
3. Thomas Albert Shelton, born Jan 26,
1871, he married Elizabeth M. 1900
Miller County Census lists her as mother of 2 children, one living. They
had one known son, Thomas J Shelton born May 1892, Thomas married Vera.
Census info for Thomas and Vera follows:
1920 Tulsa Oklahoma Census
34-49 Shelton, T. J. 27
Vera 19
T. G. 1/12 son
1930 Cleveland Township (Genoa) Miller County Arkansas
145-146 Shelton, Thomas J. 37
Vera 29
T, J, 10, son
Chloye F., 46/12
Albert M. 13/12
Census Information For Albert Shelton
and his family, first wife Mary R and second wife Julie:
Buck Township, Miller County, Arkansas
1880 Census, ED 197, pg 1 dated June 1, 1880
Shelton, Julia WF 50
Keeps House, GA SC MS
FM WM 13 Son farms AR GA TN
ME WF 11 daughter AR GA TN
TA WM 9 son AR GA TN
1910 Miller County Census list fathers
birthplace as South Carolina and mother's birthplace as North Carolina.
183-183 Shelton, Julia 80 GA SC NC
widowed, mother of 3 children, 1 living.
Martha A. L. 40 AR TN GA daughter single
Thomas J. 17 AR AR AR grandson single farmer
1870 Lafayette County Census
information: "Sheldon, Albert" - - - BEACH TWP --- PAGE #
123 (enumerated June 24, 1870)
Name: Albert Sheldon
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1826
Age in 1870: 44
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1870: Beach, Lafayette, Arkansas
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Rondo
Roll: M593_57
Page: 123
Image: 256
Year: 1870
Sheldon, Albert, 44, male/white, farmer, TN
Julia, 40, F/w, keeping house, GA
Louisia J, 12, F/W, AR
Francis M, 3, M/W, AR
Eugenia, 1, F/W, AR
1880 Miller County census his wife,
Julia, was widowed and living with 3 children. Son FM, Daughter ME &
son TA.
1850 District 3, McNairy County TN
census (enumerated Oct 21, 1850)
880/880 Shelton, Albert, 22, male, farmer, TN
Mary, 27, female, NC
Samuel, 11, male, TN
Drusilla, 8, female, MS
James, 3, male, TN
Ann, 4/12, female, TN
Personal Information Census Image
Name: Albert Shelton
Age: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1828
Birth place: Tennessee
Gender: Male
Home in 1850
(City,County,State): District 3, McNairy, Tennessee
Page: 64
Roll: M432_888
Personal Information Census Image 1860
Name: Albert Shelton
Age in 1860: 33
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1860: Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, Arkansas
Gender: Male
Value of real estate: View image
Post Office: Spring Bank
Roll: M653_45
Page: 56
Year: 1860
Head of Household: Albert Shelton
392/392 Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette,
AR 33 1826 Tennessee Male
Mary R Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, AR 37 1822 North
Carolina Female
Jas D Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, AR 12 1847 Tennessee
Male
C A Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, AR 11 1848 Tennessee
Female
Isaac N Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, AR 10 1849 Tennessee
Male
Louisa J Shelton Sulphur Fork, Lafayette, AR 2 1857 Arkansas
Female
02/10/2006
