Within Company A of the 2nd Battalion Missouri State Militia Cavalry, there were six Sheltons, and four of them appear to have been in the Battle of Lone Jack. They were Charles W. Shelton, Elias D. Shelton, Elias D. Shelton, and Elias D. Shelton. Mark A. Shelton and Martin Shelton were the two who were not at Lone Jack and will not be included in this article.
Charles was born on June 2, 1830 in Indiana. He was the son of Charles Shelton and Elizabeth George. Charles was born in Virginia and Elizabeth was a native of North Carolina. Their son Charles appears to have been the middle child of five children, with one sister and three brothers. Based on birth places, the family must have moved from the east coast to Missouri via Indiana.
By 1850 the family was living in Blackwater Township, Johnson Co., Missouri. Charles was a work hand on his father’s farm. On April 9, 1853, Charles married Lovina Riddle in Cass Co., Missouri. Lovina was born on February 8, 1827 in Cass County. She was the daughter of James Riddle and an unnamed mother.
In 1860, Charles and Lovina were living in Jackson Co., Missouri with the Post Office in Independence. The rolls had reversed somewhat, as he was the head of the household and a farmer and his parents were then living with him. He could not read or write at that time.
On February 25, 1862, Charles joined Company A of the 2nd Battalion Missouri State Militia Cavalry at Harrisonville to serve for a period of the “war years”. He supplied his own horse which was valued at $30. On August 16, 1862, Charles was in the battle at Lone Jack, was severely wounded and lost his horse. He was left in Harrisonville, Missouri to recover from his wound, but by March 1863 he had not fully recovered so he was mustered out of the service on March 31, 1863.
According to the 1865 Kansas Census, Charles and Lovina were living in Sarcoxie Township, Douglas Co., Kansas, they had no children, but Lovina’s father was living with them. Charles could read and write by that time. The 1870 United States Census showed Charles and Lovina were living in the Borough of Medina, Jefferson Co., Kansas. Charles was Keeping Saloon, had a Real Estate Value of $1,500, and a Personal Value of $300. Also living with them was his mother, Elizabeth, and her father, James. On March 29, 1873 Charles filed for a Veteran’s Pension and received Certificate no. 133674.
From then on the couple seemed to move around. In 1875, they lived in the City of Le Roy, Coffey Co., Kansas, and Charles listed himself as a butcher. By1880, they were in Eureka Springs, Carroll Co., Arkansas. Charles was still a butcher. According to the 1890 Veterans Schedule Census, Charles was living in Monett, Barry Co., Missouri. Although not stated in that census, Lovina was living with him also.
On April 25, 1891 Charles died and is buried in the Oakdale Cemetery, Monett, Missouri. Lovina “Vina” filed for a Widows Pension on May 12, 1891. Lovina continued to live in Monett, and interestingly, on the 1900 Census indicated she had one child and that child was still living. That was the first and only time there was ever any indication of a child. On January 31, 1910, Lovina died and was buried next to Charles.
Elias Dotson Shelton. was born October 9, 1808 in Stokes Co., North Carolina. He was probably the son of Mark Shelton and Nancy Dotson. Both of them were born in Virginia. Elias had two younger sisters. On February 14, 1833 he married Luisa Phileps in Surry Co., North Carolina. Luisa was born in 1815 in Surry County and was the daughter of William Phillips and Susannah Doss.
Elias’ mother died March 5, 1833. The next year their first daughter was born. The first son arrived in 1836, followed by a second son in 1837 and a second daughter on December 15, 1838. All these children were born in North Carolina.
By 1840, Elias and Luisa were living in Jackson Co., Missouri with three sons (so they must have added one more after the second daughter) and two daughters. Luisa died February 1847 in Pleasant Hill, Missouri. On the 1850 Census Elias was living in the Sixteenth District of Cass County without a wife, but with eight children ranging in age from 16 to 4. Interestingly, Sarah Ann Lackey and her children were living on one side of Elias and his family, while James Riddle and his two daughters, Lovina and Matilda, were next door on the other side. Remember, Lovina became the wife of Charles Shelton who was written about previously.
On January 16, 1851, at about eight o’clock in the evening, with Joseph H. Carter conducting the ceremony, Elias married Sarah Ann Lackey in Cass Co., Missouri. “It was snowing like blazes.” She was born in Kentucky about 1816 and was the daughter of James Lackey and an unnamed mother. By the 1860 Census, the family was living in Big Creek Township, Cass County. He was a farmer, with a Real Estate Value of $2,000 and a Personal Estate Value of $1,000. There were five children living at home ranging in ages from 18 to 5.
On March 2, 1862, Elias enlisted in Company A of the 2nd Battalion Missouri State Militia Cavalry at Harrisonville to serve for three years or the duration of the war in Missouri. He had black eyes, light hair, a fair complexion and was six feet one and a half inches tall. He stated he was 43 years old. He furnished his own horse, valued at $65. On August 16, 1862 Elias was in the Battle of Lone Jack. The official report states he was “wounded slightly” and lost his horse. The family told the wounding included a wound to the left arm near the shoulder and a shattered finger on the right hand. There were also two other minor wounds. He was sent to a hospital in Kansas City for treatment. The Certificate of Disability with accompanied his discharge, stated “This man…must be at least sixty years of age. He has performed good service but is now so broken down by hard service that he is unfit for any duty.” His discharge was effective December 20, 1862 and was issued at Kansas City.
On the 1870 Census, Elias, Sarah and one daughter, were living in Miami Co., Kansas. They also had a 22-year-old farm hand living with them to help with the farming. Elias had three horses, one mule, two milk cows and three swine. On August 3, 1874 Elias filed for a Veteran’s Pension, but did not receive a Certificate no. By 1875, the Kansas State Census shows Elias was living with another family and Sarah probably died sometime between the two census reports.
The 1885 Kansas Census shows that Elias was living with his son, Stephen, and his family in Wilson Co., Kansas. About 1888 he went to live with his daughter, Lydia Williams and her husband, John. Elias died April 5, 1889 and is buried somewhere near Earlton, Kansas. At least that is what was reported when his military stone was ordered.
Elias D. was born December 15, 1837 in Jefferson or Greene County, Indiana. He was the son of Jesse F. Shelton and Cecilia S. Jones. Both his parents were born in North Carolina, moved to Indiana and got married in 1832. Elias was the oldest of seven children. He had four brothers and one sister. Based on the state where his siblings were born, the family moved from Indiana to Illinois within a year after Elias was born and had moved to Cass Co., Missouri by 1843.
According to the 1850 Census, Elias was living with the Drace family in Johnson County, and he was attending school. On Sunday, December 28, 1856, J. K. Underwood, a Justice of the Peace, married Elias and Matilda Jane Hinshaw in Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Matilda was born on February 16, 1838 in Holly Springs, North Carolina. She was the daughter of Benjamin Hinshaw and Sarah A. Vestal. Both of her parents were from North Carolina also.
On June 14, 1857 their first son, Julian, was born at Pleasant Hill and died on October 25, 1858, having lived only a little over one year. On September 8, 1859, their first daughter, Sarah Elizabeth was welcomed into the family. By 1860, Elias, Matilda and Sarah were living in Peoria Township, Franklin Co., Kansas. Elias was a farmer with no Real Estate Value and a Personal Estate Value of $60.
On February 26, 1862, Elias enrolled at Harrisonville in Company A of the 2nd Battalion Missouri State Militia Cavalry for the period of the “War years”. As was true of so many men in the unit, Elias furnished his own horse which was valued at $30. On August 16, 1862, he was in the fighting at Lone Jack, was captured and lost his horse. Since he had been captured and paroled, he was discharged from the service by order of General Benjamin Loan as of October 9, 1862. Due to the records being so incomplete, he had to be discharged again on April 28, 1863 so he could get paid for his service.
With the family living at Pleasant Hill, another son, Jesse, was born on July 2, 1864, but he died on January 12, 1865. On the 1870 Census, Elias, Matilda and Sarah were living in Cass County. His Personal Estate was worth $158 and neither he nor Matilda could read or write. The family was living next door to Elias’ brother Jesse and his family. On August 17, 1871, their second daughter, Nancy Isabelle, was born and she lived only until January 17, 1873. Sarah Elizabeth married James Cochran on July 2, 1875. Then on December 11, 1877 Elias and Matilda had a son, William Henry, and he was born at Pleasant Hill.
By the 1880 Census, the Elias, Matilda and William had moved west to Granite Township, Phillips Co., Kansas. There Elias was a farmer and both he and Matilda appear to have learned to read and write. On September 14, 1888 Elias filed for a Veteran’s Pension and received Certificate no. 854172. Based on the information on the 1900 Census, the family was still living in Phillips Co., Kansas. Elias listed himself as a mail carrier and William was a “Day Hand”; neither had been out of work.
In about 1905, the family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and lived at 1130 West 2nd Street. Elias was a miner. On November 13, 1907 he died and was buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Salt Lake City, Utah. He has a military stone showing his service in the “2 Mo. S. M. Cav.” Matilda lived until February 28, 1925 and was buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Elias D. was born in 1844 in Pleasant Hill, Missouri. He was the son of Elias D. Shelton and Luisa Phileps. Both were born in North Carolina and they are the same two who were written about previously. Elias was the second youngest of eight children. Elias’ mother died at Pleasant Hill in February 1847. By the 1850 Census, the family was living in the Sixteenth District of Cass Co., Missouri including a father and eight children ranging in age from 16 to 4.
According to the 1860 Census, Elias was living in Big Creek Township, Cass Co., Missouri with his father, his father’s second wife, two sisters and two brothers. On February 25, 1862, Elias enrolled in Company A, 2nd Battalion Missouri State Militia Cavalry at Harrisonville, Missouri. As with other members of this unit, he furnished his own horse, and it was valued at $70. On August 16, 1862, Elias, like his father was engaged in the battle in Lone Jack. He was killed in the battle and the horse was lost. There is no evidence that Elias’ body was taken to a hospital or home. Therefore, he is buried in the Lone Jack Soldiers Cemetery.