Sylvester Robertson Shelton

    Sylvester Robertson Shelton, a resident of Blackford County since 1842, was born August 1, 1819, in what is now Logan County, West Virginia, his parents being Robertson Shelton, a native of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and Jane, nee Guthrie, a native of Maryland, but reared in Virginia. When Sylvester was very young his parents moved with him to Lawrence County, Ohio, where they lived on a farm eight or nine years, and then, in 1827, moved to a point in Rush County, Indiana, two miles south of Knightstown, before even the National Road was laid out.

    Here the subject of this sketch was inured to the hardships of farming during a monotonous period of pioneer life, until 1842, when he moved to Blackford County, occupying a log cabin in the northern part of Hartford City two years; then he built the main part of the residence he still occupies.

    Until 1855 he followed the occupation of carpenter and joiner, then removed to Matamoras on the Salamonie River, a mile above Montpelier, and there for two years engaged in the mercantile business. this he sold out, with the intention of moving farther West, but instead of going thither he returned to Hartford City, where he has since followed various occupations, from 1864 to 1880 being postmaster. Since the latter year he has been assessor, insurance agent, etc., is now deputy township assessor. From 1850 to 1854 he served as justice of the peace.

    Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which denomination he has served as steward. In the Masonic Order he has held some official position most of the time since he first became connected with it, being secretary for several years; and in both branches of Odd Fellowship -subordinate lodge and encampment -he has passed all the chairs.

    September 8, 1840, he married Miss Hannah, daughter of Belteshazzar and Rebecca (Austin) Dragoo, natives of Ohio. Mrs. Shelton was born August 3, 1819, in Brown County, Ohio. Their children have been as follows: Jane Maria, who was born August 13, 1841, and died when nine years of age; Thomas Benton, born February 16, 1843, entered the army during the last war, where he contracted disease from which he died March 23, 1864, and he is buried in the Hartford City Cemetery; Abigail R., born November 17, 1844, whose name has been radically changed to Mrs. Dillie Stahl, being the wife of E. M. Stahl; Martin Morrison, now living in New Orleans, where he has been most of the time for a number of years engaged in steam-boating; Julia Ann, who married Mr. Johnson, and died October 5, 1870, leaving one child -Hattie E., who die din her twenty-seventh year; Nancy J., who married Dr. L. A. Spaulding, and now resides in Bluffton, Indiana; John McIntyre, now in Kansas; and William S., now in Troy, Ohio.

Source: Biographical and Historical Record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1887.