This is an ever growing list of Union County Biographies. If there is just the page listed it is one that I have transcribed. Otherwise, it will have the name of the person who donated the biographies.  If you have any biographies you can donate, please drop a line to Janine M. Bork.Your information can help others.

Andrew J. was born in Dallas county, Iowa, on February 20, 1851, being the son of Chesley and Mary (Morrison) Shelton, natives of Illinois. In 1862 the family came across the dreary plains to the Willamette valley, and thence they came to this county. Our subject received his education from the schools of the sections where his boyhood days were spent, and soon after the parents came to Union county, he followed from the Willamette valley, where he had been farming for himself for a period. He at once homesteaded a quarter section northwest from Elgin and gave his attention to farming and stock raising. In 1880 he sold this property to Mr. Otto Ohms, who now resides there. He then purchased his present farm of two hundred acres, one and three-fourths miles north from Elgin. This is now the family home and Mr. Shelton has devoted his attention here to farming and raising stock, gaining the meed of the industrious and thrifty.

At Vancouver, Washington, Mr. Shelton married Miss Mary Grant, on November 27, 1872 and they became the parents of the following children: John, Frank, and Lindsey, who died on April 7, 1901, being aged twenty-one years and one month, and his remains sleep in the Summerville cemetery. Mrs. Shelton's parents, Robert and Rachel (Williams) grant, were natives of Missouri, and were among the first pioneers of the Willamette valley. Mrs. Shelton was called from the scenes of life to the world beyond on June 3, 1889, and she is buried at the Summerville cemetery.

On January 29, 1893, Mr. Shelton married a second time, and the lady of his choice on this occasion was Anna (Long) Gent, a daughter of James and Caroline (Perkins) Long, natives respectively of England and Indiana. They were farmers in Missouri, and there the father died on March 9, 1874, but the mother lives with a son in South Dakota. Mrs. Shelton is a native of Missouri. One child has been born to bless this union, Minnie.

Our subject was born in Dallas county, Iowa, on February 25, 1855, his parents being Chesley and Mary (Morrison) Shelton, natives of Illinois. The father was a farmer in Iowa, and with his family crossed the plains to the Willamette valley in 1862, settling in Polk county, where he also tilled the soil until 1873, when he migrated thence to Union county. His first settlement here was in the vicinity of the Cove, then he bought land northwest from Elgin, and a few years later removed to Medical Springs, where he lives at the present time. At the age of seventeen, our subject started for himself, working out for a time and then came with his parents to this county, and at once took up freighting from Umatilla Landing to Summerville, and three years were spent in this occupation. In 1878, he purchased a quarter section of land where he now resides two and one-half miles northwest from Elgin, and then devoted his attention to producing the fruits of the field and raising sheep. He has been attended with abundant success and his estate has doubled and is in a high state of cultivation, being also improved with all necessary buildings and accessories for the manipulation of a first-class farm.

On September 21, 1874, Mr. Shelton married Miss Deliah, daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Wabel) Long, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Indiana. Miss Long was born November 19, 1857, in Iowa, and her parents came to Oregon in 1864, settling in the Willamette valley, and in 1874 migrated to Union county and took up farming north from Elgin. The mother passed the river of death here. Mrs. Shelton and her husband attended school in the Willamette valley together and were in reality brought up as associates. To them were born ten children: Allen, Lula, Stella, Verdie, Chesley, Bailey, Blanche, Lawrence, Rosie, and Joseph. On July 18, 1900, the messenger of death entered this happy home and took thence the faithful wife and loving mother. She was a woman of lovable qualities and had won the hearts of all and her death was a time of sincere mourning among all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance. Mr. Shelton is a member of the Masons, Elgin Lodge, No. 93. He is one of the substantial men of the community, taking an active interest in the affairs of the county and always laboring for the welfare of all and the interests of the people, and he is highly esteemed and respected.