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Ancestors of Martha Jo (Martha) Cross


      52. John Rufus Shelby, born Abt. 1813 in Mecklenburg Co., NC; died Abt. 1879 in Dallas Co., AL. He was the son of 104. Moses Shelby and 105. Mary Ann Knox. He married 53. Mary Ann Deaton Abt. 1835 in Mecklenburg Co, NC.

      53. Mary Ann Deaton, born Abt. 1815; died Bet. 1860 - 1870 in Dallas Co., Alabama.

Notes for John Rufus Shelby:
According to Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama (stated in 1981): He was from the Evan and Catherine Shelby line. He descended through William Houston Shelby, the son of John Rufus Shelby, b. in Selma, Dallas Co., AL in 1837, and d. Birmingham, AL. John Rufus was his 2xgreat-grandfather. William Houston Shelby was his great-grandfather and William Cobb Shelby (the oldest son of William Houston and Elizabeth Cobb Shelby) was his grandfather. According to the Senator, William Houston Shelby was a Captain of the 31st Regiment of Alabama during the Civil War and fought at Shiloh and the Battle of Vicksburg where he was captured. And, his grandfather, William Cobb Shelby lived until age 96.

[my note-J.A.T (Judy Trolinger)---A study of the county boundry lines, show that Selma, Dallas Co, was not a part of Perry Co, except in 1810, when all of Alabama was Indian land.
Alabama became a territory in 1817 and a state in 1819 and by the 1820 census Perry and Dallas were two separate counties- their boundries did change a bit over the coming years, but did not include the area that is around Selma.]

John Rufus Shelby moved from North Carolina to Georgia in about 1853.
His children were named in the 1860 and the 1870 Dallas County, Alabama Census.

1860 Census for Perry Co., AL, Chestnut Hill P.O, family 274.: J.R. Shelby, age 53, farmer, b. NC; Mary A., wife 44, b. NC; William, 24, laborer, b. NC; Thomas T., 20, laborer, b. NC; Jane E., 18, domestic, b. NC; Lenora L., 15, school, b. NC; Edda, 12, school, b. NC; Martha A., 9, school, b. NC; Julia, 7, b. GA; Frances S., 5, b. GA; Margaret A., 4, b. GA; Cornelia M. 3, b. GA; Sarah, 9/12, b. GA. (There are only 11 children in this census, Isabella is missing. The Census for 1870 gives Isabel m. Sydney Cordrey, as age 24, which means she was born in 1846 long before Sarah Ella.)

1870 Census for Perry Co., AL: Shelby, John, age 60, b. NC; Mary age 28, b. NC. (If this is John's wife she is about 26 years younger than Mary A. Deaton, unless there is a mistake, 1st wife, Mary Deaton, must have died between 1860-1870). Alice, age 23, b. NC; Julia, age 19; Cornelia, age 14; Ella, age 10. (at this time Edda, Frances and their mother, Mary A. Deaton, are deceased.)

There are some who think John Rufus' wife was named Martha Ann. However, the Census of Perry Co., clearly lists her as "Mary A.".

"John Rufus may have been in the Yankee army during the Civil War. I have seen it in a book from Tennessee. There are a lot of records in the Knox Estate in North Carolina State Archives, and Moses Shelby (m. Mary Ann Knox who died in Selma, AL) was the executor. Moses died in North Carolina; was born and lived about '6 miles north of Charlotte' . He died about the time his father Evan did before pension was asked for by Susannah P. Shelby." (Source: Johnny M. Johnson)

Deed Records of Mecklenberg Co. -- Book 23, page 466, August 28 1835:
"John R. Shelby of Mecklenberg County to James Madison Shelby of same county. Consideration 700 hundred dollars. Tract waters of Beaver Dam Creek, joining the land of Thomas McKall and others - said land purchased by Charles Mitchell of John Jetton of the county and State of Tennessee and A. B. Jetton and as lawful attorney for Jacob and Mary Gilham of the County of Murphy and State of Tennessee, beginning at a Hickory sapling -- MCorkles corner Millens line now Potts - 200 acres. " (This figures $3.50 per acre - note the Gilham in the above deal and the same Gilliam in land transactions earlier - EPB)

There was a petition filed by William H. Shelby to have J.R. Shelby declared a Lunatic -- Filed Dec. 18, 1876, Joseph Gothard, Judge. The jury found the petition sustained and J.R. found
non cor mentis. A.E. Mott, Foreman: State of Alabama, Dallas Co., Probate Court, Inquisition of Lunacy.
"In compliance with an order of Honl. Probate Court for said county & state, I have summoned the following named persons to appear before said court on Wednesday the 27th day of December instant to make inquisition whether J. R. Shelby is of unsound mind, &c.
1. E.A. Mott
2. R.J. Vanhook
3. Chas. Rodenburg
4. Jno. D. Green
5. Chas. Mathews
6. Hartnett Holmes
7. Robert. W. Morrison
8. Wm. J. Morrison
9. W.H. Collins
10. J.A. Waugh
11. W.J. Campbell
12. J.H. Friday

Selma, Ala. Dec. 25th, 1876
C.M. Shelby, Shff.
The State of Alabama, Dallas County, Probate Court, To the Sheriff of Said County
Greeting:
You are hereby commanded to summon twelve disinterested persons of the neighborhood of one J.R. Shelby, an alleged lunatic of this county, to be and appear before the Judge of this County, to be and appear before the Judge of this Court, at the Court House in Selma on Wednesday the 27th day of December 1876, then and there to serve as Jurors to make inquisition whether the said J.R. Shelby is of unsound mind, and incapable of managing his affairs as is alleged by W.H. Shelby in his petition filed in this court.
And have you then and there this writ with your endorsement thereon how you have executed the same.
Witness, Joseph Gothard, Judge of said Probate Court, at Office in Selma the 19th day of December 1876.
Joseph Gothard
Probate Judge

John Rufus Shelby is thought to have died about two years later in 1878.

I visited the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Selma in Oct of 2002 and found no tombstone for John Rufus Shelby or his wife Mary Ann Deaton. (Martha Mordecai, 2003)

In 1950's Barbara Rich Kaiser contacted Dr. Spence of the Historical Society of the Presbyterian Church in Dallas Co., AL. Dr. Spence informed her that John Rufus Shelby and family were
members of the Philadelphia Presbyterian Church in Mint Hill Station, Mecklenburg Co., NC.







More About John Rufus Shelby:
Burial: Unknown, Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church north of Selma, Ala

More About Mary Ann Deaton:
Burial: Unknown, Mt. Pleasant Church Cemetery, 22 miles no. of Selma, AL
     
Children of John Shelby and Mary Deaton are:
  26 i.   William Houston Shelby, born May 25, 1836 in Mecklenburg Co., N.C.; died September 13, 1897 in Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL; married Elizabeth Malone Cobb September 17, 1861 in Shelby Co., AL.
  ii.   James Thomas Shelby, born January 13, 1840 in Mecklenburg Co., NC; died May 01, 1916 in Burton, Washington Co., TX.
  iii.   Jane E. Shelby, born December 09, 1841 in Mecklenburg Co., NC; died Unknown; married David C. W. Mitchell May 1860 in Dallas Co, AL; died Unknown.
  iv.   Lenora (Nora) L. Shelby, born February 06, 1844 in Mecklenburg Co., NC; died Abt. 1880 in Perry Co., AL; married J. D. Pardue December 09, 1866 in Perry Co., AL; born March 12, 1843 in Plantersville, Perry Co., AL; died January 27, 1871 in Plantersville, Perry Co., AL.
  Notes for Lenora (Nora) L. Shelby:
Lenora Shelby Pardue hanged herself in abt 1880, after the deaths of her son and husband.
(Sources: Franck A. Shelby; and, Frances Hulsey Pardue who wrote a portion of the Perry Co., AL Heritage Book)

  v.   Isabella E. Shelby, born 1846 in Dallas Co, AL; died Unknown in TX; married Charles Sidney Cordray in Dallas Co, AL; born in AL; died Unknown in TX.
  Notes for Isabella E. Shelby:
J. E. Shelby was not shown in the 1860 nor 1870 Census of Dallas Co., AL with John Rufus Shelby family. The Land Sale Petition brought against William Houston Shelby, et als, by Joseph D. Pardue, et als, of 1893, listed her as a daughter, married to Sidney Cordry and living in TX.
J. E. Shelby (M. Sidney Cordry) shown in the Land was not shown in the 1860 Dallas Co., AL Census with her father and other syblings, nor was her mother. Where does she come in?

  Notes for Charles Sidney Cordray:
1870 Census, Galveston, TX Ward #1, enum 4 June 1870, roll M593_1586, pg 130, family 69: Cordrey, Sydney, age 28, b. SC; Isabel, wife, age 24, b. NC (Isabella E. Shelby); Ragh, m. son, age 1, b. TX; Lyons, Jenny, f. age 24, b. DN (don't know).

Same Census, family #336, page 146: Cordrey, Thomas, age 66, b. SC; Eliza, wife, age 48,; H.A. m. age 22; Mary, f. age 15. ( I believe this Thomas & Eliza are parents of Sydney and Julius Cordrey. They all probably went via wagon train to TX)

Same Census, family #492, page 156: Cordrey, Julius, age 33, b. SC; Kate, wife, age 25, b. TX; Emily, daughter, age 5;
Eugene, son, age 2.


  vi.   Mary A. (Mollie) Shelby, born August 25, 1848 in Mecklenburg Co, NC; died Unknown in TX; married David Addington; died Unknown.
  vii.   Edda (Eddy) Shelby, born Abt. 1849 in Dallas Co, AL; died Aft. 1860 in Dallas Co, AL.
  Notes for Edda (Eddy) Shelby:
"John Rufus Shelby and Mary Ann Deaton had a daughter named Eddy who sickened and died when twelve years old. Just before her death a flock of mourning doves came to the window of her room. Eddy asked that they be let in. The birds fanned her with their wings -- cooed and kissed her and stayed with her until death shooed them away--. Grandmother Shelby said she would have never believed it had she not seen it with her own eyes." (Source: "The Shelby Legends and Folk Stories" by Ernest Perry Bell)

  viii.   Julia A. Shelby, born April 08, 1850 in GA; died Unknown; married John Nelson January 04, 1876 in prob Dallas Co, AL; died Unknown.
  ix.   Martha Alice Shelby, born 1851 in Mecklenburg Co, NC; died Unknown; married John T. (J.?) Melson January 04, 1875 in Dallas Co, AL; died Unknown.
  Notes for Martha Alice Shelby:
I don't know about Frances. She was not mentioned in JRS's Will or Lawsuit again William Houston Shelby, et al. She may have died young. (Martha Mordecai, 2003)

  x.   Frances S. Shelby, born May 16, 1852 in GA; died February 1863 in prob Dallas Co, AL.
  xi.   Margaret A. (Maggie) Shelby, born May 16, 1854 in Mecklenburg Co, NC; died January 07, 1921 in AL; married Robert Walker Bradford May 16, 1876 in Dallas Co, AL; born February 19, 1850 in prob AL; died January 30, 1918 in AL.
  Notes for Robert Walker Bradford:
1900 Census, Dallas Co., Dublin, AL, ED #11, roll T623-13, pg. 4A, Family #65:
Bradford, Robert W., head, Feb 1850, 50, b. AL; Margaret, wife, May 1854, 46, b. AL; Harry S., son, Nov 1877, 22; Mamie, daughter, Apr 1880, 20; Kate, daughter, Jan 1886, 14; Tom, son, Sept 1891, 11; Annie, daughter, Sept 1891, 8; Willie, daughter, Jan 1898, 2; and, Shelby, Ella, sister-in-law, Aug 1861, 38, single, b. AL, f. b. NC, m. b. NC.

  xii.   Cornelia (Nellie) M. Shelby, born August 29, 1856 in Dallas County, AL; died 1931 in Dallas County, AL; married John Wylie Bradford February 14, 1883 in Dallas Co, AL; born March 05, 1854 in Dallas Co., AL; died August 1931 in Dallas Co, AL.
  Notes for John Wylie Bradford:
1900 Census, Dallas Co., Dublin, AL, ED #11, roll T623_13, Family #98:
Bradford, John W., head, Mar 1854, 46 b. AL, f. b. SC, m. b. AL; Cornelia M., wife, Aug 1856, 43, b. AL, f. b. NC, m. b. NC; Mary I., daughter, Jan 1884, 16; Charlie A., son, Jun 1885, 14; Eliza E., daughter, Feb 1887, 13; Alice G., daughter, Nov 1888, 11; Maggie, daughter, Nov 1890, 9.

  xiii.   Sarah Ella (Ellie) Shelby, born August 09, 1859 in Dallas Co, AL; died Unknown.


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