6th generation

Shelton Ransdell

(1809-1871)

Amanda Wheeler

(1826-1883)

            Shelton Ransdell was born 19 June 1809 in Mercer County, KY, the son of John Ransdell and Elizabeth Cornwall Ransdell.  In all records he is referred to only as Shelton; however, his granddaughter Mattie Ransdell Meredith believes his first name was John.

          Shelton Ransdell's first marriage was to Elizabeth Cozine 13 Jan, 1830, daughter of Cornelius Cozine.  Shelton and Elizabeth had 8 children.  She died 2 Dec 1847 possibly giving birth to the youngest child.  She is buried in the New Providence Presbyterian Cemetery, Mercer Co., KY.

          Shelton was a farmer and had a tanyard.

Children of First Marriage:

i.        Dorinda Ransdell  b. 1831, m. Thompson Wheeler 30 July

          1846[1], d. 15 Sept 1857.

          ii.       Mary Ann Ransdell  b. 1832, m.  Salon R. Teater 24 Aug

                   1852[2].

          iii.      John Ransdell (b. 1834)

          iv.      Cornelius C. Ransdell  b. 1837, m. Nancy Ellen Sanders 10

                   Sept. 1857[3].

          v.       William Ransdell, b. 1839

          vi.      James W. Ransdell, b. 1841, m. Mary Ann Curry Sept. 7,

                   1868[4].

          vii.     Samuel S. Ransdell, b. 1844, m. George Ann Linney m. Sept.

                   22, 1864[5]. 

            viii.    Eliza Jane Ransdell, b. 1847 m. William B. Miller 11 Oct

                        1871[6]

         Shelton Ransdell appears in the 1840 Mercer Co., KY census, p. 206, as a male 30-40 with female 20-30 (Elizabeth), 2 males under 5 (Cornelius 3 and  William 1; one male 5-10 (John 6); one male 15-20 unknown, could be Shelton's younger brother; 2 females 5-10 (Dorinda 10 and Mary Ann 8); and one female 50-60 (Shelton's mother Elizabeth 55).

         Shelton Ransdell married his second wife, a young widow, Amanda Wheeler Young, on 24 Aug 1848.    Her father signed the Marriage Bond entered into with Shelton with an X.  (see WHEELER).

Amanda was born 23 Mar 1826 in Mercer Co., KY,  the daughter of Allen Wheeler (b. 30 May 1785 Virginia, d. 30 Dec 1876 Mercer Co., KY) and Mary Davis (b. 26 Sept 1784 Garrard Co., KY, d. 24 Dec 1848 Mercer Co., KY). When Amanda was 17 years old, 6 July 1843, she married Franklin Young[7], and they had one child, Harvey T., born in 1846[8].

On Aug 24, 1848, she married Shelton Ransdell and became stepmother to his 8 children.  Amanda was 22 years old, and Shelton's oldest daughter Dorinda was 17.  (Two years earlier, Dorinda had married Amanda's brother Thompson Wheeler.)

            The family appears in the 1850 Mercer County, KY census as follows: 

                   Ransdell, Shelton 41

                        Amanda 25

                        Mary 18

                        John 16

                        Cornelius 13

                        William 11

                        James 9

                        Samuel 6

                        Harvey 4   (This is Amanda's son by her first marriage)

                        Eliza 2 (first child of Amanda and Shelton)

                        Elizabeth 65 (Shelton's mother)

          Shelton and Amanda had 9 children, the last one born after Shelton's death.  Amanda named him Harvey M., even though her son by her first husband was also named Harvey, and was apparently still living since he was named co-executor of Shelton's will written 10 Oct. 1870[9]. 

Children of second marriage:    

i.        Thomas A. 1850-1852

ii.       Martha Bell            b. 11 Aug. 1853

iii.      Paulina Ellen b. 15 Jan. 1856, m. James W. Linney  28 Aug.

           1876

iv.      Allen Magoffin  b. 4 Jan 1859, m. Lula M. Chilton 7  Feb. 1881

             v.        Benjamin Mason         b. 1861

            vi.        Joseph Jackson, 1864-1931, m. Laura Bell Terhune

            vii.        Robert   b. 1867, m. 1898 Margaret  Terhune

                        (a sister of Laura Bell Terhune)

            viii.       Cynthia   b. 1870

             ix.        Harvey M.   b. 1872

       The 1860 Mercer Co., KY census shows this family as follows:

                        Ransdell, Shelton 50

                        Amanda 34

                        William 20

                        James 16

                        Samuel S. 14

                        Eliza J. 11

                        Perlina 3

                        Allen M. 1

                        Young, Harvey T. 13 (Amanda's child)

       The 1870 Mercer Co., KY census shows this family as follows:

                       Ransdell, Shelton 60

                        Amanda 44

                        Eliza Jane 21

                        Paulina 14

                        Allen M. 12

                        Benjamin 10

                              Josiah 7

                        Robert 5

                        Cynthia 1

                        Young, Harvey T. 23  (Amanda's son)

      Shelton died 30 Oct 1871.  His will names the five younger children, including Josiah Jackson, saying "Wife or executors to give them an education such as the older children have received.  Eliza Jane and Perlina Ellen are to be given $500 as they come of age or marry, also a good horse and saddle, a cow and calf, a bed and bedding, sheep and hogs to the amount of $35, and a bureau not to exceed $20 in value.  These amounts and articles have already been given to Dorinda, Mary, John, Cornelius, William, James, and Samuel.  Executor:  Amanda, and her son Harvey T. Young, who was also to receive $500.

      Shelton is buried in the New Providence Presbyterian Cemetery.[10]  The tombstone, I am told, is so darkened with age it is illegible, but the carved letters "Shelton Ransdell" may be clearly felt.  I have a rubbing of the tombstone sent to me by Mattie Ransdell Meredith.

      On 26 Oct 1972 Amanda Ransdell renounced provisions made for her in her late husband's will[11].

       The 1880 Mercer Co., KY census shows the family as follows:

                        RANSDELL, Amanda 53

                             Allen 21

                             Mason 19

                             Joseph 17

                             Robert 14

                             Cynthia 11

                             Harvey M. 8

      Amanda died 28 June 1883.  She is buried beside Shelton in the New Providence Presbyterian Cemetery.

Additional source of information:  Conversation with their grandson Burnice Ransdell

Letter to me from his great-granddaughter Mattie Ransdell Meredith 3 Aug 1998:

"I am positive our great-grandfather's name was John Shelton.  When I was in Lexington in May this year, [her brother] Burnice took my husband and me to . . . Providence Cemetery on Providence Road where our great-grandparents are buried.  It's about three or four miles out of Harrodsburg going toward Lexington.  The stones are in excellent condition, but rather difficult to read, as the moss and other black material has just about covered the stones, especially John Shelton Ransdell's.  Amanda Wheeler Ransdell's  is not quite as dark.  By tracing your finger over the letters and numbers, there is absolutely no doubt that the name is John Shelton.  In fact, Burnice took pictures, but you can't make out John Shelton, but Amanda's is quite clear."   Mattie finally sent me the rubbings she had made from the tombstones, and Shelton's tombstone says simply Shelton Ransdell, NOT John Shelton.

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