THANK YOU, VONETTE!
Winfred Cleveland Shelton was born on October 16, 1893 to Albert V. Shelton and Nora Berry. Winfred was one of five children born to this couple and the only one to reach adulthood. The only child to live very long was Winfred's sister Lee, who died in 1904 when Winfred was only eleven. His sister was about 15 years old and had just given birth to her only child, one week before her death.
Winfred lost his mother the following year - 1905. After three years of grieving, his father remarried to Harriett L. Nance, known as " Hattie ". Hattie helped Albert raise his son, Winfred, as well as a niece, Lula, and a nephew, Joseph Finley.
On February 3rd, 1916, Winfred was joined in the Holy state of matrimony to Nellie May Thomas - the daughter of Marquis Lafayette Thomas and Mary Cutrell. Winfred and Nellie had 6 children, of which four are still living today. This union did not last though. They divorced sometime, I believe, in the early 1960's, as I do not ever remember seeing them together as a couple.
Winfred never remarried. He spent most of his life in one of his daughter's household. He had made his living as a farmer in Kentucky. On January 10th in 1972, Winfred passed away. He was living in Evansville, Vanderburgh county, Indiana at the time of his death. He was taken to the Springdale Cemetery in Sebree, Webster county, Kentucky where he was buried. I was among those in attendance. I can still picture him in his casket, and this was 27 years ago. I was only twelve at the time.
I was so thrilled to receive the photos that my dear cousin, Vonette wanted to share with me. The beauty of the stones, the years they have lasted, but what touched me the most was the headstone of my grandfather. I stood upon that land the day he was buried. There was no stone there at the time. I had never been back, nor had I ever seen this headstone before. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you Vonette, for sharing this with me. Being only twelve when he passed, I don't think that what happened to him had really ever sunk in, until now. This photo has brought me a closure that I never knew I had needed.
