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30 Sep 2007
The Shelby's in Graves County, Kentucky are descended from William Alexander Shelby. William was born William Alexander Bowden 25 Jan 1825 in Tennessee. He was adopted by Reese Shelby 10 Feb 1841, changed his name to Shelby and was the legal heir of Reese Shelby. William married Estinda Ann Johnson 29 Nov 1844 in Graves County, Kentucky. She was born 26 Apr 1826 in Tennessee. They had 11 children that I know of, Evan Joshua Shelby the third son being my ancestor. He married Sarah Annie Jones in Graves County, Kentucky. Their oldest, James Franklin Shelby was my grandfather. James Franklin Shelby moved from Graves County to Ripley County, Missouri about 1918 and my mother Bonna Nell Shelby was the first of their children born in Missouri.
Reece Shelby died in 1851 in Graves County, Kentucky and in 1852 Dolly married James Harvey Emerson, his third wife. Later a great-grandson of James Harvey Emerson would marry a granddaughter of William Alexander Shelby. There is a cemetery in south Graves County, Kentucky named Bowden Cemetery. It is located just south of hiwy 94, a short distance East of hiwy 385 south. This is between Pilot Oak and Lynnville. I was there one day the last week of September 2007 and it has not been kept up. There is a sign by the hiwy that says Bowden Cemetery, but it is a overgrown gravel lane to the cemetery and easily overlooked. There are many families buried there, but a lot of stones are missing or overgrown. Some of the families buried there are Shelby, Jones, Emerson and of course Bowden.
Richard H. Montgomery
11 Nov 2007
After researching census records from 1820 in Maury County, TN through 1860 in Graves County, KY and putting together bits of information I have found in different places, I have developed a theory of the ancestry of William Alexander Shelby. I think he was the son of John and Elizabeth (Nall) Bowden. I think Elizabeth Nall was a sister of Dolly, the wife of Reese Shelby. The Bowden and the Shelby families moved from Maury Co., TN to Graves Co., KY about 1833 or 1834. John Bowden died about 1838 leaveing Elizabeth with young children. I think William went to live with Reese and Dolly and was adopted by Reese. John and Elizabeth Bowden named their first daughter Dolly. If Elizabeth Bowden and Dolly Shelby were sisters then their mother was Elizabeth Shelby married to Martin Nall. I think the W. A. Bowden was the son of Travis Bowden who was living with him in Graves Co., KY in 1850 and 1860 and the brother of John Bowden who died in Graves Co., KY about 1838. I don't know who Reese's parents were, but there were a number of Shelby's in Maury Co., TN in the early 1800's. Evan, Irvan, Isaac, James, John, Thomas and William to name a few. Any comments about this theory will be welcomed.
Richard H. Montgomery
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