John M. Shelton
John M. Shelton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1853 Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 7, 1923 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Llano Cemetery, Amarillo, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rancher, banker |
| Spouse | Flora Exum |
| Children | 2 sons, 1 daughter |
John M. Shelton (1853–1923) was an American rancher and banker. Born in
Early life
John M. Shelton was born in 1853 in Kentucky.[1][2] He took a wagon train to Fort Worth, Texas, shortly after the American Civil War.[1]
Career
Shelton purchased property in Fort Worth in the 1880s.[1] According to the Amarillo Globe-News, "by 1890, Shelton had accumulated between 1,500 and 2,000 cattle and began his Lazy J brand."[1] Shortly after, he purchased a ranch in Wheeler County, Texas, as well as rangeland in Wyoming and Montana.[2] He sold his Wheeler County ranch in the 1910s.[2]
Shelton co-founded the First State Bank of Shamrock, Texas, in 1904 with Oscar P. Jones.[1] By the 1910s, he founded the John M. Shelton Loan Company in Amarillo.[1]
Shelton purchased 211,000 acres in the
Personal life
Shelton married Flora Exum.[2] They had two sons, J. Malcolm Shelton and James M. Shelton, and a daughter, Martha Houghton.[1][2] They resided in Fort Worth, and later in Amarillo, Texas.[2] Their Amarillo mansion, located at 1700 Polk Street, was completed in 1914.[5] It was located on the most affluent street in Amarillo.[6]
Death and legacy
Shelton died on December 7, 1923, in Fort Worth, Texas.[2] He was buried at the Llano Cemetery in Amarillo.[2]
The Shelton-Houghton House was donated to the Junior League of Amarillo in 1965.[1] It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
Shelton's Bravo Ranch remains in the family.[8] By 2015, it belongs to the majority landowners and great-grandsons, Malcolm and Jim Shelton.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ledbetter, Kay (May 19, 2000). "John M. Shelton". Amarillo Globe-News. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
- ^ Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ Newspapers.com.
- ^ ISBN 9780738571232. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
- OCLC 64427384. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
- ^ "Shelton-Houghton House". National Park Service. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
- ^ a b Smith Ford, Lauren (February 2015). "Land Lords. A Ranching Photo Essay". Texas Monthly. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
