This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/wNHBAIB/3000.1 Message Board Post: I have information on the Sheltons who were Masons in Virginia and who were the kinsmen of the Tennessee Sheltons who descended from Ralph Shelton who died in Middlesex County, Virginia, in 1733. His sons named Ralph, Jr., Crispin, Daniel, Benjamin and John moved to Pittsylvania County, VA, in 1760-1763. Ralph, Jr., died in Henry County, VA. Several of the sons of Ralph, Jr., with their families, were early settlers in Tennessee or passed through Tennessee into Kentucky and Alabama. An Order of Masons Chapter was organized at Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Courthouse on September 15, 1788, as Lodge No. 24 (Lodges were numbered in order of creation). There were present these members of the Shelton families: Tavenor Shelton, William Shelton, Fred Shelton, Leroy Shelton, Crispin Shelton; and William Shelton was appointed Secretary. Tavenor and Fred (Frederick) were the sons of Abraham, son of Crispin, son of Ralph, d. 1733, Middlesex County, VA. Leroy was the son of Daniel, son of Ralph, d. 1733, Middlesex County, VA, and William was the son of John, son of Ralph, d. 1733, Middlesex County, VA. This Pittsylvania County, VA, Lodge was organized one year before the death of Ralph, Jr., in adjoining Henry County, VA, in 1789. (Henry County was created in 1777 from the territory of Pittsylvania County.) In 1789 Ralph Shelton, III, and his proven son Cuthbert were listed on the Henry County, VA, Personal Property Tax List but Ralph Shelton, III, had received land grants in Hawkins County, Tennessee dated in 1780, 1788 and 1790. Ralph Shelton, III, died in Knox County, Tennessee, about 1815.