An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL. 1893

LEWIS D.W. SHELTON, an Oregon pioneer of 1847, now a resident of Seattle, was
born in Andrew county, Missouri, October 18, 1841. His father, David Shelton,
was a native of North Carolina, but removed to Missouri with his parents about
1819, and was reared to the hardships of pioneer life, in hunting, trapping and
fighting Indians. He was married in Missouri to Miss Frances Wilson, native of
Kentucky. Mr. Shelton improved a farm, which he worked till the spring of 1847,
when he sold out and with an ox team and a "prairie schooner," removed his
family to the Northwest Territory, then known as Oregon. The journey was fraught
with the usual experiences of fighting Indians, the loss of cattle, etc. The
train consisted of nine wagons, and was directed by Captain John Bouser. The
party reached the vicinity of Walla Walla and met Rev. Marcus Whitman, about six
weeks prior to his massacre. The party then continued down the river to the
Dalles, and went into camp just below that town. There they whipsawed lumber
from which they built a raft. Onto this they loaded their wagons, effects and
families and drifted down the river, while the stock was all driven across the
mountains. At the cascade of the river the people all walked around the portage,
while the boat shot the rapids and was picked up below without damage, except
having shipped some water. Below the cascades Mr. Shelton was met by an Indian
canoe sent to his rescue by an old friend and earlier pioneer, Mr. Caples, and
in that canoe himself and family were taken to Vancouver, while the other member
of the party followed in the flat-boat. Mr. Caples met the family at Vancouver
and then Mr. Shelton spent his last dollar for a bucket of black syrup, to use
in place of sugar. Then all proceeded to Sauvin's island, where they passed the
first winter, living on wild duck and other game secured by the rifle. In the
spring of 1848 Mr. Shelton put in a crop, and while waiting for returns lived on
split peas, purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company, and a large sturgeon which
was purchased from the Indians, and which was salted and perserved. In the
spring of 1849 he removed his family to Yam Hill county, while he went to the
California mines, where he found plenty of gold, but, owing to continuous
sickness, returned after seven months, with but slight improvement in his
financial condition. He then located 320 acres in East Portland, and remained
until January, 1852, when he learned of the Puget Sound district, and, in
company with several friends purchased a small schooner and started for the
Sound. Here the party arrived in February, and while some stopped at Port
Townsend Mr. Shelton continued his way to Olympia, and there remained until
April, 1853. He then took up a section of land in Mason county, which he
subsequently increased by purchase to 1,200 acres, 320 being open prairie. In
1854 Mr. Shelton was a member of the first Territorial Legislature, and
introduced the bill to organize Sawamish county, which was adopted, but, while
representing that county at a later session, he introduced a second bill,
changing the name to Mason county, in honor of Charles H. Mason, the first
Territorial Secretary, under Governor Stevens. Mr. Shelton began improving his
place and ultimately cleared eighty acres, which became the town site of
Shelton, which he founded about 1885, and which is now a thriving young city of
about 1,200 population. Mr. Shelton has been an official of Mason county almost
continuously since the date of organization, filling almost every important
office. Later he became Mayor of the city of Shelton, where he still resides, at
the advanced age of eighty one years. His good wife, the companion of his
pioneer days, passed over to the other shore in 1887, aged seventy-one years.
Lewis D. has passed through all the pioneer experiences of his father,
remembering distinctly his trip across the plains. His education has been
chiefly by home instruction. At the age of fourteen years he began work with
surveying parties, and gained his first knowledge of that profession, which he
continued to study from such books as he could gather together at that day. He
was an active participant in the Indian war of 1855 and 1856; was a member of
Captain Swindal's company of scouts, and took part in many battles between
Snoqualmie falls and the Cowlitz river. After peace was declared he followed
such occupation as he could find, always improving every opportunity. In 1862 he
began teaching school, which occupation he followed for several years. In 1875
he took up surveying as a regular business, and in 1878 opened an office at
Olympia. In 1879 he was commissioned United States Deputy Surveyor, and has
continued in that office to the present time. >From 1877 to 1888 he had charge
of all the Port Blakely lands, and the six last years superintended all their
logging interests between Portland and British Columbia. Since 1883 his office
has been located at Seattle. In 1888 he gave up surveying and engaged in
real-estate speculation, buying, improving, and selling property. This
enterprise he continued until the spring of 1891, when he resumed government
work. In politics he is a Democrat, and has filled the offices of County
Surveyor, Sheriff and Auditor. He was married in Snohomish, in 1887, to Miss
Lydia Morris, native of Wisconsin. They have one child, Morris P.


Editor's Note:

See also the biography of Lewis D. W. Shelton's father, David Shelton, at: 
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~jtenlen/dshelton.txt


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Submitted to the Washington Biographies Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L.
Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family
mentioned above.