William C. Shelton was born around 1808 in Virginia. He married Christiana Arnold on March 22, 1831, and they had at least ten children: Mary, born around 1832; George, born around 1834; Charlotte, born around 1836; Paulina, born around 1838; John, born around 1840; Susan, born around 1842; Elizabeth, born around 1845; William, born around 1849; Beverly, born around 1851; and Zebedee, born around 1854. They lived in Pittsylvania, Virginia, and he earned a living as a laborer and carpenter. He died sometime after 1862.