Since this photo was placed online Janet sent a copy of it to Taylor Pensoneau, author of "Brothers Notorious - The Sheltons - Southern Illinois Legendary Gangsters". Pensoneau responding saying he couldn't identify the man, but he could say with relative certainty that "he is a Shelton."

Janet's great-great-grandfather was Joseph A. Shelton, who is listed in the 1880 census of Wayne Co IL with his wife Mary, age 23, and sons Charles H., 6, Davise, 5, LeRoy, 4, and William, 1. Joseph was 27 years old in 1880 and is listed as being born in KY. Wife Mary is listed as being born in IL, as are the children. In his book Pensoneau states, "Ben Shelton's oldest brother, Joseph, was said to have gone on to respectability in the Wayne County area as a postmaster and small country undertaker."

Ben, b 1861 and Joseph Shelton, b 1853, were two of eight children born to Wilson Albert Shelton and his wife Paulina Johnson, who are listed in the 1860 Hopkins Co KY census. Janet cannot locate the family in the 1870 census but by 1880 the entire family has relocated to Wayne Co IL, including married son Joseph and his family, who are living next door. There is additional information online about the family of Wilson Albert and Paulina Shelton