Origins

Lula Shelton, a daughter of Hardy and Mary Bearden Shelton, was raised within the family’s life rooted in the land that would become known as Possum Trot. Her early years were shaped by family, labor, and the transition into a new era following emancipation.

Migrations

On December 22, 1881, Lula married Wallace Cathey, a son of Jonas and Delse Rhine Cathey, and together they established their life in Chattooga County, Georgia. There, they built a family while remaining connected to the broader network of Shelton and Cathey relatives.

Over time, their descendants would carry the family’s story beyond this region, extending into other areas while maintaining ties to their origins.

Family

Lula and Wallace Cathey were the parents of eleven children: Maggie, Milton Horace, Daisy, Jurell, Pinkney, Zoe, Ida, Elzorah, Maud, Julia, and Frank Sidney.

Through these children, the family expanded across generations, forming connections through marriage and community while continuing the legacy established by Lula and Wallace.

Lula was the sister of Frances “Fannie” Shelton Cathey, while her husband Wallace Cathey was the brother of Leroy “Lee” Cathey, reflecting the close and interwoven nature of the Shelton and Cathey families. Their extended family connections also included their sister Susie Cathey, who married Sanford Freeman of Freemantown—further linking these families within the same broader community.

From roots planted in one place, their story carried forward through family, connection, and the paths that followed.

This story continues to unfold through deeper connections, names, and discoveries still being brought to light.

Find out more at our gathering.

From Coosa to Possum Trot, their legacy remains bound in place and memory.