Origins

Matilda Shelton was raised within the Shelton family’s life on the land, living on the family farms in Coosa and later at Pleasant Hill, also known as Possum Trot. Her early years were shaped by family, labor, and the continuity of life rooted in place.

Migrations

Matilda’s life appears to have remained closely tied to the family settlement. Her path reflects one that stayed grounded in the land and community that shaped her upbringing.

Family

On April 10, 1890, Matilda married Thomas Crawford Spruce, a brother of Irvin Spruce, further connecting the Shelton and Spruce families.

Little is known about her life beyond this point. Available records suggest that she likely passed not long after her marriage. Thomas Crawford Spruce would later remarry, and Matilda’s story remains only partially documented.

She is believed to be buried at the Shelton Family Cemetery at Possum Trot, remaining connected to the land that shaped her life.

Her story remained close to the land and family, her path held in memory beyond the years we can fully trace.

This story continues to unfold through records, memory, and ongoing research.

Find out more at our gathering.

All are bound by sacred ties to Coosa, Rome and the land now known as Possum Trot.