Born in Guilford county. North Carolina, on the 26th of January, 1813, and is the son of Francis Shelley and Nancy Shelley nee Brown. He was an apt scholar, and having the best advantages offered by the schools of his time, acquired a good English education, and, besides, a thorough knowledge of Latin. His early ambition was to become a lawyer, in which profession he would doubtless have excelled. His first effort in mercantile life was at Leaksville, North Carolina, and continued during the years 1836, 1837 and 1838. In 1838, returning to his native state, he remained one year, and at the expiration of that time removed to Kentucky, where he was engaged in a successful mercantile trade. During the same time he served as justice of the peace of Calloway county. Mr. Shelley is preeminently a business man, and succeeds in whatever he undertakes. Politically, Mr. Shelley was formerly a Henry Clay Whig, and later identified himself with the republican party. He was a warm supporter of the Union cause during the war, but believing that the tendency of the republican party was toward centralization, he abandoned it in 1870, and two years later was the liberal and democratic candidate of his district for congress. Although he carried his own county, he was defeated by his talented opponent. He was democratic candidate for state senator in 1873, but was defeated by a majority of fifteen. In 1878 he was elected to represent Lee county in the Seventeen and Eighteenth Iowa General Assemblies. Mr. .Shelley was president of the Iowa Life Insurance Company, located at Keokuk. His religious training was under the influence of the Quakers, and though not a member of any church. Mr. Shelley was married on the 13th of October, 1842, to Miss Louise J., daughter of the late Beverly B. Stubblefield, a prominent name in Kentucky.
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