Adam GeFeller and Mary Magalene Huber (daughter of Jacob Huber) were married in Lancaster County Pennsylvania about 1765. They migrated to Rockingham County Virginia prior to 1776. Adam GeFeller went to Tennessee and his will is dated Dec 12, 1812 Greene County Tennessee. Adam's daughter Barbara married CONRAD BARNHART. (Adam 's son, Abraham GeFeller, brother of Barbara, is the ancestor of Esther Shirley).

CONRAD BARNHART arrived at Philadelphia in August 1774 aboard the "Snow Sally". He and his wife, Barbara GeFeller, were in Greene County Tennessee as early as 1795 when they purchased land.

Their son was JACOB BARNHART born about 1790-1800 Greene County Tennessee. He died in Miller County Missouri about 1849. He married Martha SHIRLEY daughter of Adam SHIRLEY who was the son of Lucas SHIRLEY...(who appears to be the son of Karl/Carl Shally who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1739 on the "Robert & Alice").

Note from Betty Shirley

I received a letter from Riley Barnhart several years ago. He said, "About 1846, my grandpa JACOB BARNHART and grandmother Martha (Shirley) BARNHART moved to Missouri and grandpa Adam SHIRLEY moved with them. Grandpa Adam SHIRLEY lived by or with them the rest of his life. He lived to be 114 years old."

William Luther Shirley born in Cannon County Tennessee Oct 30, 1874 was the 8th child of Newton Jasper and Sarah Seal Shirley. His family moved to Hill County Texas in the 1880's and he alone returned to round up horses and ship them from Kansas City to Tennessee. His first wife was Mollie Knight, whom he married in Hillsboro, Texas in 1893.

On August 5, 1900 he married Mary Shirley who was the daughter of his first cousin. He served as Sheriff of Cannon County Tennessee from 1910 to 1914. The family lived in Woodbury, the county seat.

William, Mary and their children moved to Nashville in 1919 where he worked for the State of  Tennessee. His official title was Transportation Officer for the Tennessee State Prison. Unofficially he was known as a "long chain man".  His primary duty was  to travel to other towns and cities and escort prisoners back to Nashville. At times he was the lone guard for a dozen or more men. They were joined together by hand cuffs and let irons and chains and were transported by train.  Once on board the chain had to be stretched out in order for the prisoners to be seated.

William left state employment and worked on the police force for the powder plant  at Old Hickory, TN during WWI. Later he became a railroad detective for the Louisville to New Orleans. He retired as Chief Detective. When the government shipped whiskey by rail during the Prohibition he rode with the shipment until it was unloaded to prevent a train robbery. He knew Frank James, brother of the Jesse James, following Frank's release from prison. He also claimed kin to Belle Starr since she too was a Shirley. This kinship has not been substantiated.

After the death of his second wife, he took as his 3rd wife Lula Ella Nalls. William Shirley died in 1942. Mrs. Shirley continued to live in their home on Elkins Ave in Nashville until 1979.