The Honorable Theodore "Bud" Shackelford
 of Missouri and Oklahoma

Theodore Shackelford was the son of William Clopton Shackelford and Mary Jane Kennedy and the grandson of Agnes Clopton and her husband, Thomas Shackelford. He was a direct descendant of William Clopton, Gentleman and Ann (Booth) Dennett Clopton. Born on December 6, 1854 in Saline County Missouri, his first wife was Willie Harris, whom he married March 24, 1881. She died circa 1894. They had no children. On January 14, 1906, he married Tip Ara Hoffman in what was still called "Indian Territory," later to become Konawa, Oklahoma. Tip's parents were John Hoffman and Martha "Mattie" Barnett. Bud Shackelford, as he was known to family and friends, died May 3, 1914 at Shawnee, Oklahoma. They are both buried in the Konawa Cemetery. They had three daughters: Leoti Dora Shackelford Comfort, Mary Katherine Shackelford Cochrane, and Orienne Mildred "Pickie" Shackelford Evans.

He first moved to Tecumseh, Oklahoma prior to 1900 with his brother, Edward, and two married sisters. He was a teacher and Superintendent of Schools in Tecumseh. He then moved to Konawa, Oklahoma in late 1904 when the area was first opened for settlement. He became one of Oklahoma's leading pioneer citizens. He was the first Mayor of Konawa and the first superintendent of the Konawa Public Schools. He was also one of the founders of the Konawa Methodist Church where he was the first superintendent of it's Sunday School.

On September 26, 1993, a portrait of Theodore Shackelford was unveiled and presented to the Konawa Library Board. The painting, done by his great grandson, the well known commercial artist, Bryan T. Leister, was made possible by a generous donation to the library by his grandson, William T. Comfort. His two surviving daughters, Leoti and Mary, were present at the unveiling as well as several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Contributed by :

Colonel Carl L. & Marie Love Cochrane, GVMR68A@Prodigy.com
and Suellen Clopton Blanton, bblanton@fast.net
Based on A December 1994 Article of The Clopton Family Newsletter