Cordelia Shifley was born in 1860 in Ohio, probably in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County.  If the census taker's entries were correct, she was 16 days old as of June 1, 1860.  Cordelia's parents were Christian Gottleib Scheifley and Caroline Augusta Holoch, German immigrants who made their way west until sometime in the mid 1860s, when they put down roots in the farmland of Tennessee Township, McDonough County, Illinois.  Follow the link to Christian and Caroline for further discussion of the family's location in 1860.

James and Cornelia were married on February 19, 1884.  Reverend A. C. Calkins performed the ceremony, witnessed by B. D. Walker and N. L. Butcher.  Marriage Documents

In 1900 they were residing in the village of Tennessee in McDonough County, where James made his living as a carpenter.  They had not been blessed with children.

By 1910 the couple had relocated to Chicago and they remained there, perhaps for the rest of their lives.  In each census year they were at different addresses.  James was a streetcar motorman.

Both James and Cordelia died after April 1, 1930, burial locations undetermined.

Rufus Knotts, 24, male, farmer, value of real estate 1200, value of personal estate 256, born Jackson Co VA
Matilda H, 28, female, born Lewis Co, VA
James, 2/12, male, born Lewis Co, VA
Nancy Hull, 10, female, serving, born Gilmer Co, VA

Godleib Shifley, 31, male, day laborer, born Wurtemburg
Caroline, 26, female, born Wurtemburg
Maxamilian, 6, male, born PA, attended school within the year
Jesse Casar, 4, male, born PA
Clara, 16 days, female, born OH  [Cornelia]

[Hugo was missed; all later records support a birth year of 1858.]

Knotts, Rufus, 34, male, white, merchant, value of real estate 1000, value of personal estate 800, born VA, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Matilda, 36, female, white, keeping house, born VA
James, 11, male, white, no occupation, born VA, attended school within the year
[continued on next page]
William R, 7, male, white, born VA, attended school within the year
Mary, 4, female, white, born WV
Alice, 3, female, white, born WV
Absalom, 2, male, white, born WV
Anna, 2/12, female, white, born WV

Shively, Gootlieb, 41, male, white, laborer, value of personal estate 250, born Wurtembourg, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Caroline, 35, female, white, keeps house, born Wurtembourg, both parents foreign born
Maximillian, 15, male, white, born PA, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Cesar, 14, male, white, born PA, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Hugo, 12, male, white, born OH, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Cornelia, 10, female, white, born OH, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Lincoln, 8, male, white, born OH, both parents foreign born, attended school within the year
Charles, 5, male, white, born IL, both parents foreign born
George, 3, male, white, born IL, both parents foreign born
Sarah, 1, female, white, born IL, both parents foreign born

Knotts, Rufus, white, male, 44, married, farmer, born WV, both parents born WV
Matilda H, white, female, 47, wife, married, keeping house, born WV, both parents born WV
James, white, male, 20, son, single, farmer, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents born WV
Wm R, white, male, 16, son, single, farmer, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents born WV
Mary E, white, female, 14, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents born WV
Alice S, white, female, 13, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents born WV
Henry A, white, male, 11, son, single, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents
born WV
Anna S, white, female, 10, daughter, single, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents born WV
Charles C, white, male, 5, son, single, attended school within the year, born WV, both parents
born WV

Shiffley, Caroline, white, female, 45, widow, keeping house, born Wurtenburg, father born France, mother born Stuttgart
Maxamillian, white, male, 25, son, single, farming, born PA, both parents born Wurtenburg
Julius C, white, male, 23, son, single, farming, born PA, both parents born Wurtenburg
Hugo, white, male, 22, son, single, farming, born OH, both parents born Wurtenburg
Cornelia, white, female, 20, daughter, single, K at home, born OH, both parents born Wurtenburg
Abraham L, white, male, 18, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born OH, both parents born Wurtenburg
Charles, white, male, 15, son, single, farming, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg
George, white, male, 13, son, single, farming, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg
Sarah, white, female, 11, daughter, single, farming [sic], attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg
Dorah, white, female, 9, daughter, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg
Jackson, white, male, 7, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg
William, white, male, 5, son, single, at home, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born Wurtenburg

Knotts, James, head, white, male, Mar 1860, 40, married for 16 years, born WV, both parents born WV, carpenter, months not employed - 3, could read, write and speak English, rented his home

Cornelia, wife, white, female, May 1860, 40, married for 16 years, mother of 0 children, born OH, both parents born Germany, [no entries for literacy or ability to speak English]

Knotts, James, head, male, white, 50, married (1st) for 26 years, born WV, both parents born WV, spoke English, motorman, street rr [or street ry], employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 4, could read and write, rented his home

Cornelia [poorly written], wife, female, white, 49, married (1st) for 26 years, mother of 0 children, born OH, both parents born Ger German, spoke English, could read and write

Knotts, James, head, renter,male, white, 59, married, could read and write, born WV, father born OH, mother born WV, spoke English, motorman, street railway, working for wages

Cornelia, wife, female, white, 59, married, could read and write, born OH; both parents born Germany, native tongue German; spoke English

Knotts, James, head, whether owned or rented - unknown, male, white, 70, married, age at first marriage - 24, could read and write, born WV, both parents born WV, spoke English, motorman, street car, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or
expedition - no

Cornelia, wife, female, white, 69, married, age at first marriage - 23, could read and write, born OH, both parents born Germany, spoke English