B. F. CANTRELL was born in Caldwell County, Ky., August 9, 1826, and is a son of James and Hannah (Wadlington) Cantrell, natives of South Carolina and Kentucky. Thompson Cantrell, subject's grandfather, was born in South Carolina, and in an early day moved to Indiana, where he died about 1833. James Wadlington, subject's maternal grandfather, a native of North Carolina, came to Kentucky several years before the present century, and settled about one and a quarter miles east of Princeton, on what is now known as the Eldred farm. He was a man of considerable prominence, and at one time owned a large number of slaves. He died in 1853, at the age of eighty years. James Cantrell, subject's father, was a soldier in the war of 1812. He came to Caldwell County many years ago, and settled two and one-half miles east of Princeton, and died in 1872, aged eighty-three years. Mrs. Cantrell died in 1865, at the age of sixty years. B. F. Cantrell remained with his parents on the farm until the age of twenty-five years, and in 1847 went as a soldier to Mexico in Company C, Third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. His regiment was in Gen. Scott's command, but saw no active service, aside from marching to the Mexican capital, when the American army took possession of that city. After returning from the army he engaged in farming on the old home place, where he remained until 1852, when he purchased a farm seven miles south of Princeton. He has since owned a number of farms and purchased his present farm of 160 acres in 1869, and has resided upon it since that time. Mr. Cantrell was married to Elvira A. Dunning, daughter of Miles and Patsey Dunning, of Trigg County, Ky., January 9, 1852. To this marriage the following children were born: Rodolphus (deceased), Mary B. (deceased), Forrest (deceased), Henry B. (deceased), and E. H. Mrs. Cantrell died in 1861, aged thirty-three years. Mr. Cantrell's second marriage took place September 6, 1864, to Mary E. Adams, daughter of Sanford and Elizabeth Adams, of Caldwell County. This union has been blessed by the following children: Robert E. (deceased), Florence, Mallibert, S. J., Albert R. and J. J. Wheeler.
Source: J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin, & G. C. Kniffin. Kentucky. A History of the State. Louisville, KY, Chicago, IL: Battey, 1885. Pages 692-693.