George Madison Shelley was Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in 1878-1879.

Shelley was born in Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

 and moved to Kansas City in 1870. He was a grocer, president of the City Council and Board of Public Works.

During his tenure he was to encourage the Exodusters

Exodusters

Exodusters was a name given to African Americans who fled the Southern United States for Kansas in 1879 and 1880. After the end of Reconstruction, racial oppression and rumors of the reinstitution of slavery led many freedmen to seek a new place to live....

movement through Kansas City to Kansas.

After leaving office he became the city postmaster.