Chapter 6: Shepherd

William Shepherd was born in North Carolina. On April 17, 1753 in Lancaster County, Virginia, he married Jemima "Jamimah" Johnson born (in either King William, Virginia or North Carolina) to Lewis and Eliza Johnson. They had eight children, all born in North Carolina: Jaspar, John Hartwell (1765), Jacob, William Jr., Thomas, Elizabeth, Issac, Dorcas. Issac Shepherd married Martha Poe and had eight children. William Shepherd, Jr. married Elizabeth Yerby. William died in July 1801 in Anson County, North Carolina. Jamimah died after 1810.

In August 1765 William and Jeminah sell 150 acres of land in Craven County, SC (now Lancaster County) to one Robert Garner. In August 1772 an additional 100 acres in the same county was sold to Robert Garner. On 6 November 1778 William (W) Shepherd, planter, and wf Jamiah sold to John Belk, Senr., for 100 pounds current North Carolina Money, 200 acres on Strouds Fork of Lynch Creek. Witnessed by: James and Britain Belk. Proved in Oct 1782 Court by oath of James Belk. In the 1780 and 1790 time period land records indicate that William acquired several tracts of land in Anson County in the Lanes Creek area. Many other families associated with the Shepherds (Wickers, Whites, Yerbys, McMillons, Deasons, Renfros and Bennetts) also had land holdings in this area. In 1795 William transferred land located on Cowpens Branch and Wickers Creek to Jesse Lewellyn (husband of his daughter, Dorcas). In 1797 he transferred tracts on Lanes Creek to his sons, Jacob and William Jr. He also deeded land on Lanes Creekto the Baptist Church of Christ at this time. In 1798 he sold land on Strouds Fork of Lynches Creek to Alex Thompson and in 1799 he deeded land on Lanes Creek to his son, Isaac. In 1790 William is shown as owner of two slaves and in 1800 he is shown as owning four slaves. He appears on the tax lists of Mecklenberg County, North Carolina in 1798 and 1799. In his will of May 21, 1801, he leaves his son John land on both sides of Wicker branch joining Thomas Stewarts place and Rosses Lands, 202 acres; to his son, Thomas, part of the three tracts that now remains including "the plantation I now live on, only the house I value to $400 which he is to keep and an equal division of the price to be made amongst them all", and to his wife Jemima he leaves the negroes and "as much of the other property as she thinks proper to keep on the place she now lives on for her freely to enjoy with the assistance of my son Thomas Shepherd." His will was witnessed by William Ross and David Ross and rebated July 1801 with Enock Deason as a witness (Enoch Deason may be a relative of William Sr.'s mother.) In the 1810 Census of Anson County, North Carolina, Jemima is shown as a head of the household, over 45, with another white female, age 16-26, and a total of six slaves.

I also found a lead that suggests: Thomas Shepherd, born after 1633, married after 1658, died between April 1796 and June 1697 in Northampton County, Virginia, three sons: Thomas (1659), William (1661), John (1663). His son, William Shepherd, born after 1661, married Esther, died 1702 in Northampton County, two children: Sarah, William. His son, William Shepherd, spouse unknown, son Issac Shepherd (born before 1714). Could these be ancestors of our William Shepherd?

William Shepherd, Jr. was born in North Carolina around 1772 in Anson County, North Carolina. In 1792, also in Anson County, he married Elizabeth Yerby.

Yerby Family History

Thomas Yerby was Elizabeth Yerby's great, great grandfather. He was born in 1657, possibly in Virginia or England. He married Ann Carter. They had at least one son, John (1687). Thomas died in 1716, possibly in Lancaster County, Virginia. Ann died around 1720.

John Yerby was born in 1687 in Lancaster County, Virginia. He married Katherin Stamps who had been born about 1690 in Lancaster County. They had at leat one son, William (1728). John died in 1737 in Lancaster County and Katherin died in 1745, also in Lancaster County.

William Yerby was born in 1728 in Lancaster County, Virginia. He married Frances Margaret McTyre on April 17, 1758 in Lancaster. Frances had been born about 1730 in Virginia to Robert McTyre and Elizabeth Frizell. We know William and Frances Yerby had at least two children, Everett (1762) and Elizabeth (1778). Everett was born in Lancaster, Elizabeth in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. William Yerby appears on the 1806 tax list of Mecklenberg County.

Elizabeth Yerby was born around 1778 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and married William Shepherd.

William and Elizabeth Shepherd had an amazing 15 children, all born in Anson County: Michael LeGrand (1793), John (1795), William III (c1796) , Mary Louisa (c1798), Isaac (1802), Hughley "Hugh" (1803), Frances S. (1805), Nancy, Jamiriah, Sarah (1811), Jacob Solon (1812), Robert (1815), Richmond Mack (1820), Thomas (1824), Elizabeth. With so many children, I am not going to detail each of their lives. William, Jr. died about 1823 in Anson County.

In the 1800 Federal Census of Anson County, North Carolina, William is shown as the head of household, age 26-45, with 3 males under 10 and 1 female 16-26 in the household. In the 1810 census of Anson County, William is shown as the head of household, age 26-45 with 3 males under 10, 3 males 10-16, 1 male 16-26, 1 female 26-45 and 3 females under 10 in his household. In the 1820 census, Anson County, North Carolina show William Jr. with 3 males under 10, 1 male 10-16, 1 male 16-18, 4 males 16-26, 1 male over 45, 3 females under 10, 3 females 10-16, 1 female over 45, and 7 slaves. In his will dated December 6, 1822, William Jr. leaves his wife: land, mill, and plantation, plantation tools, household furniture, and money to buy stock. He also names his children in his will: William, John, Michael, Hugh, Isaac, Franky, and NancySheppard. Exrs. Elizabeth, Jessie Lewellin, & Michael Shepherd.Probated April 1823. In the Deed Records for Anson County, North Carolina 15 Jan 1843 and Deed Records, Union County, North Carolina Book 1 page 208 1845 reflect transfer of lands belonging to William Shepherd (Jr.) Estate to buyers Gabriel Collins and Joseph Blair.

In 1830 and in 1840 Elizabeth and the younger children are still living in Anson County. Sometime around 1845 Elizabeth, together with other members of her family, move to Fayette County, Alabama where two married sons had settled previously. Elizabeth Yerby Shepherd was murdered near Newtonville, Fayette County, Alabama by a young slave woman named Pherebe around 1848. She was murdered in the late afternoon just before dark as the old widow sat on the back door steps, feeding her chickens. The young slave woman cuped (sic) on her old defenseless mistress and slit her throat with a butcher knife. It is said Pherebe believed that if she murdered her mistress, she would be free. After two years in jail, during the trial and her appeals, Pherebe was hung about 1851.

Hughley "Hugh" Shepherd, the sixth child of William and Elizabeth, was born in 1803 in Anson County, North Carolina. He received one league of land in Burnet Colony. On May 16, 1835, he entered Texas at Nacogdoches. He married Elizabeth Reed (perhaps Elizabeth Jane Reed) around 1829 in Tennessee.

Reed Family History

Nathan Reed was born on June 2, 1749 in Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina. His wife was born in 1760 in Ireland, her last name may have been Bateman. They had two children, William (1775) and Isaac (1776), both born in Pendleton, South Carolina. Nathan died in 1781.

Isaac Reed was born on June 6, 1776 in Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina. He was a Baptist minister. On September 17, 1797, in Pendleton, he married Elizabeth Harper, who had been born on March 20, 1779 in Pendleton. There are records related to Isaac Reed in 1808 at the Hopewell Baptist Church, Franklin County, Tennessee. In 1826 he received a land grant. On January 21, 1835 he entered Texas through Nacogdoches. In 1836, he was provided with corn fooder and potatoes. He established Reeds Settlement in Panola County, moved to Clayton and built the Old Bethel Church, helped establish the Old North Church in Nacogdoches, and the Macedonia Church in Panola County. Reverand Isaac and Elizabeth had eight children: William B. (1798), Mary "Polly" (1800), Samuel (1802), Margaret (1808), Elizabeth II (1812), John Harper (1814), Isaac (1814), Frances "Frankie" (1821). Reverand Isaac died on November 23, 1848 in Panola, Texas and he is buried in the Bethel Cemetery there. Elizabeth died in 1855 in Panola, Texas.

Elizabeth Reed II was born in 1812 in Franklin, Tennessee.

Hugh and Elizabeth Shepherd had seven children, the first two were born in Tennessee, the other five were born in Panola County, Texas. They were: William Jaspar (1830), Louisa (or Eliza) (1832), Frances M. (1838), Panola "Pervilla" (1841), Issac Melton (1854), Samuel R. (1847), Richmond "Richard" M. (1849).

In the 1830 census of Henderson County, Tennesse, Hugh and his wife appear with 1 son under the age of 5 years. In the 1850 census, Hugh is shown as a 47 year old living with his family in Panola County, Texas. His family consists of Elizabeth (38), Frances (12), Panola (9), Isaac (6), Samuel (3), Richmond (9 months). All children living at home were born in Texas indicating Hugh and Elizabeth migratedfrom Tennessee on or before 1838 and probably around 1835. Living nearby is their son, William J (20), his wife, Eliza (17) and their son, Samuel (5 months). Also nearby is the widowed mother of Elizabeth, Elizabeth Reed, and her children (3 sons and 1 daughter).

Hugh died in November 1852 in Carthage, Panola County, Texas. Elizabeth remarried, to Samuel M. Pike, on June 3, 1855 in Nacogdoches. Elizabeth died only a few months later in 1855 in Clayton, Panola County, Texas. Samuel Pike and her son William settled her estate.

William Jaspar Shephed (also Japser) was born about 1830 in Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Pike on July 20, 1848 in Panola County, Texas. They had five children: Isaac M., William F., Sarah J., James R., Samuel (1850). Elizabeth died in Texas sometime between 1850 and 1860. On January 14, 1860, William Jaspar married Sarah Jane Summers Simpson and had three more children, Martha P., William J. and Margaret M.

Louisa Shepherd was born on July 13, 1832 in Tennessee. On January 29, 1846 in Rusk, Texas, she married William Fletcher Nelson, who had been born on April 12, 1817 in New York. They had four children, all born in Panola, Texas: Mary Elizabeth (1847), Joseph Henry (1849), William Frederick (1851), Henry Claude "Buddy" (1863). William Fletcher died on May 28, 1883 in Longview, Gregg County, Texas. Louisa died on July 6, 1884 in Clayton, Panola County, Texas.

Frances M. Shepherd was born about 1838 in Texas. She married Park M. Walton on July 8, 1857 in Panola County, Texas. They had at least one son, Elbert Walton.

Panola "Pervilla" Shepherd was born around 1841 in Texas. She married Algernon S. Harris on May 26, 1856 in Panola. I don't believe they ever had any children and I don't know what happened to him. Pervilla next married David Humber Richardson on September 5, 1860 in Nacogdoches, Texas. They had three children, Nannie, Frances Louisa and Thomas Franklin.

Samuel R. Shepherd was born about 1747 in Texas. He married Mary A. Allen on March 21, 1872 in Carthage, Panola County, Texas. they had at least one daughter, Mattie (1866). Samuel died in 1937.

I don't know much about Richmond "Richard" M. Shepherd except that he was born on September 12, 1850 in Panola, Texas.

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