Hello From Scotland! September 29, 2015

I am a Scot.

I do not need your approval.

Great things are in my immediate future.

Watch me do exactly what you said I could not.

~ Old Scottish saying

Greetings today from Edinburgh, Scotland where Cindy and I are continuing on vacation. The first picture was taken yesterday and shows Cindy and me in St George's Square here in Edinburgh. In the background is a statue of a Lion, which is a symbol of the country of Scotland, dating back to the time of Richard I, the Lion Heart.

Many of you know about the importance of Ireland in our family history, being the ancestral home of many of those in our family tree. But did you know that many of our Irish immigrant ancestors had parents or grandparents who were from Scotland?

Among our Scots-Irish ancestors is immigrant Thomas Shannon (1686-1737). His American descendant Dexal Shannon was the one who wrote the book "Shannon" which is the closest thing to a definitive history of that part of our family that we have. Thomas Shannon's grandfather John Shannon was originally from Scotland, born here in 1601. 

In another part of our family tree is Jane Alexander McNitt (1665-1691), who immigrated from Ireland to what is now America in 1678 as a wide-eyed 13 year old girl. Her grandfather Robert Alexander (1610-1704) was born in Stirling, Scotland, just 35 miles up the road from where we are today in Edinburgh.


These are only two of those in our family tree who trace their roots to Scotland, this interesting country where Cindy and I are visiting for the first time. 

Happy Birthday, Alexandria! Today, September 29, is the birthday of Alexandria Cotten, of San Antonio, Texas, one of the direct descendants of the aforementioned Scots Irish ancestors Thomas Shannon and Jane Alexander McNitt. Lexi is the younger daughter of Heather and Sean Cotten, and another one of the GG Grandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower.

This second picture shows Lexi with her mother Heather Robson Cotten. Lexi's grandmother is my cousin Paula Tuzzolino and her Great Grandmother is Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington.

Happy Birthday Cathrina! Today we celebrate another Texas birthday. It is the birthday of Cathrina Helms Clark. She and husband Jerry Clark live today in Lubbock, Texas. On the right is a picture of Jerry and Cathrina with their dog while hiking in the mountains this past summer.

Happy Birthday Kellan! Happy Birthday this Thursday, October 1, to Kellan Christopher Shepard who will celebrate his first birthday! Best wishes to Kellan and his parents Rachel Shepard and Brian Miller, and his Grandparents Darrell and Mary Shepard, all of whom live in Bothell, Washington. 

This final picture, taken at our family reunion back in August, shows Kellan with mom and dad, Rachel and Brian. Kellan's Great Grandmother is my mom Maida Shepard of Anacortes, Washington.
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Steve Shepard

Our Roots in Monroe County, Ohio, July 21, 2015

A person represents each of several of his ancestors, 

and they constitute the variety of notes 

for that new piece of music 

which his life is. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Greetings to all of you from Columbus, Ohio where Cindy and I find ourselves on this beautiful July day. We are here in Columbus to attend the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This has given us a chance to travel to Monroe County in Eastern Ohio, where we have some important family roots.

In the early 19th century my GGG Grandparents Alexander Davis (1819-1866) and Jane Buskirk (1823-1895) were born in Monroe County. In the 1840s they married here, bought some property, started a farm and began a family. What we have been looking for, in our few days here in Ohio, was some kind of historical evidence of their lives here. We found some records of property purchase by Alexander and then some property sales ($20 for a number of acres!), as well as some graves of family members.

Above on the right is a picture of the grave of Jane Buskirk Davis' Grandparents Samuel and Charity Foggin Buskirk, who also lived here in Monroe County. They migrated to this part of Ohio from Pennsylvania. He died in 1841, she in 1847. They are buried in Rutter Cemetery along Sunfish Creek, just a few miles up the creek from the town of Clarington on the Ohio River. Sam and Charity's headstone is barely readable at over 150 years old, but is one more piece of evidence clearly showing our family's roots in Monroe County, Ohio.

When Alex and Jane Davis settled in Indiana in the 1850s they were among the first members of a new church start in Owen County called the New Union Church of Christ, which was part of the Restoration Movement, also called the Stone-Campbell movement. That movement had its beginning in the area not far from Monroe County, Ohio. Did Alex and Jane bring their connection to the Stone-Campbell movement with them when they settled in Indiana? In my next blog post I will share some thoughts and findings relating to our family's connections to the Restoration Movement in Ohio in the early 1800s.

The following is a 10 generation lineage from Samuel Buskirk and Charity Foggin Buskirk down to the present.

• Samuel Blackmore Buskirk (1765-1847) who married Charity Ann Foggin (1762-1841)
• John Foggin Buskirk (1795-1873) who married Mary Terry (1807-1886)
• Jane Buskirk (1823-1895) who married Alexander Davis (1819-1866)
• Charles E. Davis (1849-1926) who married Malinda Wright (1847-1920)
• James Brooks Davis (1870-1928) who married Callie Spear (1865-1951)
• Bura Davis (1896-1986) who married William Shepard (1888-1976)
• Eugene Shepard (1921-2003) who married Maida Gower (b. 1924)
• Steven Shepard (b. 1948) who married Cindy Harris (b. 1948)
• Nathan Shepard (b. 1977) who married Chenda Sou (b. 1980)
• William Quincy Shepard (b. 2012)

Feeling the need to move westward, Alexander and Jane Davis, about 1851, packed up their two kids, Sarah and Charles, and moved to Spencer, Indiana, where their family continued to grow and where they remained settled for several generations. Indeed some of their descendants live in Spencer, Indiana even today. 


Part of that family growth was their Great Granddaughter (my Grandmother) Bura Davis Shepard, who was born in Spencer in 1896.

Victoria Cotton. Happy birthday this week to two of our extended family members. First, birthday wishes go out to Victoria (Tori) Cotton, who turns 8 this Thursday, July 23. She is the daughter of Sean and Heather Robson Cotton of Austin, Texas. Tori is the granddaughter of my cousin Paula Tuzzolini and is also the Great Granddaughter of my aunt (and her namesake) Victoria Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington. My aunt Vicki just said goodbye to her husband Duke Johnston, whose memorial service was in Oak Harbor this past week. 

Heather: Tori is a very special little girl and I am grateful that God chose us to be her parents! She is turning 8. She's a great big sister and a wonderful artist! The second picture shows Tori (on the right) with her sister Lexi.

Shannon Wilk. And best wishes to Shannon Wilk who will have a birthday on Friday of this week. Shannon is one of the Great Granddaughters of William and Bura Davis Shepard. Shannon lives in Atchison, Kansas with her daughter Emma Beverly Jean Wilk.

This final picture shows Shannon Wilk and was taken earlier this year. Happy Birthday Shannon!
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Steve Shepard

Happy Independence Day! July 4, 2015

Liberty is always dangerous,

but it is the safest thing we have.

~Harry Emerson Fosdick

Happy Independence Day to all of you, wherever you may be and however you and your family may be celebrating this great summer holiday!

Wedding Bells for Shaun and Tracy! Congratulations to my cousin Shaun Gower and his bride Tracy Sanders who were married this morning at 8 a.m. at beautiful Seagrove Park, overlooking the ocean in Del Mar, California. This first picture shows the happy couple Shaun and Tracy on the occasion of this morning's wedding.

Tying the knot on Independence Day may seem unusual to some, but it was a lovely event that reflected the great joy and love that Shaun and Tracy share. Congratulations and best wishes to them both! 

It was a beautiful informal, outdoor ceremony attended by a few close family and friends, including Tracy's mom and three of her four sons. I was honored to be the one to perform the ceremony. The early morning breeze was blowing a peaceful wind that made it a solemn but joyous occasion. 


Shaun is the first of the 14 Great Grandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. He is the son of Hershell and Janet Nolan Gower. Janet passed away many years ago, while Hershell lives today with his wife Shelly in Bullhead City, Arizona.

This second picture was also taken this morning and shows some of those who attended the wedding, including Nathan and William Shepard, the bride Tracy, Tracy's mom Mary Messersmith, and other attendees at the morning event. After the wedding, the group attended the closing day of the nearby San Diego County Fair at Del Mar.

Happy Anniversary Sean and Heather! This past Wednesday was the wedding anniversary of Sean and Heather Robson who were married 15 years ago. Sean and Heather and their two daughters Tori and Lexi live in South Texas.

Heather is the granddaughter of Vicki Gower Johnston who lives with her husband Duke in Oak Harbor, Washington. Heather -- like Sean Gower, mentioned above -- is one of the Great Grandchildren of the late Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower.

This third picture shows Sean and Heather with Heather's mom Paula Tuzzolino at Cranberry Park on Whidbey Island in Washington last summer, with the famous Deception Pass Bridge in the background. Best wishes and happy anniversary to Sean and Heather!
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Steve Shepard

Happy Father's Day, June 20, 2015

My father gave me the greatest gift

anyone could give another person.

He believed in me.

~Jim Valvano

Tomorrow, June 21, is the anniversary of our son and daughter-in-law, Nathan and Chenda Sou Shepard, who were married on June 21, 2009. On that day 6 years ago Father's Day, their anniversary, and the Summer Solstice all occurred on June 21, a rare occurrance that happens again this year. Nate and Chenda live in San Diego with their 3 children Preslea, Logan and William. Happy Anniversary to Nate and Chenda!

This first picture shows Nate and Chenda at their home on Dicenza Way here in San Diego. 

Tomorrow is also the day we honor all father's in our midst. And we remember those fathers who have gone before us. I want to mention two in particular: my grandfather Leroy Gower and my brother in law Joe Paul Harris. Though they have been gone for many years, these two are remembered warmly by those who knew them as father and grandfather.

Leroy Gower (1899-1974) was a turn of the century baby, born June 25, 1899. Originally from a small farming family, he was born 116 years ago near Mountain View, Arkansas. He and his wife-to-be Nola Shannon were from the same small farming community west of Mountain View and probably knew each other as children. When they married in Arkansas she was a teenager and he was just 22 years old. 

After just a few married years -- and the birth of their first two children -- he and Nola moved westward and settled in Okemah, Oklahoma. After 17 years there they moved on to San Diego where they lived most of the rest of their lives. Leroy (and Nola) had the rich opportunity to live in fairly close proximity to their 3 children and their 12 grandchildren in San Diego as they watched them grow to adulthood. 

The above picture of Leroy was taken in 1973 -- just a year before he died -- on the occasion of an unknown funeral at the Little Chapel of the Roses in Glen Abbey Cemetery in Chula Vista, California. Do any of you know who the funeral was for? It was a service attended by several Gower and Shepard family members. Leroy looks to be holding his great granddaughter Kelly Shepard.

Joe Paul Harris (1950-2009). On this weekend of Father's Day, I am also remembering Joe Paul Harris, my wife Cindy's brother, who was a midcentury baby, born June 23, 1950, 65 years ago this coming Tuesday. He died in the spring of 2009 in Naknek, Alaska where he had lived the last 20 years of his life. He and his wife Jane raised their 3 children in San Diego. This picture of Joe Paul shows him with his father Joe Harris and his first born child, Cadence Harris Martin, in 1975. 

Also On This Weekend.  In celebration of the above mentioned men, and all the fathers in our extended family, I offer the following updated Father's Day presentation with music by Michael Buble, which honors fathers in our family through the years.

  

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Steve Shepard

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice, February 7, 2015

Sugar and spice and everything nice;

that's what little girls are made of.

Happy Birthday today to my cousin Paula Harrell Tuzzolino. Paula lives with her husband Frank Tuzzolino in Sun Lakes, Arizona. Her mom, Vicki Gower Johnston lives with husband Duke in Oak Harbor, Washington.

The first picture shows Paula on the right, next to her daughter Heather and Heather's husband Sean and their children. This picture was taken last summer when Paula and her part of our family had a reunion in Oak Harbor, Washington. In the background of this picture is the scenic and historic Deception Pass Bridge near Oak Harbor.

Paula is originally from San Diego and is one of the 12 grandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. All 12 of us grandkids were mid-century children born in Southern California in the two decades after the Gowers moved from Oklahoma to San Diego in 1942. Actually two of the Gower grandchilden, Paula's brothers David and Michael Harrell, grew up in San Diego, but were born in Japan when their father Carl Harrell was stationed there while in the military in the mid 1950s.

Paula and husband Frank split their time these days between warm and sunny Arizona and scenic Western Washington. They also occasionally make their way to San Antonio, Texas where daughter Heather lives with husband Sean and their children Lexi and Tori, Paula's grandchildren.

It seems these days I am being drawn to family pictures of babies and young children, pictures that capture the feel of childhood and family life in the early years of our Gower and Shepard families, especially in San Diego. 

The second picture I am including (above) is a pajama pic showing 3 or 4 year old Paula on the left with her cousin Linda Shepard (1950-1971) on the right.

They were born just months apart and were very close as children. This picture appears to have been taken in front of the Shepard home on Ulric Street in San Diego about 1954.

The third picture was probably taken a couple of years later and shows Paula on the right and her sister Gloria in their Sunday finest, gloves and all. It was probably taken in San Diego although I cannot identify the exact location or the circumstances. Happy Birthday and best wishes to Paula!
- - -
Steve Shepard

Happy Halloween Tomorrow! October 31, 2013

Life's no fun
without a good scare.
~Danny Elfman

Happy Spooky Day tomorrow! Even here on our Cruise people are getting into the Holloween Spirit with costumes and other holiday activities.

Happy Birthday Pam! Yester- day, October 30, was the birthday of Pam Engan Shepard who has lived all her 40-something years in Anacortes, Washington. Pam is the mother of Steven and Linda Shepard. Best wishes to Pam and many happy returns of the day!

The first picture shows Pam (second from right) with Russ and their children Linda and Steven. This picture was taken this past summer at the Shepard family reunion in Anacortes, Washington.

Mom's Birthday. Tomorrow is the birthday of my mother Maida Shepard of Anacortes, Washington. It is hard to believe that she has lived in Washington State for over 35 years now! In 1978 she and husband Eugene moved to Anacortes from San Diego where they raised their 6 children. 

Maida is celebrating Halloween, as well as her birthday, by taking a Hawaiian cruise with me and Cindy and Cindy's mom Paula Harris. So far it has been a wonderful adventure and the four of us look forward to the rest of our journey at sea.

The second picture was taken this past summer and shows Maida giving her great grandson Logan A. Shepard a computer lesson. Look closely in her eyes and you can see what sophisticated lesson she is teaching him.

Happy Halloween! In celebration of our strange family on this strangest of American holidays, the following photo presentation is offered. It shows many of our our older and younger family members from various locations around the country, in Halloween costumes and other holiday poses. Some of these pictures are recent and others from many years ago. 

"This is Halloween..."

  

- - -
Steve Shepard

The Fire In Me Now, Oct 17, 2013

Perhaps my best years are gone,

but I wouldn't want them back.

Not with the fire in me now.

~Samuel Beckett

Hello family and friends, and greetings to all of you from San Diego where October is bringing warm weather and pleasant days.

Bill Russell, 1908-1997. Tomorrow, October 18, is the birthday of my late uncle Bill Russell, who was married to my aunt Pauline Shepard Russell for 62 years until he died in San Diego in 1997. Uncle Bill was originally from Oklahoma; he married Pauline Shepard in Two Buttes, Colorado in 1935; but he then moved in 1940 to Southern California where he and Pauline raised their family and lived the rest of their lives.

The first picture is an old one and shows Bill and Pauline in San Diego in 1957. During the 1950s and 1960s Bill and Pauline and their children Rex and Beverly were among the larger family of Will and Bura Davis Shepard who were close and would often gather for holiday meals or attend worship together at the El Cajon Blvd. Church of Christ.

Bill and Pauline have two grandchildren alive today: Eric Russell and Shannon Wilk. The second picture shows Eric and his wife Ruthie (top) who live in Nevada (although this picture was taken while on a Hawaiian vacation). The bottom half of the picture shows Shannon and her daughter Emma, who live in Kansas.

Happy Birthday Kori Boyd. Tomorrow is also the birthday of Kori Boyd of Coronado, California, one of the great granddaughters of Will and Bura Davis Shepard, and the daughter of Darren Boyd. She is a student at Coronado High School. Happy Birthday to Kori!

Vicki Gower Johnston's 80th Birthday! And finally, tomorrow is the 80th birthday of my aunt Vicki Gower Johnston, who lives with her husband Duke Johnston in Oak Harbor, Washington. Vicki is the younger daughter of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. She has the unique distinction of being the only one in our family who was born in Okemah, Oklahoma. 

Leroy and Nola and their family lived in Okemah (about an hour's drive east of Oklahoma City) for 17 years, from 1925 to 1942. It was something of an extended sojourn on their way from Arkansas, where they were both born, to San Diego, where they settled for the rest of their life together. 

Vicki spent the first 9 years of her life in Oklahoma, then lived in San Diego for many years. For almost 40 years now she has lived on Whidby Island in Northwest Washington. She is having serious struggles these days with health issues related to aging. Our prayers and best wishes are with her, her daughter Paula who is her primary care giver, and all her family.

The third picture, taken in Anacortes, Washington in 1995, shows Vicki's mother Nola Shannon Gower on the left, then Vicki, then her older daughter Paula Tuzzolino, and on the right, Vicki's granddaughter Heather Cotton.
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Steve Shepard

Summer Fun, September 26, 2013

We are all intertwined in one another's story.

We are all a part of each other's communities

despite our seeming differences.

~Ciona D. Rouse

Greetings to all of you from San Diego as summer draws to a close and fall has officially begun.

This Sunday is the birthday of Cathrina Clark, wife of Jerry Clark, of Lubbock, Texas. Best wishes to Cathrina for a wonderful birthday. The first picture shows Cathrina with her husband of 7 years Jerry Clark.

Cathrina: It's been another great year! I'm feeling very blessed this year. New job, more time off. I love being on the same work schedule as Jerry! Have so much to be thankful for. Glad Jerry was able to make the reunion. He enjoyed seeing everybody! Your grandkids are precious! Enjoy!

This Sunday, September 29 is also the birthday of little Alexandria Cotton, another Texan in our family, who will turn two years old. She is the daughter of Heather and Sean Cotton and the granddaughter of my cousin Paula Harrell Tuzzolino. Lexi and her sister are the two Ggranddaughters of Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington. Lexi and her family live in San Antonio, Texas.

With the arrival of fall, I am reminded of how quickly the seasons change. In the last few months, in all of our families, there has been lots of travels and activity, milestones and special memories and, hopefully, plenty of summer fun. The following photo presentation celebrates our family and shows a sampling of all the various activities, births, reunions, vacations, and a wide variety of happy events.

  

- - -
Steve Shepard

Family Reunion This Saturday, August 8, 2013

Family reunion:

a chance to share our history

a reason to celebrate our past

a time to welcome our future.

Hello family and friends! Greeting to all of you from Anacortes, Washington where Cindy and I are helping with the final arrangements for our family reunion this coming Saturday. It is obvious that the family members who live here have done a lot of work making arrangements and preparing for a wonderful gathering. We look forward to family and friends who will be here from places near and far this weekend at the family home on Wildwood Lane.

Happy Birthday Heather! Our family reunion this Saturday falls on the birthday of Heather Robson Cotton, a member of our family who lives in Texas but is from right here in Oak Harbor, Washington. Heather the daughter of Paula Tuzzolino, and the granddaughter of Vicki Gower Johnston. Heather lives with her husband and their two daughters in San Antonio. The first picture shows Heather with her older daughter Tori.

Happy Birthday Jeremy! This coming Monday, August 12, is the birthday of Jeremy Ortiz, who lives with his wife Desiree and their 5 children in Blue Springs, Missouri. Jeremy is one of the G grandchildren of Will and Bura Davis Shepard.

Desiree tells me that "Jeremy will be 33 this year! He is keeping busy here in Missouri working all the time and on his days off he is coaching oldest son Damian in football and Ashlyn in soccer. Such a good Daddy:) The picture I included is Jeremy and his best friend Armand on our recent trip to San Diego."

The latest news on Logan Joseph Shepard, the new baby of Patrick and Nicole Shepard, is good. He was born July 24, but remains in the hospital in Seattle and will have to be there for a few more weeks. The word I keep hearing from his family is that he is improving and doing better all the time. But he still has some real health concerns and remains in our prayers.

A Family Historian Extraordinaire. In a previous blog post I included a picture of a family reunion in Anacortes some years ago. I asked if anyone could name all of the people in the picture. (Scroll down two blog posts to see the group picture.) My mom Maida responded with at least the first names of everyone in the picture. She therefore deserves my praise as an extraordinary family historian! The picture was taken in 1994, and must have been taken by Gary's wife Cindy, who is the only one not in the picture.

And finally... it was 10 years ago today that my dad Eugene Shepard (1921-2003) died here in Anacortes, Washington with his family gathered around him. We remember him fondly and will always have him in our hearts.

He loved family reunions and will have a special place in our memories as we gather this Saturday. Thanks be to God for the good life he lived and the wonderful family legacy he leaves behind.
- - -
Steve Shepard

A Trio of Celebrations, Oct 18, 2012

I don't know who my grandfather was.

I am much more concerned 

to know what his grandson will be.

~Abraham Lincoln

Hello Family and Friends,

Greetings to all of you from Southern California here in the midst of fall leaves and cooler temperatures and finally the end of warm summer weather. Or so I thought. As I write this the temperatures have moved back into the 90s, so evidently we are not finished yet with some hot days.

Happy Birthday to Korilyn! Today, October 18, is the 15th birthday of Korilyn Boyd, who is the 20th of the 21 Ggrandchildren of Will and Bura Davis Shepard. She is also the youngest grandchild of Terry and Thelma Boyd of Blue Springs, Missouri and the youngest child of Darren Boyd and Victoria Boyd. She lives in Coronado, California and is a freshman at Coronado High School.
 
My Uncle Bill Russell. Today is the anniversary of the birthday of my late uncle Bill Russell (1908-1997), who I remember well as a terrific man with a great sense of humor. He and my aunt Pauline Shepard Russell were among the first in our family to move around 1940 from Colorado to San Diego where they lived the rest of their lives. Their descendants today are their grandson Eric Russell and his wife Ruthie of Red Rock, Nevada, and their granddaughter Shannon Wilk and her daughter Emma of Atchison, Kansas.

Happy Birthday to Vicki! And thirdly, today is also the birthday of my aunt Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington where she lives with her husband Duke Johnston. Vicki is the only member of our part of the Gower family to have been born in Oklahoma. As a girl she moved with her family in 1942 to San Diego where she was raised. For nearly 35 years now she has made her home on Whidbey Island in Western Washington.

The second picture shows Vicki in the middle, with her older daughter Paula Tuzzolino on the left, and her granddaughter Heather Cotton on the right. Heather tells me that this picture was taken in 2009 in Washington when she was visiting her mom and grandmother and they took the opportunity to get this three generation picture. The third picture shows Vicki's Ggranddaughter Heather in costume on Halloween.

Last Call For Halloween Pictures! If you have any family Halloween pictures that you would like for me to include in this year's Halloween photoshow, the time is now to send them to me. I need to have pictures by October 23 in order to include them. I would like to have pictures from all parts of our family.
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Steve

Family Treasures of Many Kinds, September 29, 2012

I have decided to be happy

because it is good for my health.

-Voltaire

Hello Family and Friends,

Greetings to all of you from Alameda, California where Cindy and I are visiting with our grandchildren and their parents.

Today is the birthday of Cathrina Helms Clark, whose husband is Jerry Clark of Lubbock, Texas.

Cathrina: We are staying plenty busy. I just recently changed jobs. I am working in the office at a middle school in Lubbock only 10 minutes from home. Finally on a similar schedule as Jerry. The first few weeks of school have been a bit of a challenge. Things are beginning to settle and I really feel blessed to have this job. Also we are expecting our 10th grand baby in January. My daughter Ashley is expecting her second daughter! So exciting that our families are growing!

The first picture, taken earlier this year, shows Cathrina and Jerry Clark.

Today is also the birthday of Alexandria Cotton, another Texan in our family. She is the daughter of Heather and Sean Cotton and the granddaughter of Paula Tuzzolino. Her Ggrandmother is Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington. Alexandria and her family live in San Antonio, Texas.

Alexandria is one year old today; her older sister Victoria was 5 years old back on July 23. Happy Birthday to these sisters and best wishes to them and their family. The second picture, taken back in the spring, shows Heather with her daughters Alexandria and Victoria.

Family History Book. A few weeks ago I mentioned my Kilpatrick relation Marjorie Eldred in this blog when I wrote about my aunt Thelma's strange birth certificate. Marjorie has written a family history book about her Vaughn - Kilpatrick family, which includes stories set in Two Buttes, Colorado, a town of importance to the history of our Shepard - Davis family. She asked me if I would mind giving her book a recommendation once again, which I am glad to do. The title of her book is Seizing the Treasure: Nuggets of Vaughn-Kilpatrick Story.

Marjorie: "I will lower the price on the book to $15.00 plus postage for anyone who orders through me. Ask them to email me at cemeingv@q.com." 

Thanks to Marjorie for her generous offer and for all her work in family research.
- - -
Steve

Life's Undress Rehearsal, Aug 10, 2012

Home is... life's undress rehearsal,

its backroom, from which we go forth.

~Harriet Stowe

Hello Family and Friends,

Greetings to all of you from San Diego during these dog days of summer. I would complain about how hot it is here in Southern California, but I am sure I would get no sympathy from many of you where the weather is even worse!

Happy Birthday today to Heather Robson Cotton, who lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Sean and their daughters Victoria and Alexandria. Heather is one of the 14 Ggrandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. Heather is also the granddaughter of Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor, Washington.

The first picture shows Heather with her mother Paula Tuzzolino, also of Oak Harbor.

Heather: We are good. Just busy with work and raising our 2 beautiful children. Just going to dinner with the family for my birthday. I am a little bummed about 36. I can't believe I'll be 40 in 4 yrs! 

Happy Birthday Jeremy. This Sunday, Aug 12, is the birthday of Jeremy Ortiz, the son of Kim Boyd Clark and the late Gabe Ortiz. Jeremy is also one of the 21 Ggrandchildren of Will and Bura Shepard. Jeremy is the father of the famous Ortiz twins who were born earlier this year, and whose pictures have appeared several times in this blog. Jeremy and his wife Desiree and their children live in Blue Springs, Missouri.

Jeremy's maternal grandparents are Terry and Thelma Shepard Boyd who have recently moved to Blue Springs, Missouri from New Mexico. Kim: We are in Missouri with my parents. It has been a crazy week. They went from moving into an apartment to buying a house in one day. They live in Blue Springs, Mo. now, about 3 miles from us. My dad is very happy here and mom is adjusting lol.  It's non stop here -- the babies are doing great but they sure keep us busy along with the big kids. We will be happy to see the school bus next week :).

The second picture I am including shows dad Jeremy with the new twins. Mom Desiree says: Daddy holding the boys for the first time :) smile says it all!

Last week I discovered that a couple of family members were inadvertently removed from my emailing list. If you were one of those people, my apologies. If you or someone you know has also been removed from the list accidentally, please let me know and I will make the correction. If your email needs updating, or if for some other reason a change needs to be made, just drop me a note and I'll make it right.

- - -

Steve

Happy Independence Day! July 1, 2012

Family is what grounds you.

~Angelina Jolie

Hello Family and Friends,

On this week of July 4, several family celebrations are in order.

Happy Birthday today to Becky Clark Cave who lives in Weatherford, Texas with her husband Matthew and their 3 children. She is the oldest daughter of Jerry Clark and Jane Brock of Lubbock, Texas.

Happy Anniversary. Today we also congratulate Sean and Heather Robson Cotton of San Antonio, Texas, who celebrate 12 years of marriage. Heather is a Granddaughter of my aunt Vicki Johnston and the daughter of my cousin Paula Tuzzolino of Oak Harbor, Washington. Heather is also one of the Ggrandchildren of Leroy and Nola Gower.

The first picture shows Heather with her husband Sean and their daughters Victoria and Alexandria.

A 147th Birthday. Today, July 1, was also the birthday of my Ggrandmother Elvira Owens Shepard. Elvira is our connection to our Owens roots of 19th century Madison County, Illinois. Her Owens kinfolk consisted of a strong family with healthy roots, that I have written about in this blog a number of times. Elvira's parents Payton and Mary Wheeler Owens, were early Illinois land owners who began the establishment of the Owens family in Madison County, a presence that continues there to this day. Elvira's Ggrandparents Edmund and Sarah Rives Owens were both originally from Virginia and were children on the very first July 4th celebration in 1776.

Coming from a strong family, it was ironic that in the early 1880s, as a young woman, Elvira met and fell in love with a vagabond from Indiana named William Elmer Shepard, who had no connection to his family. His father had died in the Civil War when he was an infant, and by the time he became a teenager, he was at such odds with his step family that he left his Indiana home and never looked back. For whatever reason he landed in Illinois, where he met Elvira. In 1886 they married and over the course of the next few years had two children, Sadie and William. (I would eventually become a grandchild of William.)

Elvira was born July 1, 1865, just 3 days before the first July 4th celebration after the Civil War. It was a time of new beginnings, following one of the darkest times in our nation's history. But it was an incredibly formative time for our country as well. Some would say July 4, 1865 represented an even more defining moment for our nation than July 4, 1776. The Civil War was a devastating experience, but it brought our nation to a much more complete and mature understanding of who we are. Our identity shifted dramatically from being a group of independent states to being a united people. Before 1865 people always said "the United States ARE..." (plural verb, emphasizing the states). After 1865, when people spoke of our county they said, "the United States IS..." (singular verb, emphasizing the union).

Elvira, her family of origin as well as her own family, were all a part of this "new" nation, after the Civil War, a nation that was continuing to evolve and become something that we still celebrate today. The second picture shows Elvira and two of her grandchildren, Elmer and Pauline Shepard. This picture was taken about 1919 in Beaver County, OK., where Elvira and her family migrated in the early 1900s and where she lived the rest of her life.

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Steve

Gower Family Now and Then, February 7, 2012

Family means
nobody gets left behind,
or forgotten.
~from the movie "Lilo and Stitch"

Hello Family and Friends,

Greetings to all of you from Alameda, California where Cindy and I are visiting with our kids Nathan and Chenda and our grandkids Preslea and Logan.

Today is the birthday of my cousin Paula Harrell Tuzzolino, who, with her husband Frank Tuzzolino, lives in Sun Lakes, Arizona. At least they live there at this time of the year. In the warmer months they spend most of their time at their home in Oak Harbor, Washington. Paula's mother is my aunt Vicki Gower Johnston of Oak Harbor. Happy Birthday to Paula!

Paula has one daughter, Heather, who, with her husband Sean Cotton, live in San Antonio, Texas. They are the proud parents of Paula's two granddaughters, Victoria and Alexandria. I mentioned in this blog a few months ago that Alexandria ("Lexi") was born just this past September and is the newest Gower descendant.

Speaking of the descendants of my grandparents Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower, I made a terrific find online while researching my Gower ancestors. I came across the picture of, and information about, the grandparents of Paula's (and my) grandfather Leroy Gower. Also named Leroy Gower (1854-1909), he and his wife-to-be Ellen Taylor (1855-1906) were children during the Civil War, and then married as teenagers in Arkansas in 1872. Leroy was originally from Izard, Arkansas, while Ellen Taylor was originally from Alabama. 

For most of their married lives they lived in the area around Mountain View in Stone County, Arkansas (just south of Izard - but you knew that, right?). Stone County is where they raised their family, including sons George William Gower, who was my great grandpa, and his brother Leroy Monroe "Babe" Gower (yet another Leroy). Stone County is also where most of our Gower ancestors lived for several generations. My grandparents Leroy Ertin Gower and Nola Shannon were born in Mountain View at the turn of the 20th century, but left as young adults in 1925 for Oklahoma, and then moved on to San Diego, California in 1942.

The second picture I am including shows my GGgrandparents Leroy Gower and Ellen Taylor. The source from whom I received this picture claims that "this is the oldest known picture of any Gower in Arkansas." The looks in their eyes, their clothing, the quality of this image, and the setting all suggest a very old photograph. I could find no date for this remarkable photo, but both these folks died in their early 50s in 1906 and 1909, respectively. A good guess as to when it was taken would be sometime in the 1890s, perhaps earlier.

The following is a lineage that includes Leroy and Ellen Gower and continues through Paula Tuzzolino and our youngest Gower descendant Alexandria Cotton.

• Abell Gower (from Gloucester, England, dates and wife unknown), the father of...
• Abell Gower (1640-1689) who married Jane Hatcher (1640-1710), the parents of...
• Abel Gower (1690-1780) who married Mary (unknown maiden name), the parents of...
• John Gower (1721-1800) who married Rosemond Fielding (1699-1759), the parents of...
• Thomas Gower (1741-1815) who married Mary Robertson (1730-1816), the parents of...
• Matthew Gower (1762-1853) who married Susannah (unknown maiden name), the parents of...
• Abel Gower (1800-1870), who married Rachel Rebecca Lay (1800-1860), the parents of...
• Jackson W. Gower (1831-1902), who married Mary Anderson (1832-1912), the parents of...
• Leroy Gower (1854-1909), who married Ellen Taylor (1855-1906), the parents of...
• George Gower (1873-1944), who married Serena Turner (1876-1931), the parents of...
• Leroy Ertin Gower (1899-1974), who married Nola Shannon (1903-2004), the parents of...
• Victoria Gower (b. 1933), who married Jerry Kerr (b. 1930), the parents of...
• Paula Harrell (b. 1951), who married Bruce Robson (b. 1949), the parents of...
• Heather Robson (b. 1976) who married Sean Cotton, the parents of...
• Alexandria Cotton (b. 2011)

This 15 generation lineage is the longest lineage that I can conjure up anywhere in our family tree. 14 of these generations are American born folks, which I find truly remarkable.

- - -

Steve

Birthdays and New Birth, October 18, 2011

God gave us our relatives; 

thank God we can choose our friends.

~Ethel Watts Mumford

Hello Family and Friends,

Greeting to all of you wherever you may be, on this fine October day in San Diego.

Today is the 14th birthday of Korilyn Boyd. She is the 20th of the 21 Ggrandchildren of Will and Bura Davis Shepard. Kori is the daughter of my cousin Darren and Vicki Boyd of San Diego, and the granddaughter of Terry and Thelma Shepard Boyd of Gallup, New Mexico.

The first picture shows Korilyn (on the left) with a friend. Happy Birthday to Korilyn!

Today is also the birthday of my aunt Vicki Gower Johnston. The daughter of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower, she was born in Okemah, Oklahoma. Vicki lived in San Diego for many years before moving to Oak Harbor, Washington 35 years ago. She lives there today with her husband Duke Johnston. Vicki has four children, Paula Tuzzolino of Sun Lakes, Arizona, Gloria Watson of Knoxville, Tennessee, Michael Harrell of Mountain View, California and David Harrell of Oak Harbor.

The second picture shows Vicki on the left with her sister Maida Gower Shepard on the right.

Vicki has one grand daughter, Heather Cotton, who lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Sean.

The good news in Vicki's family these days is that her grand daughter Heather recently gave birth to her and Sean's second child, and Vicki's second Great Grandchild. Alexandria Danielle Cotton was born just 3 weeks ago on September 29 in San Antonio, Texas. Heather's first child is 3 year old Victoria (named after her Great Grandmother). Congratulations to the happy parents, to grandmother Paula, and to Great Grandmother Vicki.

The third picture shows newborn Alexandria Cotton ("Lexi") at one week old. Paula tells me that mother and baby are doing fine. Paula has been in San Antonio for the last month helping with the arrival of her new grandbaby. Congratulations to Heather and Sean and best wishes to their whole family on the birth of Lexi.
- - -
Steve