The Last Will and Testament of James Sheppard, Sr., September 12, 2017

Knowledge of our ancestors
shapes us and instills within us
values that give direction
and meaning to our lives.
~D. B. Neuenschwander

Birthday Wishes to Kelly Sauvage. Today is the birthday of my niece Kelly Shepard Sauvage, younger daughter of my brother Gary Shepard. Born and raised in San Diego, she and husband James Sauvage live today in Weatherford, Texas, with their sons Nate and Kyle.

In July, Kelly, Nate and Kyle visited some of their family in Anacortes, Washington. The first picture shows Kelly in the center with her father Gary at the top, her son Kyle on the right, son Nate bottom left, and Kelly's grandmother Maida Shepard on the bottom right. This picture was taken at Maida's home on Wildwood Lane in Anacortes. Best wishes to Kelly for a very happy birthday today!


The Last Will And Testament of James Sheppard, Sr. In the last couple of posts I have been sharing new stories about our Shepard ancestors from Indiana, Ohio, and Maryland. The most impressive and interesting historical family document I have recently encountered is the will of my 4X Great Grandfather James Cross Sheppard Sr. (His Great Grandson William Elmer Shepard (1862-1915) is the one who dropped one of the "p's" from his last name.)

James Sheppard (1775-1843) and his wife Hannah Gatchell (1781-1839) were married in Cecil County, Maryland in 1798. With the first 4 of their 13 children they migrated in 1809 to the frontier community of Kirkwood in Belmont County, Ohio. The timing must have been right for them to settle in Ohio, for over the following 30 years this Sheppard family made a very good life for themselves along the Cumberland Trail on the Eastern Ohio frontier. Historically we know that this was a prosperous time for Americans as our nation expanded westward. 

A Treasure Trove of Information. Much of what we know about the life, the children and the wealth of James and Hannah Sheppard, is contained in James' will, which was written in 1840 and can be found in the County Records of Belmont County, Ohio. A copy of the text of James Sheppard's will is found at the bottom of this post. It is a fascinating document, which not only gives monetary details but also refers to other items and descriptions of historical interest.

James' wife Hannah died in 1839, an event which must have left him pondering his own mortality and the future well being of their 13 children. They ranged in age from 39 years old (Nathan Sheppard) to just 11 years old (George Washington Sheppard). When he wrote his will, James was 65 years old and had recently married for a second time to a woman named Esther Reynolds. 

James lived only 3 more years after writing his will. But at 68 years old he lived far beyond the life expectancy for men in that time. Sadly, two of his youngest sons died the year after he did, Job at 20 years old, and Emanuel at just 17.

In his will, James bequeathed to his heirs cash gifts that totaled $5,150. That may not seem like much today, but in 2017 dollars it would be roughly equivalent to $150,000! And that was just the cash disbursements. It did not include "the home farm," another farm of 153 acres, a 10 acre sawmill, and a few other personal items that were mentioned in the will.

Outstanding Citizens of Belmont County. From these few details we can see that James and Hannah were well off. Whatever the total value of their estate might have been, it was sizeable, probably several hundred thousand dollars (in 1840 dollars!). In those early years of the 19th century, James and Hannah and their 13 children did remarkably well for themselves as outstanding citizens of the Kirkwood Township of Belmont County, Ohio.

There is a Shephard Road located in the South Eastern part of Kirkwood Township today. Could that road have been named after the James and Hannah Sheppard family, who were prominent members of that community 200 years ago?

When thinking about the descendants of James and Hannah over the past two centuries, I doubt if any of them have done any better financially than those Sheppards in the pre-Civil War years in Eastern Ohio. Not in Indiana, where some Shepards settled and did quite well. Not in Illinois, not in Oklahoma, not in Colorado, and maybe not even in San Diego or elsewhere in recent years. This is not to diminish the accomplishments of any of James and Hannah's descendants. It is simply to say that Hannah and James Sheppard Sr. and their large family did remarkably well in building a very good life for themselves on the American frontier. We can consider it an honor to be counted among their descendants.

The picture above shows Salem Cemetery where James and Hannah and several members of their family are buried. It is located in the little town of Hendrysburg, which lies alongside I-70 in Kirkwood Township, Belmont County, in Eastern Ohio.
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Steve Shepard


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The Last Will and Testament of James Cross Sheppard, Sr.
Found in Book of Wills Volume G. page 410
1843, St. Clairsville, Belmont County, Ohio.

I, JAMES SHEPPARD, of the County of Belmont in the State of Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner and form following, that is to say;

FIRST, It is my will that my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid.

SECOND, I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved wife ESTHER SHEPPARD, in lieu of her dower, the one-third part of the home farm on which we now reside, so long as she remains my widow, together with all the property she fetched with her at the time of our marriage, and also fifty dollars in money.

THIRD, I give and devise to my eldest son NATHAN SHEPPARD five hundred dollars.

FOURTH, I give and devise to my second son JOHN SHEPPARD one note of hand I hold on him the amount of which is three hundred dollars.

FIFTH, I give and devise to my third son WILLIAM SHEPPARD two notes of hand which I hold on him amounting to six hundred dollars.

SIXTH, I give and devise to my fourth son JAMES SHEPPARD one note of hand I hold on him the amount of which is two hundred and fifty dollars.

SEVENTH, I give and devise to my fifth son SAMUEL SHEPPARD one note of hand which I hold on him calling for two hundred dollars.

EIGHTH, I give and devise to my sixth son ISAAC SHEPPARD one note of hand which I hold on him calling for two hundred dollars.

NINTH, I give and devise to my seventh son AMOS SHEPPARD two notes of hand which I hold on him calling for one hundred and ninety nine dollars and ninety eight cents.

TENTH, I give and devise to my sons JOB and EMANUEL SHEPPARD the farm on which I now reside, it being the southeast quarter of Section twenth-three, Township nine, Range six and to their heirs and assigns forever, the same to be equally divided between them and it is also my will that each of them have four hundred dollars paid to them by my executors.

ELEVENTH, I give and devise to my son GEORGE SHEPPARD the farm I purchased of WILLIAM B. BEALL, situated in Belmont Co., Ohio containing about fifty-three acres, it being a part of the northwest quarter of Section number 15, Township nine, Range six and to his heirs and assigns forever. It is also my will that he shall have eight hundred dollars in money, the money to be put to interest until he shall arrive to the age of twenty-one years.

TWELFTH, I give and devise to my daughter Elizabeth Mumma, in addition to what she has already had of me, the sum of two hundred dollars in money and one double cover lid.

THIRTEENTH, I give and devise to my daughter MARY SHEPPARD, in addition to what she already had of me, the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars in money and one side saddle and double cover lid.

FOURTEENTH, I give and devise to my grandson ISSAC EVANS one hundred dollars, the money to be paid to his guardian by my executor and by him put to interest until my grandson comes to the age of twenty-one years.

FIFTEENTH, I give and devise to my granddaughter SALLY ANN EVANS one hundred dollars, to be paid by my executors to her guardian and by him put to interest until she comes of age.

SIXTEENTH, it is also my will and desire that my executors pay to the guardians of my three youngest sons, JOB, EMANUEL and GEORGE SHEPPARD, the sum of five hundred dollars, to be by them put to interest for the purpose of educating them, should it be wanting. Should it, or any part of it, remain unexpended, when my youngest son comes of age, the balance to be equally divided between all my children, share and share about.

SEVENTEENTH, I give and devise to my niece JULIA ANN SPEAR, the sum of one hundred dollars.

EIGHTEENTH, it is my will that in case my wife should prove to be in a family way at this time and should be delivered of a living child, then in that case the said child to draw an equal share with the rest of my children.

NINETEENTH, my will is that my executors sell that lot of land where my sawmill stands, purchased of ALEXANDER McKEEVER, containing about 10 acres more or less, also all of my personel property not otherwise disposed of in this, my will.

TWENTIETH, It is further my will that whatever may remain that has not been disposed of in this, my will, that it be equally divided between my 10 sons, share and share about.

AND LASTLY, I hereby constitute and appoint DAVID HARRIS and ROBERT A. DALLAS to be the executors for this my last will and testament, revoking and annulling, all former wills by me made, and satisfying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4th day of May, 1840.

(Signed) JAMES SHEPPARD (SEAL)

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My Gower Grandfather, June 25, 2017

I have a lot of great memories,

but I can't imagine anything more exciting

than the life I live now.

~Rob Lowe

This month of June is the month of Father's Day, and brings to my mind a few important fellows in our family.

My Gower Grandfather. I am thinking first of all of my grandfather Leroy Ertin Gower (1899-1974), who was born in Timbo, Arkansas, 118 years ago today. Of my four grandparents, he died the youngest at age 75. He was a stern fellow who made a huge change in his life when he and his wife Nola moved from the little town of Okemah, Oklahoma to the city of San Diego, California in 1942. He was born and spent the first 25 years of his life in the hills of northern Arkansas, which was also the home of his wife Nola Shannon, and was where they were married in 1921.

Leroy M. "Babe" Gower and Daughter Vergie

He was named after his uncle Leroy Monroe "Babe" Gower who lived next door to his parents when Leroy was born, in the community of Sylamore, a few miles west of Mountain View, Arkansas. This first picture from about 1940, shows Leroy's namesake, his uncle Leroy "Babe" Gower, and Babe's special needs daughter Vergie Gower.

Leroy's oldest brother Alford Gower died at just 4 months old, 5 years before Leroy was born. The second child of the family, Leroy's older brother Lloyd W. Gower, died at just 18 years old in WWI when Leroy was just 15. Combine those experiences with the difficulty of making a living on the family farm in the early 20th century in Northern Arkansas, and you get an early life for Leroy that was hard and trying. It explains a lot about his stern demeanor, his serious approach to life and his simple lifestyle.

Leroy Ertin Gower

In the 1910 US Census, as a child of 10 years, Leroy was listed as a "farm laborer" and a "wage earner." He was also listed as "able to read and write," so it appears he had attended school for some (probably short) period of time in his early life. Even so, his life as a laborer and wage earner defined him from the time he was a boy. This second picture shows my grandfather Leroy Gower in work overalls (appropriately enough) probably in the 1930s.

When the family did move to California, Leroy came first in the summer of 1942, with son Hank and his young wife Starlene. Leroy had to come first to get work and be a wage earner before wife Nola and daughters Maida and Vicki could come to San Diego, which they did in December of that year.

The Gowers had been small time farmers in Stone County, Arkansas for several generations. Making the switch to life in Southern California was obviously a big change for them, a "sea change" in how they saw the world and approached life. Leroy and Nola did have their Baptist church connection which was one familiar thing for them during their transition to life in the city. There were some tough times as they settled into life in Southern California. A few years after they moved to San Diego their 15 year old daughter got pregnant, then became a teenage bride, an incident that created great strain on the family. But through it all they endured as Leroy and Nola made a good life for themselves on Lynne Street in what was then called East San Diego.

Leroy has a rich Gower heritage that stretches back nearly 4 centuries in North America. I have discovered that finding family links that reach into the early 19th century and occasionally into the 18th century is not difficult. My grandfather Gower's lineage, however, can be traced back to the early 17th century in Colonial America.

A key person in his lineage was Abell Gower (1640-1689), the first of our Gower ancestors to be born on American soil. Born in 1640 in the town of Henrico, Virginia near Richmond, he is the earliest American birth among all our known ancestors.

The year 1640 was 135 years prior to the Revolutionary War, long before the declaration of Independence and the creation of "The United States." In 1640 the total population of Colonial America was only 26,600. (1,500 times that number of people live today in California alone!)

He is described in The Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography (page 245) this way: "Gower, Abell was a justice of Henrico County, Virginia from 1679 till his death in 1689; sheriff in 1681, and a member of the house of burgesses in 1679. He married Jane, daughter of Edward Hatcher, of Henrico. He appears to have been a son of Abell Gower of Boulton, county Gloucester, England, esquire."

I am thankful for the life of my grandfather Leroy Gower and the rich and wonderful heritage we can claim because of him.

Joe Paul Harris (1950-2009). I am also thinking this month of my wife Cindy's brother Joe Paul Harris, who was born June 23, 1950. He spent his early life in San Diego before moving to Naknek, Alaska where he lived for about 20 years until he died in June, 2009. 

The accompanying picture shows Joe Paul at Christmas 2008 in San Diego, standing behind his mother Paula Harris, with his aunt Juanita Eeds on the left. His sister Cindy Shepard and nephew Nathan Shepard are on the right.

Kyle Sauvage. One other important June birthday to mention today: Kyle Sauvage, who will turn 12 years old tomorrow, June 26. Kyle is the younger son of James and Kelly Shepard Sauvage, and the grandson of Jackie Perry and my brother Gary Shepard. James lives with his parents and his brother Nate in Weatherford, Texas. 

This final picture, taken in March, shows Kyle Sauvage while at spring training in Arizona with a ball signed by San Diego Padres' Will Myers.
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Steve Shepard

Summer Adventures, September 9, 2016

It's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine 

... it's summertime!

~Kenny Chesney

Feeling Great About Turning 68. Today is my 68th birthday, a reminder to me that life slips by much faster than we ever imagined. I look forward to celebrating the day with Cindy, our son Nathan, and our 3 grandkids Preslea, Logan and William. 

This first picture was taken earlier this summer at the La Jolla's Children's Pool here in San Diego and shows me with William and Logan enjoying a day at the beach. 

Happy Birthday Kelly. Monday, September 12, is the birthday of my niece Kelly Shepard Sauvage, daughter of my brother Gary Shepard and Jackie Perry. Born and raised in San Diego, Kelly and husband James live today in Weatherford, Texas with their sons Nate and Kyle. Best wishes to Kelly on her birthday!

This second picture was taken last month when Kelly and the boys were visiting in Las Vegas. It shows Kelly with Nate on the left and Kyle on the right enjoying a moment in front of the Circus Circus Hotel.

Summer Slide Show. This summer has been an exciting time for many of us. Adventurous, difficult and exhilarating are also words that could accurately describe the events of recent months. The following is a slide show of various happy gatherings around our Shepard and Gower families this summer. They are scenes of graduations, sporting events, several birthdays, a few holiday gatherings, beach parties, pool parties, hiking trips, and one snake handler. These scenes are of family in Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, San Diego, Northern California and elsewhere. Thanks to all of you who have shared summer fun pictures on Facebook. Our extended family, despite our trials and tribulations, is a fun loving bunch who knows how to enjoy each other!

This slide show is to the musical accompaniment of songs by Elijah Kelly.

Japan Here We Come. I received word recently from my cousin Mike Harrell who lives with his wife Carole in Zionsville, Indiana. He tells me that next month he and Carole are going to Tokyo, Japan for Mike's work for an extended period of time. He wants me to let everyone know that if any of us find our way to Japan, to be sure and contact them. They would love to welcome visitors -- especially family -- from the U.S.! You are welcome to contact me if you would like more details. Best wishes to Mike with this employment opportunity, and to both of them on this exciting move to Japan.

In his email to me, Mike added this fascinating historical note: When he was born in the 1950s his mom and dad, Carl and Vicki Gower Harrell, were living in Tokyo. Carl was in the U.S. Military and stationed there. Mike was born in a hospital just one block away from where his work office today is located.
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Steve Shepard

Memories Tragic and Joyful, August 4, 2016

The song is ended but the meoldy lingers on...

~Irving Berlin

This week holds several special memories for members of our family. From the tragic to the joyful and other places in between.

Linda Shepard, 1968

Linda Shepard (1950-1971). It was 45 years ago this month that my 20 year old sister Linda Shepard died in Lubbock, Texas. She and husband Jerry Clark were students at Lubbock Christian University at the time. Her death on August 1, 1971 occurred the day after an auto accident that injured her, her husband Jerry and her sister Barbara. 

Jerry and Barbara both recovered in the months after the accident, but the scars remain for them and for all of us who knew Linda, as does the emptiness and the sense of loss. Linda's headstone in Greenwood Cemetery in San Diego is the oldest among the 15 or so Shepard and Gower family graves in that cemetery. The first picture is Linda's High School graduation picture from 1968.

Chris, Easton and Amanda Farrell

If there is anything that unites us with family members recent and long ago, it is the pain of the loss of loved ones. Whether it is the death of a young husband in 1862 or 1992, or a wife in 1971 or a dear one in the 21st century, the untimely loss of family members is a common experience that deepens our lives as humans and can, over time, bring out the best within us.

Chris and Amanda Clark Farrell. Speaking of Jerry Clark, this Saturday is a special day for one of his three daughters. August 6 is the 10th wedding anniversary of Amanda Clark Farrell and her husband Chris Farrell. They and their young son Easton live in Frisco, Texas. Happy 10th Anniversary to Chris and Amanda!

Tammy and Lloyd Gower

Happy Birthday Lloyd Gower. Monday of this week was the birthday of Lloyd Gower, the son of my cousin Hershell Gower of Bullhead City, Arizona, and one of the Great Grandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. Lloyd was born and raised in San Diego and lives today in San Marcos, California, a suburb of San Diego. On August 1 Lloyd celebrated his 46th birthday. Lloyd and his wife Tammy Turman Gower celebrated their 3rd anniversary earlier this year on May 7. Lloyd and his brother Sean Gower are two of only a few remaining descendants of Leroy and Nola Gower still living in the San Diego area.

Kelly, James (and Kyle) Sauvage

Happy Anniversary James and Kelly. Tomorrow is the 16th wedding anniversary of Kelly Shepard Sauvage and her husband James Sauvage. Kelly is the second daughter of my brother Gary Shepard and Jackie Enderle Perry. Born and raised in San Diego, she and James had a beautiful Church wedding here in San Diego in the summer of Y2K. (Do you remember Y2K?) They and their sons Nate and Kyle live today in Weatherford, Texas. Best wishes and Happy Anniversary to James and Kelly.
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Steve Shepard

Celebrating Leroy Gower, June 25, 2016

We're all ghosts.

We all carry, inside us,

people who came before us. 

~Liam Callanan

Kyle Sauvage. Tomorrow is the 12th Birthday of Kyle Sauvage, son of James and Kelly Shepard Sauvage of Weatherford, Texas. Kyle is the Grandson of my brother Gary Shepard and Jackie Perry, and the Great Great Grandson of Leroy and Nola Gower mentioned below.

The first picture shows Kyle, with his parents Kelly and James, at a Texas Rangers baseball game in Arlington, Texas earlier this month.

Leroy Ertin Gower (1899-1974). Today is the 117th anniversary of the birth of my grandfather Leroy Gower, who was born near Mountain View, Arkansas on June 25, 1899. He was the last of our ancestors born in the 19th century.

Grandpa Gower, along with his wife Nola Shannon Gower, originally from Mountain View, were among the first in our family to live in California when they migrated here in 1942 from Okemah, Oklahoma. They came with their 3 children: Hendrix, Maida and 9 year old Vicki (known then as Melva), and Hendrix' young wife Starlene.

The Gower family came to San Diego in two installments. Leroy, his son Hendrix and pregnant wife Starlene came in mid-1942 to get jobs and get settled. Then Nola and their two daughters, 18 year old Maida and 9 year old Vicki, came in December of that same year.

Having the family separated during the move to California was very difficult for them, especially for the girls who remained in Oklahoma. For that reason Maida was willing to move to California in the middle of her Senior year in High School. So in December of 1942 Nola and the two girls took an arduous, 1,400 mile bus ride to California. Maida then graduated from San Diego High in the spring of 1943.

The snippet on the left is taken from the 1943 San Diego High School Yearbook which I found online. It shows Maida Imogene Gower on the left surrounded by several of her classmates. Most of the graduates have a few clubs or activities associated with their listing. For Maida, the only thing mentioned is "Okemah High", the school in Oklahoma where she attended all but the last half of her senior year. Maida has the distinction of being the first in our family to have graduated from a school of any kind in California.

Maida's father Leroy came to San Diego when he was 42 years old, worked for Railway Express for many years, and lived the final 33 years of his life here. He was a life long smoker and for the last several years had very poor eyesight. Like many of his generation, he developed respiratory problems which led to his death in 1974 at 75 years old. His wife Nola outlived him by 30 years.

Grandpa Gower's lineage can be traced back to the early 17th century in Virginia, to Abell Gower (1640-1689) and his wife Jane Hatcher Gower (1640-1710), our earliest known ancestors born this side of the Atlantic.

On this anniversary of his birth, I remember Grandpa Gower as a committed Churchman, an honorable though strict father, a loving Grandparent, a hard worker, and a lover of the San Diego Padres. He is to be commended for making the difficult adjustment to city life in San Diego, after being rooted in small towns in Oklahoma and then Arkansas before that.

This final picture shows Leroy with his wife Nola Gower in front of him, surrounded by some of their church friends at the Balboa Park Baptist Church. This picture was probably taken in the late 1960s or early 1970s. They were committed, long time members of this San Diego congregation.
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Steve Shepard

A Nightmare On My Street, October 30, 2015

'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out

Contagion to this world.

~William Shakespeare

Hello on this weekend of Halloween from Anacortes, Washington where Cindy and I and Grandsons William and Logan are visiting with family and celebrating some special events.

Birthday Wishes to Pam! Happy Birthday today to Pam Engan Shepard, wife of my brother Russell Shepard. Pam and Russ are the parents of Steven Paul and Linda Shepard. Pam has lived in Anacortes, Washington all her life and works there today at the Cap Sante Inn.

This first picture shows Pam and Russ this past summer at our family reunion in Bothell, Washington. Best wishes to Pam for a very Happy Birthday!

Nightmare on My Street. The following is a musical slide show capturing many halloween moments in the life of our larger family over the years. All of the folks you will see in this slide show are from our varied and diverse family. Can you identify them all? It's not as easy as you might think.




Some of the above images are classics from many years ago (one is from 60+ years ago!) while others are very recent and still others are just a few years old. These Halloween revelers are from places as diverse as California and Texas, Washington and Kansas, Pennsylvania and Missouri, and Oklahoma and Illinois. As varied as the locations are, there is one thing all these creepy critters have in common: the spirit of Halloween!

Birthday Wishes to Maida! Happy Birthday this Sunday, November 1, to my mom Maida Shepard, who will be 91 years young! She was born in Arkansas, but lived for most of her growing up years in Okemah, Oklahoma. The last 72 years of her life have been divided equally between San Diego, California (where she and husband Eugene raised their 6 children) and Anacortes, Washington (where she now lives with daughter Barb and grandson Steven).

This picture shows Maida with her 5 children: Russell, Barbara, Darrell, Gary and me. This picture was taken this past August in Bothell, Washington.
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Steve Shepard

"A World Lives in You," October 26, 2015

You can kiss your family and friends good-bye,

but at the same time you carry them with you

in your heart, your mind, your stomach,

because you do not just live in the world

but a world lives in you.

~Frederich Buechner

Happy 23th Birthday today, October 26, to Mandi Aquiningoc. Mandi is the younger daughter of Kerri Shepard Aquiningoc of Weatherford, Texas. Mandi lives with her older sister Lyndsey in Granbury, Texas, a short ways from Weatherford.

Mandi is one of the grandchildren of my brother Gary Shepard and Jackie Perry. She is also one of the Great Great Grandchildren of both William and Bura Davis Shepard and Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. Mandi's daughter Kambree is one of the youngest members of our extended family at just 2 years old.

This first picture was taken Friday and shows Mandi celebrating her birthday at her UPS work place. Best wishes to Mandi for a great birthday!

Mandi: Hi, uncle Steve! It's so good to hear from you. I'm doing great! I am still working at UPS and I love it. I am waiting for it to start getting super busy for the holidays I heard it gets crazy busy. Its a great company to work for with such great people and customers. Me and Lyndsey finally got our house together. We can see Granbury Lake from our front door. Kambree going to school and in daycare is probably one of the best things that's happening in our lives these days. I've seen such a huge change in Kambree. She sings her abc's, she can count to 10, and she's been walking around the house with her hand over her heart trying to say the pledge of allegiance. And she loves this country song that I play for her; she can sing every word. Lol! She's such a mini me :) I hope to see y'all real soon!

Mandi's Great Grandmother is Maida Gower Shepard. The family of Maida and the late Eugene Shepard are rooted in San Diego, but in recent years many of them have spread out to other parts of the country. Mandi and her part of the family, including her mother and the other children of my brother Gary, have settled in the area around Weatherford, Texas. They number about a dozen. My mom and a number of others are settled now in Western Washington in the Anacortes and Seattle areas. They number almost 2 dozen. And of course several of us still live in San Diego, but not nearly as many as lived here not too many years ago.

This second picture was taken 21 years ago, in front of Grandma Gower's house on Lynne Street in San Diego. This was the home in East San Diego that was the focal point for many memorable family happenings for the entire second half of the 20th century.

This picture shows Mandi at the bottom at just 2 years old, with her mom Kerri Aquiningoc (in red) and Cindy Shepard. Interestingly Mandi in this picture was just about the same age as her daughter Kambree is now, and her mom Kerri in this picture is very close to the age Mandi is now.

Also in this picture are Nola Gower on the left, with Sean Gower behind her, then Aurora Agnibene Gower with her grandson Thrax and her husband Hank Gower. In the very middle are my parents Gene and Maida Gower Shepard, next to Jason Shepard, Gary Shepard and Kelly Shepard. On the right am I, holding 4 year old Lyndsey Aquiningoc.

When this picture was taken my parents Maida and Gene had already moved to Washington and were back in Southern California for a visit. Within a few years, Grandma Gower, Aurora, Hank and my Dad would pass away, Gary and Cindy would move to Washington, and Kerri, Kelly and Jason would move to Texas.

With all these family movements, and many more, it just goes to show the wisdom of Frederich Buechner's quote at the top of this post. When it comes to family, "You do not just live in the world, but a world lives in you."
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Steve Shepard

Summer Family Fun! September 16, 2015

Spare the rod and spoil the child – that is true.

But, beside the rod, keep an apple

to give him when he has done well.

~Martin Luther

Greeting to all of you from San Francisco where Cindy and I find ourselves today. Summer is drawing to a close! Vacations are almost over, schools have begun, and life for most of us has settled into a sense of normalcy that comes with the end of summer.

As I threatened several weeks ago I have put together a slideshow of various summer activities in the lives of our family members. It includes a whole host of summer events, from a family reunion to beach vacations, from memorable visits to scenic locations to kids activities and birthday celebrations. It includes children and seniors, Gowers and Shepards and all those related to them, as well as activities in various places around the country.

Thanks to those of you who emailed me pictures of your family's summer activities. Thanks also to those of you generous enough to make pictures of your summer activities available on Facebook. It clearly was a busy, enjoyable and event filled summer.

So here it is... this summer's capsulation of fun in our family far and near.





This slideshow should be easier to view than those I have included in the past. This one is viewable on any device you chose: desktop, mobile phone, or tablet. If you do have any problems seeing it I would appreciate it if you would let me know. Enjoy!
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Steve Shepard

A New Book, A Beautiful One! September 9, 2015

No, this is not the beginning

of a new chapter in my life;

this is the beginning of a new book!

Look, it is the first page!

And it is a beautiful one!

~ C. Joybell C.

Happy Birthday this coming Saturday, Sept 12, to my niece Kelly Shepard Sauvage. She, husband James, and sons Nate and Kyle live in Weatherford, Texas. She is the youngest child of my brother Gary Shepard and Jackie Perry. Born and raised in San Diego, Kelly has lived in Texas for nearly 15 years now.

Speaking of 15 years, last month James and Kelly celebrated 15 years of marriage. Congratu- lations on this special anniversary to the two of them, and best wishes to Kelly for a very happy birthday! This first picture shows James and Kelly when they were on a family vacation last month in Destin, Florida.

Kelly: Things are all good here. School started a couple weeks ago so it's been a little hectic. Nate is in his first year of junior high and Kyle is in his last year of elementary school. I'm still working at the high school and its been super busy. Kyle's baseball season is getting underway so it's about to get even more busy. Between my two boys and I always doing something, and James working out of town for two weeks at a time, we stay pretty busy. I love it though. Hope everyone is good on your end. Thanks for thinking of me and I hope you have a great birthday too.

67 and Counting. September 9 is the day I was born in 1948 here in San Diego. Today, my wife Cindy and I live in San Diego, where we were both raised, where we graduated High School, and where we were married. We lived in Northern California for many years until we retired 7 years ago and returned to our home town. We live not far from our son Nathan, his wife Chenda and their 3 children in the San Carlos Community of San Diego.

A Scholar's Career Begins.This second picture, taken earlier this summer at our home in San Diego, shows me with our oldest grandchild Preslea. The biggest news in our part of the family these days is that yesterday Preslea started school. It was her first day of Kindergarten!

Never-Before-Seen Picture. This being my birthday it seems appropriate to continue my summer theme of sharing never-before-seen pictures, but in this case with a picture that includes me. I have never shown the following picture before in this blog, for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that I very little history with most of the people pictured here. 

I do know that it was taken just about 60 years ago, in the mid-1950s, in Fresno, California. And I do know that it includes me in the lower right (the little guy in the striped shirt, with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face). It also includes three of the most influential male figures in my life at the time: my older brother Gary (barely visible behind me), my father Eugene Shepard (standing behind us with arms crossed) and my Grandfather Leroy Gower (to the right of my father, in glasses).

This picture was taken when we were visiting my mother's cousin Imogene Hutson Self and her husband Olen Self who are pictured on the left (Olen is in the back on the left, in the white shirt; Imogene is to the right of him and only partially visible.). My mom tells me that another cousin of hers in this picture is Pearl Hutson Pfost, the tall woman on the far left.

These folks, like my parents and both sets of my grandparents, were transplanted Okies who came to California in the 1940s. The people pictured here are descended from my Great Grandparents, Samuel Pickens Shannon and his wife Finetta Dearien Shannon, of Mountain View, Arkansas. 
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Steve Shepard

We Develop From the Negatives, August 16, 2015

Family life is like photography,

we develop from the negatives.

~author unknown

Make your plans for our upcoming Family Reunion, this Saturday, August 22 at the home of Pat and Nicole Shepard in Bothell, Washington, 2 pm. See you there!

Happy Birthday today to my niece Linda Shepard of Anacortes, Washington. 22 years ago today she was born in the city where she and her family still live today. Linda and boyfriend Jamie Stockmoe live next door to her parents Russ Shepard and Pam Engan Shepard, also of Anacortes. Linda is the youngest grandchild of Maida Shepard. She is also one of the great grandchildren of both Leroy and Nola Gower, and William and Bura Shepard.

This first image shows Linda and Jamie from a picture that was taken this past winter. Linda says: "I put my notice in at my current job and will be moving to a different company while focusing more on nursing school. My eyes will be open to places to move as Jamie and I are ready to get out and see the world other than Anacortes. I am doing well otherwise and hope this year will bring a new and exciting chapter."

Best wishes to Linda for a wonderful birthday!

More Never-Before-Seen Family Pictures. Throughout this summer I have been sharing with you several family pictures that I have never shown before in this venue, for a variety of reasons. But now, it seems to me, the time is right to include some family photos in this blog that I have been unwilling to share until now. 

This second picture was taken in Idyllwild, California at Thanksgiving, 1975. It shows Cindy and me sitting on the couch in the living room of the mountain home of my Uncle Bill Russell and Aunt Pauline Shepard Russell. Next to us is my youngest brother Russ, a 13 year old Junior Higher at the time. 

I have passed over this particular picture a number of times and have never included it in a blog post. Not because of my frizzy hair do, which many of us guys were going with back in the crazy '70s, a phenomenon that today seems amusing -- to say the least. Actually that would have been reason enough to push this picture to the bottom of the stack. But no, there is another reason this particular picture has remained unused in The Shepard's Crook. 

Back in the "the day" young teenagers considered it cool to surreptitiously "give the finger" to the camera when school pictures or family pictures were taken. That is what Russ is doing here. He is trying not to be too conspicuous about it, but his intent is clear nonetheless. He was, of course, not the first to do this. He undoubtedly learned it from siblings or friends. 

The third picture I am sharing with you is another example of this same thing, although it is not nearly as obvious. You have to look closely at Russ in the bottom left to see him cleverly "flipping the bird" to the camera. With both hands.

This is actually quite a remarkable family picture, showing a unique collection of family members. I have a note indicating that this picture was taken in 1975 at the home of my Grandparents William and Bura Shepard, in Lakeside, California. This would have been when they lived next door to their son and daughter in law, Elmer and Beryl Shepard. Unfortunately half of Granddad William is accidentally cut out of the picture on the left. Next to the part of him that you can see, is Grandmother Bura in the blue dress. Behind her, peeking over her shoulder, is my other Grandmother Nola Shannon Gower. I think this is the only picture I have of my two grandmothers together at the same family gathering.

Also in this picture, across the back, from left to right, are Jane and Jerry Clark, Gary Shepard, Darrell Shepard (placing rabbit ears on his unsuspecting brother Gary!), Kim Boyd (almost hidden) and Jackie Enderle Shepard on the far right. In front of Jackie, from right to left, are Dane Shepard, Joan Shepard, Jason, me, Cindy and Kelly Shepard, then Kerri Shepard (the shy young one with the bare midriff), and finally my mom Maida Shepard with two-fingered Russ in front of her. 

Disclaimer: If you choose to share this post with your teenage children or grandchildren, do so at your own risk.
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Steve Shepard

Lots of Happiness and Smiles, July 7, 2015

Love is many things.

It is varied. 

One thing it is not,

and can never be,
is unsure.

~Maya Angelou

Family Reunion, August 22, 2015. Summer time is the occasion for family reunions! If you know of any reunions happening in our extended family this summer please let me know so I can promote them in this blog. 

And remember that plans are being made for a Shepard and Gower family gathering on Saturday August 22 in Bothell, Washington at the home of Patrick and Nicole Shepard. Make your plans to be with us for this celebration.

Desiree Ortiz. Happy Birthday yesterday, Monday July 6, to Desiree Ortiz who lives in El Cajon, California with her husband Jeremy Ortiz and their 5 children. The above picture was taken in San Diego last fall and shows a happy Jeremy and Desiree. Best wishes to Desiree!

Nate Sauvage. Happy Birthday today, Tuesday July 7, to Nathaniel Sauvage of Weatherford, Texas. Nate is the older son of James and Kelly Shepard Sauvage, and one of the Great Great Grandsons of both Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower, and William and Bura Davis Shepard. He is also one of the grandsons of my brother Gary Shepard. This second picture shows Nate on the right with his mother Kelly Shepard Sauvage.

Happy Anniversary Joan and Dee! Congratulations to my cousin Joan Shepard and her wife Dee Shannon who were married one year ago today on July 7, 2014. Joan is one of the grandchildren of William Shepard and Bura Davis Shepard. 

Joan was born and raised in the San Diego area but lives today with Dee in Dixon, California. Dee is originally from North Carolina but has lived for many years now in Northern California and has worked at UC Davis. Included is a picture of Joan Shepard (on the left) and Dee Shannon, taken just last night at their home in Northern California. With them is their Spring Spaniel "Sophie". Best wishes to Dee and Joan for a happy anniversary! And thanks to Dee's son Tim for this photo.

There are lots of happiness and smiles this summer in our family far and near. May it always be so!
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Steve Shepard

Tomorrow Is Valentine's Day! February 13, 2015

Don't talk to me about Valentines Day.

At my age an affair of the heart is a bypass!

~Joan Rivers  

Happy Birthday Gloria! Happy Birthday to my cousin Gloria Harrell Watson of Knoxville, Tennessee on this Friday the 13th! Gloria's mother Vicki Gower Johnston lives in Oak Harbor, Washington. 

All of my cousins, including Gloria, spent most of their growing up years in San Diego, and now live in diverse locations throughout the western United States. Gloria left San Diego some 40 years ago and, being in Tennessee, has not had much contact with her cousins over the years. I did receive an email from her recently in which she said she is doing well. She had a couple of stents placed in her heart last fall and is still in Cardio Rehab. Best wishes to Gloria for a continuing recovery and for a wonderful birthday!

Happy Valentines Day! Following is an updated musical photo presentation for Valentine's Day tomorrow. It shows various members of our larger family, smooching, snuggling or otherwise showing their affection for one another. May it be a way of helping you celebrate Valentine's Day!



          

"Show Me The Love." Valentines Day is a perfect opportunity to recognize people in our family tree who have shown love in their lives to other people. As I think about the people I have discovered from our past, one person comes to mind who showed outstanding love in his life. Unfortunately we don't know a whole lot about many of our family members of generations past. But we do know a significant amount about this particular fellow. 

His name was Richard Gray and he is my GGG Grandfather. Here's my lineage to him: me / Maida Gower Shepard (b. 1924) / Nola Shannon Gower (1903-2004) / Samuel Pickens Shannon (1858-1930) / Peggy Ann Gray Shannon (1829-1899) / Richard Gray (1803-1882). 

Richard Gray was born in South Carolina to an Irish father and an American mother. After moving to Mississippi he married Polly Gilmore and with her had at least 4 children, including the woman whose GG grandson I would one day become, Peggy Ann Gray. 

About the time the Civil War started, the Gray family began moving westward from Mississippi, most of them to Stone County, Arkansas. Daughter Peggy Ann Gray Shannon and her husband David Reid Shannon, however, moved to Louisiana, where David died in 1864 serving in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Peggy and her 7 children were left to fend for themselves under dire circumstances. 

Word got back to Peggy's 62 year old father Richard in Arkansas of her plight, and his heart was touched. He accepted the difficult task of traveling 400 dusty miles -- probably in a wagon -- from Mountain View, Arkansas to Sugartown, Louisiana to gather up Peggy and her children and move them to Arkansas. What else but a father's love for his only daughter could make a man do what he did? 

Moving Peggy Ann Shannon and her 7 children from Southern Louisiana to Northern Arkansas in the aftermath of the Civil War was no easy task. It was a slow, difficult journey that must have taken weeks. The South had been decimated in the war, people were desperate, poverty was rampant and travel had great risks. To undertake this journey required a heart full of love, a pocket full of greenbacks, and lots of help. The help Richard received from his sons -- Peggy's brothers -- James, Samuel and Lawson, who made the journey with him to rescue their family. 

As a result of Richard's venture of love, the family was reunited and they lived out their lives on homesteaded property west of Mountain View, Arkansas. Richard died in 1882 at 79 years old, and is the first burial in Gray's Cemetery near Timbo, Arkansas. Richard Gray gets my vote for the "Show Me The Love" award.
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Steve Shepard

Life's No Fun Without a Good Scare, Oct 25, 2014

Halloween! Halloween!

Tender lumplings everywhere

Life's no fun without a good scare.

That's our job, but we're not mean

In our town of Halloween.

~Danny Elfman

Hello to all of you on this week leading up to the great American holiday Halloween!

Happy Birthday Mandi! Tomorrow, October 26, is the 22nd birthday of my grand niece Mandi Aquiningoc of Millsap, Texas. Mandi is the daughter of Kerri Aquiningoc and the sister of Lyndsey Aquiningoc of Weatherford, Texas. Mandi is the proud mother of Kambree Kay Bowman, who was born just last year. Here is Kambree and Mandi's lineage for the last 6 generations:

-Kambree Kay Bowman
-Mandi Aquiningoc and Steven Bowman
-Kerri Shepard Aquiningoc and Manuel Aquiningoc
-Gary Shepard and Jackie Enderle Perry
-Eugene and Maida Gower Shepard
-Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower

Mandi is the 2nd of the 17 Great Great Grandchildren of William and Bura Davis Shepard, and the 4th of the 15 Great Great Grandchildren of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. Kambree has the distinction of being the first Great Great Grandchild of Maida Shepard of Anacortes, Washington.

The foregoing is quite an impressive pedigree, all of which is simply to say... Happy Birthday, Mandi!

In related news... Mandi's sister Lyndsey Aquiningoc recently announced that she and Colton Bearden are now engaged to be married. Congratulations to Lyndsey and Colton!

Pam's Birthday. This coming Thursday is a milestone birthday for Pamela Engan Shepard, the mother of Linda Shepard and Steven Paul Shepard, all of Anacortes, Washington, where Pam was born and has lived her entire life. The second picture was taken earlier this year and shows a smiling Pam. Happy Birthday this week to Pam!

In Celebration of Halloween! The following is a family photo presentation in celebration of Halloween, the most secular and gory of all our cherished holidays. It includes family members from all corners of our extended family with an emphasis on children, and those adults among us who think of ourselves as children sometimes!

I have discovered that most mobile devices are not equipped to view and hear Photoshows, the format in which this presentation is made. So if you are not able to hear it and view it, try it on your favorite MAC or PC.

  

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Steve Shepard