Happy Birthday to Gary Shepard, March 23, 2018

Spring has returned.

The Earth is like a child

that knows poems.

~Rainer Maria Rilke

Greetings to all of you, wherever you may be, from beautiful San Diego on this first week of spring, 2018!

Happy Birthday today to my older brother Gary Lee Shepard. He and his wife Cindy Ann Shepard live in Oak Harbor, Washington. Gary, like all my siblings and I, was born and raised in San Diego. Gary, however, unlike his siblings, remained in San Diego for almost his entire working life. It was not until 2003 when he retired from the County of San Diego, that he left Southern California for the Northwest. He and his wife Cindy have lived on Whidbey Island in Western Washington now for 15 years.

Gary is the oldest of the 5 children of our parents Maida Gower Shepard and the late Eugene Shepard. Gary and our sister Barbara have accepted the largest share of the responsibility for caring for our elderly mother Maida, who lives in nearby Anacortes, Washington. These days in addition to his own health concerns, Gary is one of the primary caregivers for our mom. It is a very important job that does not get all the thanks that he and Barbara so richly deserve.

Leroy Gower, Maida Gower Shepard, Gary and Jason Shepard, 1973

Gary was given the middle name "Lee" by our parents as a nod to our maternal Grandfather Leroy Ertin Gower (1899-1974). Leroy was a native Arkansan who had moved his family to San Diego in 1942, just 4 years before Gary was born. Grandpa Gower often went by the name "Lee" among his friends. It was also the way I remember Grandma Gower referring to him. Lee is also the middle name that Gary gave to his son Jason Lee Shepard who lives today in Fort Worth, Texas.

This first picture (above) was taken in 1973 and shows Gary on the right holding his son Jason Lee Shepard. Grampa Leroy Gower is on the left with his daughter Maida Gower Shepard in the middle.

Our Grandfather Leroy was named after his uncle Leroy Monroe Gower (1875-1965) who went by the name "Babe" (think Babe Ruth) presumably to avoid confusion over all the "Leroy Gowers" in the family. Uncle "Babe" Gower was a young man of 23 and a neighbor of Grandpa Gower's when our Grandfather was born just months before the start of the 20th century. They all lived in the small farming community of Newnata, a few miles west of Mountain View, Arkansas.

Leroy Monroe "Babe" Gower with daughter Vergie, about 1900

This second picture, taken about 1940 in Arkansas, shows Leroy Monroe "Babe" Gower with his special needs daughter Vergie Gower.

Yet another of Gary's namesakes in our Gower family tree is Grandpa Gower's Grandfather, who was also named Leroy Gower (1854-1909). As best as I can tell this Leroy Gower was the first one with the name Leroy in our entire Gower family line. Born before the Civil War in 1854, he was the very first Gower to be born in Izard County (later renamed Stone County), Arkansas. His parents Jackson William Gower and Mary Anderson Gower had come to the hills of Northern Arkansas about 1850 from Wayne County, Tennessee about 100 miles southwest of Nashville. They may have been the very first Gowers to settle in Stone County, Arkansas.

Leroy Gower with wife Ellen Taylor Gower about 1900

This last picture shows my GG Grandparents Leroy Gower and his wife Ellen Taylor Gower. The source from whom I received this picture claims that "this is the oldest known picture of any Gowers in Arkansas." I could find no date for this remarkable photo, but both these folks died in their early 50s in 1906 and 1909, respectively. It may have been taken around the turn of the 20th century.

The following is a map showing the 168 year, 3,348 mile journey of the folks mentioned in this post. It begins with GGG Grandparents Jackson and Mary Gower who, in 1850, left Wayne County, Tennessee. It concludes with Gary and Cindy Shepard who have lived in Oak Harbor, Washington since 2003. The stops along the way include a 75 year stop in Arkansas, a 17 year stop in Oklahoma, and a 71 year stop in San Diego. 

- - -
Steve Shepard

A Wealth of Celebrations! May 14, 2015

The year you were born

marks only your entry into the world. 

Other years where you prove your worth,

they are the ones worth celebrating. 

~Jarod Kintz

Tomorrow is the birthday of our grandson Logan A. Shepard of San Diego (not to be confused with his second cousin Logan J. Shepard, of Bothell, Washington). San Diego Logan is the middle child of Nathan and Chenda Shepard and the brother of Preslea and William. He is also the 7th Great Grandchild of Maida Gower Shepard. And he is one of the Great Great Grandchildren of William and Bura Shepard and Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower.

The following is a photo presentation celebrating Logan's 4th birthday tomorrow!


     

Speaking of the late William and Bura Shepard, have I mentioned that their 100th Wedding Anniversary is coming up June 2? The webpage honoring them on this 100th anniversary continues to have information added to it as the weeks go by. You can visit it now to honor Will and Bura and to celebrate this special milestone.

Today is the birthday of Christopher Shepard, also of the Seattle, Washington area, and uncle of the aforementioned Logan J. Shepard. 

This day also marks the birthday of Thelma Shepard of Blue Springs, Missouri and Thelma's grand daughter Courtney Boyd of San Diego.

In addition, on Monday of this week Jacinta Shepard (New Castle, Oklahoma) and Nicole Haw Shepard (Bothell, Washington) had birthdays. Later this week Darren Boyd (San Diego), Ashlyn Ortiz (San Diego), Jason Shepard (Weather- ford, Texas), and the late Elmer Shepard will all turn the page on one more year. 

A wealth of celebrations! Included is a collage of all those with birthdays in our family this week.

This is the most intensive birthday time in the entire year for our extended family: 10 birthdays in a 10 day period (May 11-20).  Happy Birthday to all of them!
- - -
Steve Shepard

400 and Counting, January 23, 2014

The most durable,
lasting power in this world

is the power to love. 

~Rev Martin Luther King, Jr.

Congratulations to Kevin and Havilah Colgain Wardle whose 4th wedding anniversary is today, Jan 23, 2014. Havilah is one of the great grandchildren

of Will and Bura Davis Shepard, by way of her mother Joan Shepard and her grandfather Elmer Shepard. Havilah and Kevin live in Victoria, Texas. The first picture shows Kevin and Havilah on their wedding day four years ago. 

400 and Counting. My last blog post was the 400th of The Shepard's Crook. It makes me grateful for being part of a family about which there is so much to say! I am not just talking about the drama that occasionally comes to our families. I am talking about the people and their stories, of recent times and long ago, who provide the foundation of our family's life and history. Their stories need to be told so we will know who we have been and who we are becoming.

I consider it important to keep the focus of this blog on family, even though it is tempting to do otherwise. For example, my nephew Patrick Shepard wants me to report here (surely not in a gloating gesture!?) that his beloved Seattle Seahawks football team beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game last Sunday. But I must resist, even though it is of great importance to him and his family. Am I being too harsh?

In the course of writing this blog I have included many pictures of new babies, growing children, parents, grandparents, and ancestors who are no longer around. At last count I have included 777 family pictures in this blog, some taken the very day the entry was posted, others images over 100 years old. A handful of the family pictures I have included were from the 19th century, and are rare gems to be cherished forever.

The picture below is a combination of one such 19th century photo, alongside one of the most recent pictures I have. The left half shows Leroy and Ellen Taylor Gower (in the 1880s), while the right half was taken earlier this week and shows their youngest GGGG grandchild, Logan Joseph Shepard of Bothell, Washington.

Speaking of pictures, I am always interested in other old family photos that may exist somewhere in the closets or attics of our extended family. One of my goals in writing this blog is to create a photo archive of our family that will last for generations. If you have any old family photos, I am very interested in working with you to get a digital copy for inclusion in The Shepard's Crook. Images that are included here will be available to future generations far, far longer than any physical photograph.  

Thanks to all of you who are readers of these posts, especially those who have connected with me in various ways and have shared pictures or informative emails, or in other ways have contributed to this ongoing family resource. 

God only knows what our lives and our family will look like in years to come, but some things will remain the same: people marry, new children arrive, we all age and the diversity of our families grows richer and broader. I am excited about what the future holds for the family circles in which we find ourselves. They are all worth remembering and celebrating.
- - -
Steve Shepard

"More of a Love Affair", May 24, 2013

Let your religion

be less of a theory

and more of a love affair.

~G.K. Chesterton

Hello Family and Friends! 

Let me begin with a message I received this week from my cousin Dane Shepard who lives with his family in Newcastle, OK, near the destruction of this past week's horrific tornado: "We are doing well and with God's blessing we escaped the tornado as it went by 5 miles to the north... I'm grateful for all your prayers for us here and for those who lost so much."

A Fellow Blogger. I have recently come in contact with a member of our extended family who is a fellow blogger, second cousin Brent Taylor of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Brent's grandfather Jesse Davis and my grandmother Bura Davis Shepard were siblings. They were part of that wonderful family of seven kids of James and Callie Davis, two brave parents who migrated to Oklahoma from Indiana with all their children in tow, exactly 100 years ago. (That is a memorable story in itself and needs to be celebrated and remembered this spring! Stay tuned.)

The first picture, which includes Brent's grandfather and my grandmother, is one I have not shared in this blog for several years. It shows the 7 children of James and Callie Davis and was taken around 1920 in Oklahoma. From left to right are Winona, Lawrence, Esther, Marjorie, Myra, Jesse (Brent's grandfather), and Bura (my grandmother).

Brent Taylor's blog is titled "Bespoke" and I recommend it to you. Even though the byline is a wonderful Chesterton quote -- "Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair" -- his blog is an appealing collection of musings on everything from family to sports to spirituality. He is "a home builder by trade and an occasional writer when the passion stirs in me." And he does write well. I found his post about the passing of his aunt Becky Davis a few months ago not only well written, but particularly touching.

Brent has only been blogging, at least in this incarnation, since December, and my hope is that the passion to write "stirs in him" for quite sometime. I find him a positive addition to the blogosphere, and am especially interested in what he has to say since he is a part of our extended family. Kudos to his uncle Bud Davis for recommending Brent's blog to me.

A link to "Bespoke" is one more that you can find on the front page of The Shepard's Crook in the column on the left under the heading "Other Favorite Sites and Blogs".

I have never met Brent in person, even though we share a set of great grandparents, and even though our own parents (his mom, my dad) were first cousins. But my guess is that most second cousins don't know each other these days. A few years ago, fellow family researcher Nancy Bushong counted 91 great grandchildren of James and Callie Davis, Nancy's husband Jim being one of them. (As far as I know the only place in the world where they are all listed is in Nancy's 2010 book, "Davis and Beck Family History"). Of those 91, 11 are either my siblings or my first cousins, all well known to me, of course. Beyond that I cannot say that I personally know any of the others, although I have corresponded by email with a few.

Part of the reason for that is my grandparents Will and Bura Davis Shepard's move to San Diego in 1940, and the distance that put between those of us in California and the genealogical "holy land" of Oklahoma, where many, maybe most, of James and Callie's descendants live today. It is therefore particularly gratifying that Brent and I have corresponded, and hopefully will share even more by virtue of our respective online presence. The Davis heritage we share is a rich one indeed.

Some Family Happenings. Happy 20th birthday this Sunday to Brandyn Boyd of Coronado, California, the son of my cousin Darren Boyd, and one of the Great Grandchildren of Will and Bura Davis Shepard.

This coming Tuesday is the birthday of Ruthie Russell who lives in Red Rock, Nevada with husband Eric Russell. Eric is another Great Grandchild of Will and Bura Davis Shepard. Happy (special) Birthday, Ruthie!

On This Day 68 years ago my parents, Navyman Eugene Shepard and Maida Gower (see picture from 1945), were married at the El Cajon Blvd Church of Christ in San Diego, as WWII was grinding to its conclusion. Today is one more opportunity to celebrate the lives of both my parents, but in particular my father, who passed away 10 years ago this summer.  

- - -
Steve Shepard

The Gower Big Picture, Sunday, March 3, 2013

No one's family is normal.

Normalcy is a lie invented by advertising agencies

to make the rest of us feel inferior.

~Claire LaZebnik

Hello Family and Friends,

After my last post, I decided that an overview of our Gower ancestry would be in order. Fortunately we have a pretty clear picture of the Gowers from whom Grandpa Leroy Gower was descended, going all the way back to the first arrival of the Gowers in this country in the 17th century.

Happy Birthday Kerri. First, however, I need to say Happy Birthday to one of Grandpa Gower's Ggrandchildren, Kerri Shepard Aquiningoc. She was born on this day in 1968 while her parents were on something of an extended visit to Michigan. They were there for little more than a year, when Kerri was born. My guess is that their new baby made them so homesick for California they decided to return to San Diego, which is where Kerri was raised from the age of about 3 months.

Today Kerri lives in Weatherford, Texas, not far from  Lyndsey and Mandi, her two daughters (see first picture). Mandi will present Kerri with her first grandchild this June when Mandi and her boyfriend Stephen will welcome the arrival of a baby girl. That new baby will be the first GGG grandchild of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower (and the first GGG grandchild of Will and Bura Davis Shepard). And will make my brother Gary a Great grandpa!

Mandi: My mom is excited to be a grandma and everyone else is excited for me too. She'll be born June 19, exactly a month before my dad's birthday:) I thought that was kind of cool:) Her full name is Kambree Kay Bowman:) I'm doing great as well. Me and my boyfriend Stephen have our own place in Mineral Wells so we've been pretty busy the past couple weeks. I'm still working at Panda Express and I love it. I miss and love all you guys!!

The Gower Big Picture. Our Gower family line is actually quite impressive. Information is available that shows Grandpa Gower's paternal family line originating with Irish immigrant Abell Gower who came to America from Boulton, County Gloucester, England sometime before 1640. That is the year his son, also named Abell Gower, was born in Henrico, Virginia.

The graphic below (click on it for a larger view) shows the migration pattern for 10 generations of our Gower ancestors between 1640 and 1942. It begins in Henrico, Virginia (near Richmond) on the East Coast, and culminates in San Diego on the West Coast where Leroy and Nola Gower settled in 1942 and lived almost all the rest of their lives.

• Point A (Henrico, Virginia) on the map is where Abell Gower (1640-1689) was born.
• Point B (Wake County, N.C.) is where Abell and Jane Gower's son, named Abel (with one L) Gower, was born in 1690. (Read more about them in this blog post.)
• Point C (Iredell, N.C.) is where Abel's grandson Thomas Gower (and wife Mary Robertson) lived in 1780.
• Point D (Blount County, Tenn.) is where Thomas and Mary's son Matthew (and wife Susannah) lived in 1800.
• Point E (Wayne, Tenn.) is where Abel and Rachel (Lay) Gower lived in 1830. (Read more about them in this blog post.)
• Point F (Tishomingo, Miss.) is where Jackson and Mary (Anderson) Gower lived in 1850.
• Point G (Stone County, Arkansas) is where Leroy and Ellen (Taylor) Gower lived in 1880. (Read more about them in this blog post.)
• Point H (Okemah, Oklahoma) is where George and Serena (Turner) Gower moved in the 1920s. (Read more about them in this blog post.)
• Point I (San Diego, Ca.) is where Leroy and Nola (Shannon) Gower settled in 1942. (Read more about them in this blog post.)

It took about 300 years for our Gower ancestors to get from Henrico, Virginia, where they arrived from England, to San Diego, where they completed their migration across the country. Like countless other families, they were driven westward, slowly at first and then jumping the final half of the country to the West Coast in the middle of the 20th century, when travel was much easier. The first half of their migration across country was by foot, on horseback, or in a horse-drawn wagon.

Since 1942 Leroy and Nola Gower's descendants have scattered, and today live primarily in Southern California/Arizona (where their son Hank Gower's family lives) or in Northwest Washington (where their 2 daughters Maida Gower Shepard and Vicki Gower Johnston now live). Other Gower descendants live elsewhere in California, Texas, Tennessee and Indiana.
- - -
Steve

Valentines Of a Unique Sort, February 26, 2013

Hold to the now, the here,
through which all future
plunges to the past.

~James Joyce

Hello Family and Friends,

Family Reunion This Summer. Plans are being made for a family reunion this summer in Anacortes, Washington on Saturday, August 10. All Shepard, Davis and Gower family members, friends and relatives are invited to attend. More specifics will be provided here as the date draws near.

Happy Birthday Darrell. Tomorrow is the birthday of my brother Darrell Shepard of Kirkland, Washington. Darrell was born here in San Diego back in 1954, the 6th grandchild of Will and Bura Davis Shepard, and the 8th grandchild of Leroy and Nola Shannon Gower. Today Darrell and his wife Mary Medina Shepard live in the Seattle area and are the proud parents of three. This summer they will be grandparents for the first time.

Darrell: "So here it is again. That time of year. Steve wanting to announce to the whole world and reminding me that I am yet another year older and that much closer to death. Thank you Steve for this wonderful service you provide for us.

"It's like Woody Allen said: The thought of death doesn't bother me. I just don't want to be there when it happens. All kidding aside, I have finally abandoned my neurosis regarding aging. You can't fight it. And it beats the alternative. So please feel free to announce to the world my age. Go ahead. I really don't mind. Just don't expect me to utter that number. Actually I have found the fountain of youth. It's name is music. Whether I am playing alone or performing in a room of 200 people, I am always 17 again when I play the guitar. Sheer magic!"

The first picture shows Darrell and his mother Maida Gower Shepard in a picture that was taken last spring. Inset are two other pictures of Darrell, the one on the left from 1962, the one on the right from 1978.

Valentines of a Unique Sort. Before this month of Valentines Day is over I want to share with you about some ancestors who were Valentines of a unique sort. Abel Gower and Rachel Lay were teenagers who fell in love and sought to get married in Roane County, Tennessee almost 200 years ago. The custom was for a young couple to join in a "marriage bond" when they got engaged. Each family was required to promise a certain amount of money to show good faith, as a promise that the bride and groom were both eligible for marriage.

One of the oldest family documents of any sort that I have, is a copy of the marriage bond between my GGGG grandparents Abel Gower and Rachel Lay who were only 16 at the time of their engagement. Rachel's father James Lay, and Abel Gower himself, signed the marriage bond for $1,200 on February 20, 1816. If for any reason either one of them could not legally or morally get married, they would forfeit the money, no small amount for that time. $1,200 was the average ANNUAL salary in the early 1800s.

This second image is a copy of this marriage bond from 1816, and is available online thanks to 4th cousin Jean Gowers Loveall, with whom I have recently connected online. This 197 year old document is very difficult to read, so here is what it says:

"Know all men by these presents, that Abel Gower and James Lay are held and firmly bound unto Joseph McMinn, Governor of the State of Tennessee and his successors in office, in the sum of Twelve Hundred and fifty dollars, to be void on condition that there be no lawful cause to prevent a marriage shortly intended to be solemnized between Abel Gower and Rachel Lay otherwise to remain in full force. Witness our hands and seals this 20th day of February, 1816."

The document is then signed by Abel Gower and Rachel's father James Lay, and their seals affixed. Note that young Abel's mark was just an X, indicating he was not able to write.

On February 21, 1816, the day after the marriage bond was executed, Abel and Rachel were married in Roane County, Tennessee. They lived together for 44 years, raising 9 children in Tennessee. After moving to Mississippi and then Izard County, Arkansas, they lived their last days in Comanche, Texas where Rachel died in 1860. Abel died there 10 years later.

One of their grandchildren was Leroy Gower (1854-1909) who, along with his wife Ellen Taylor Gower, were among the first Gowers in Stone County, Arkansas. Read more about them and see their picture here. This Leroy Gower was the grandfather of my grandfather Leroy Ertin Gower (1899-1974), who many of us remember.
- - -
Steve

The Century Mark, May 1, 2011

There's nothing more special
or dear to the heart
than the feelings of love
that a family shares.

Hello Family and Friends,

Today is a day of remembering the life of Mildred Beck Davis who passed away back in January in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. She was born May 1, 1911, which means that today would have been her 100th birthday. At the time of her death she was the oldest living member of the family of my grandmother Bura (Davis) Shepard.

The first picture shows Mildred in a picture taken in 2009. The second picture shows Mildred (front center) with the six children of her and Jesse Davis: Nordeen, Jessie, Charlotte, Bud, Becky and Kathryn.  

From her daughter Charlotte: Mom's birthday has floated through my mind a few times lately. I think of how proud she would have been to have made the 100th mark. But I remember that in her mind she had already made it. She would proudly proclaim that "You know I'm 100"!  

I know she would have been em- barrassed by all the fuss we would have made. So maybe she enjoyed the "celebration of her life" more since she could watch "from a distance".  May 1 will be a time for remembering, for smiling as we remember her quick wit, and thankfulness that we had her with us for almost 100 years.

From her son Bud: There is more than an empty feeling that we will not gather this year in person on her hundredth birthday …only in our memories. Empty because we no longer have a mother to love and hug on her birthday and on Mother’s Day. We miss you dearly, Mother.  

Since Mom loved her garden so much, near the garden seemed the best place for her tribute. We built a trellis in our garden area and had a plaque made with the inscription, "Mildred Davis, 1911- 2011" (see picture).  

We continue to honor her for her unselfish love, her grounding in the Bible, and her life lessons. Every day we hear her speaking to us: don’t get too big for your britches… dress modestly… pretty is as pretty does… you can do anything you set your mind to do. We know she is in a better place, one without pain or sorrow and we let her go because it is best for her. One final lesson from her would be: love and cherish family members as often as you can. We love you all.

I am sure I speak for all our family when I say our prayers and best wishes continue to be with all of Mildred's family on this special occasion of remembering and moving forward.
- - -
Steve

Shepard Family Reunion
Aug 13, 2011
Anacortes, Washington

From "the Land of Red Earth", Aug 18

I started at 5 years old

at the kitchen table

with my family supporting me.

I know where I'm from

and I know exactly where I'm going.
~Celine Dion

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,

I received word this week from my cousin Dane Shepard of Oklahoma, regarding happenings among our kin in his part of the world.

Dane: Here's a brief update from the land of red earth. We've been having hot and dry weather for about a month reaching into triple digit temps for a few weeks. By contrast, Thelma says they have had more rain than ever and would like a break. She also mentioned that Jeff and Kim are suffering as we are.

Mildred Beck Davis, Kaylan and Dane Shepard

We have moved Dad to a better assisted living facility. His new address is: Elmer Shepard, Arbor House, 850 Clear Springs Road, Room 105, Mustang OK 73064. This is just about 2 miles from where he lived before. He is not as strong as before and has become quite forgetful in short term memory. He is still able to get out for church services and to go out to eat.

Kaylan and I had a short but enjoyable visit in Bartlesville this July. We were treated to a wonderful dinner (that's lunch back here, although it was indeed a big meal), featuring items fresh from their garden. Anytime you go there you can expect a warm welcome.

As for Mildred, she has gone down in her health and ability to carry on a conversation but she remains sweet and still has a sense of humor about her. Bud was there and gave me a CD of pictures they had scanned. I will be sending some of the pictures your way in time.

Siblings: Charlotte Davis Taylor, Bud and Becky Davis

Becky is able to get around fairly well after her hip surgery. She recounted the night that Mildred fell a few months ago. It was late and they had gone to bed and didn't hear her calling after she fell. Finally Jessie and Becky found her but were unable to lift her so they called 911 and had some big firemen assist them. They laugh about it now. Mildred is unable to get out much.

At this time, Cindy's father is in the hospital. He's not doing well. We stay busy keeping tabs on our parents. Hopefully, the hot weather will soon pass and that will help. It's time to start school here so we're getting into the swing of home schooling again. Thanks again for the emails and family updates. Take care.

How Our World Has Changed. Every once in while I hear or read something that helps put the history of our family in perspective. 90 years ago today the 19th Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified and women received the right to vote in our country. It is hard to believe that before that time, women in the U.S. were denied that most basic privilege.

The oldest living person in our Shepard clan, Elmer Shepard (mentioned above) of Mustang, Texas, was born two years previous to that time. Mildred Beck Davis, pictured above, was 9 years old in 1920. Their lives have witnessed a tremendous amount of cultural change, more than most of us can imagine. 

- - -

Steve

Shepard Family Update, March 5, 2010

.
"Cousin to cousin we'll always be,
Special friends from the same family tree."
~unknown

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,

Greetings from our home in San Diego where the sun is shining and the living is great in these latter days of winter 2010.

Texas Emails. Jerry Clark of Lubbock, Texas emailed me this past week to confirm that he was indeed the photographer of the picture that I included last week of 5 Shepard siblings, taken in 1983 in Anacortes, Washington. How in the world he got that motley crew to pose so well for him I do not know. But I am glad that he did!

I also received an email this past week from Larry Davis of Dallas, Texas with updated information on his particular part of our family. Larry has been a reader of this blog for some time. He is one of the nephews of my grandparents Will and Bura (Davis) Shepard, and a first cousin of my father Eugene Shepard, who died back in 2003.

Cousins Galore. Larry and my dad were 2 of 31 first cousins who were grandchildren of James and Callie Davis. (See the first picture of James Davis, taken in the 1890s.) I have mentioned before in this blog that James and Callie had 7 children, including Larry's father Lawrence Davis and my grandmother Bura (Davis) Shepard. See a picture of all 7 children with their parents.

For those 7 children to have a total of 31 offspring is not an extraordinary number for the early to mid 20th century, but it still makes for a very large extended family. I am one of 12 first cousins on my dad's side of my family and that seems large. But 31? Those 31 cousins -- born between 1916 and 1949 - account for an extended family of several hundred people today.

Of those 31 cousins...
4 were born with the last name Shepard;
9 were born with the last name Davis;
8 were born with the last name Kilpatrick;
6 were born with the last name Jenkins;
4 were born with the last name Millikan;
and all 31 (and most of their descendants) can be found on our family tree on ancestry.com.

The second picture I am including shows 9 (of the 31) cousins who were gathered at the Shepard/ Davis Family reunion last summer. (Click the pic for a larger view.) Beginning upper left are: Virginia Jenkins Niles (with husband Harold), Arthur Jenkins (with wife Grace), Gary Millikan (with wife Barbara), Charlotte Davis Taylor (with husband Terrel), Arlen Millikan, Jessie Davis Bushong, and Kathy Davis Villanueva. Seated is Elmer Shepard (the oldest surviving cousin) and his sister Thelma Shepard Boyd. The two children are Kaylan and Nathan Shepard, Elmer's grandchildren and among the younger descendants of James and Callie Davis.

In the email from Larry Davis this past week, he referred to his older brother Ronald Davis, who died in 1998. When I first began research into our family back in the late 1980s, Ronald was a great source of information. He had done a tremendous amount of family research at that time, copies of which he graciously sent to me, and which I still find very helpful today. We can all be grateful for Ronald and the family work he did. He was undoubtedly the first compiler of our family tree to gather his information on a computer.

Who Do You Think You Are? I have received announcements about a new TV series that begins on Fridays starting this evening on NBC titled "Who Do You Think You Are?" It is about different celebrities and their search for their family roots. This evening's program concerns "Sarah Jessica Parker on her journey through family history as she discovers an ancestor involved in the Salem Witch Trials."  For anyone interested in family history it might be worth watching. If you happen to view it, I'd be interested in your reaction.
- - -
Steve

Shepard Family Update, July 24, 2009

.

A person travels the world overin search of what they need,and returns home to find it.
-- George Moore

Hello Shepard Family and Friends.

Greetings to all of you from home in sunny San Diego, where Cindy and I have returned after last weekend's trip to Oklahoma. The Newcastle Family Reunion is over, but the memories remain. It was a grand event as 40 of our family members met outside Oklahoma City in the small throw-back town of Newcastle, Oklahoma. Most of those present were descendants of Bura Davis and Will Shepard, but we were also honored to have a dozen or so other Davis relatives (one of whom rightly reminded us that all of us Shepard descendants are also "Davis relatives").

The first picture I am including today shows the group who attended the reunion, including people with the last names of Shepard, Davis, Taylor, Sauvage, Millikan, Jenkins, Villanueva, Ortiz and Boyd. (Click on the picture to see a larger view.) Select this link to see the pictures that appeared in my PowerPoint presentation at the reunion. But be patient, there are lots of pictures, so it takes a while to load. The good news is there is a feature that allows you to download the pictures if you choose. Select this link to see a much smaller collection of some pictures that were taken last weekend.

The day began with a time of renewing family ties with people we had not seen in many years. In some cases family members were meeting for the very first time. We also shared a great meal catered by a local barbeque, and then viewed lots of old (and new) family pictures from photo albums as well as on a big screen. We also recognized special people among us, including the oldest and youngest members of the Shepard clan: 92 year old Elmer Shepard (Dane's dad), and 2 year old Damian Ortiz (Thelma's Ggrandson). Special thanks go to Dane Shepard and his cousin Kim Clark who formed the core of the planning team for the reunion.

BIRTHDAYS. Today is the birthday of Shannon Wilk of Atchison, Kansas, granddaughter of Pauline Shepard Russell. Shannon was planning to attend our reunion last week, but health concerns prevented her from coming. Best wishes to Shannon for good health and a happy birthday!

This coming Tuesday is the birthday of Barbara Shepard of Anacortes, Washington, who reaches a major milestone on July 28. Tuesday is also the birthday of Jeff Clark, husband of Kim Clark of Blue Springs, Missouri. The second picture shows these two birthday kids, taken last week at the family reunion. As you might guess from the camera in his hand, Jeff was the photographer of the group picture above.

And finally I would like to pass on some family emails I received just before the reunion.

From Eric and Ruth Russell of Red Rock, Nevada,
Hello Steve... Sorry we haven’t gotten back to you sooner. Work has been busy and dad was in the hospital two weeks ago with pneumonia. He’s doing well now. This past week was dealing with two wild fires near our houses. All is well now. I did find some photos of dad that you might enjoy. We are still trying to locate old family photos that you were asking about. We do enjoy reading your e-mails, and print them out for dad to read. Best wishes.
(Eric and Ruth graciously sent some photos of their father Rex, which I will include in an upcoming email.)
From Joan Shepard of Dixon, California,

Right now I'm concentrating to reach a deadline with my work. And I'll miss you all very much. I wanted to thank you for the inspiring comments in the family emails. Havilah and I appreciated your discussion so much. Thank you for your loving altruism. I'm also so delighted about Nathan and Chenda. My best to them. I've attached some memories for Dad. Perhaps you can read it at the reunion. Thanks so much, Steve. Have a wonderful weekend.

From Joan's daughter Halilah Reynolds, who lives just outside Salt Lake City, Utah,

I so wish that I could be there at the family reunion. I send my love to the family! Thanks for the updates, as always. Enjoy the day! -Havilah

From Bud and Janet Davis,

Please say hello to our family members for us, as we are not able to make the trip from the Tacoma, WA area. Sounds like you will have a great time at the reunion. Thank you for doing such a good job with your family email and website. It helps us hold on to memories. Great pictures of the Davis family including my dad Jesse. Jessie and Charlotte should have some pics to share and wish we could be there too. ...Bud and Janet Davis

And lastly, these insightful words from brother Darrell Shepard of Kenmore, Wa.,

I loved the quotes this week. I presume you are just being nice and upbeat regarding those quotes for the sake of the family reunion. Because quite frankly as funny as those quotes are, I think they reveal a usually unspoken truth about family dynamics. (Please don't make me sight examples or individuals, mainly because I would have to present myself as exhibit "A".) I believe when it comes to family self image, we like to present ourselves as we would like to be. Otherwise we might lose sight of how important and valuable and wonderful family relationships really are - in spite of all the quirkiness. If we hold that image of who would like to be as as a family up to ourselves and the world, we might move closer to actually being that someday.

Anyway, I will be with you all tomorrow in spirit. I hope you all have a terrific time. The family web site and the old pictures you post are a blessing to all of us. Especially my kids, and in fact all the younger members of our family. Thank you for the recent picture of Gram, me and Mary taken in 1984. My kids love that picture and it has launched many a story telling session about the "older days." It really gives them a strong sense of family and history and belonging to something bigger than themselves. It binds us all together more closely - quirks and all.
--
Steve

Shepard Family Update, June 26, 2009

We all grow up with the weight of history on us.

Our ancestors dwell in the attics of our brains
as they do in the spiraling chains of knowledge
hidden in every cell of our bodies.~Shirley Abbott

Hello Shepard Family Members and Friends,

Greetings to each of you from hot Tucson, Arizona where Cindy and I are visiting friends for the weekend. At our family reunion July 18 -- which is fast approaching! -- we may have a number of relatives from my Grandmother Bura Davis' side of the family. Many of them live in and around Oklahoma and have been invited to join us, in particular by Dane Shepard and Kim Clark, who have gone out of their way to make contact with many of them.

The first picture I am including today shows the connections with our larger Davis family. In the picture is my great grandparents James Brooks Davis and Caroline (Callie) Spear Davis with their 7 children. It is one of the finest quality old family pictures that I have.

Standing tall in the back is the oldest child, my grandmother Bura Davis, who, 7 years after this photo was taken, would marry William Shepard, who she did not even meet until after they had moved and settled in Oklahoma. I never remember her looking any taller than she appears in this picture.

The boy on the far right is Lawrence Davis, taking the serious posture of the oldest boy. He was the second born in the family, and in 1930 would marry Loudella Jackson. Next to Bura is Myra Davis, the third child, who has her father's eeire eyes; in 1918 she would marry William Allen Kilpatrick. The boy smack dab in the middle is Jesse Davis, the middle child of the 7, who would marry Mildred Beck in 1930. (Mildred, by the way, is the last survivor of this generation in our family, and lives in Bartlesville, Oklahoma today.)

The girl nearly hidden on the far left is Winona Davis, child #5, who in 1924 would marry William Allen's brother Barney Kilpatrick. Esther, child #6, is the cute little girl in the front between her parents with her head slightly cocked. She would marry Perry Jenkins in 1923. Marjorie, the youngest of the 7, is the baby sitting in her father's lap. In 1931 she would become Mrs. John Millikan, and then 50 years after that, Mrs. A.C. Williams.

Marjorie was born in late December 1907. In the picture she cannot be any more than a few months old, indicating that this picture must have been taken in the spring or summer of 1908 -- 101 years ago! The location was probably Spencer Indiana, where the family lived at the time. A few years later they moved to Beaver County, Oklahoma.

None of the people in this picture are still living today. The last one of James and Callie's children to pass away was the youngest, Marjorie, who died just last fall in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 100.

One of the most remarkable things about this picture is how they managed to get all the children to pose so perfectly, at the same time. To get ANY 9 people to photograph well is tough enough. When 7 of the 9 are under 12 years old, it is uncanny. Some of our younger family members may need to be reminded that this picture was taken long before the age of digital photography, meaning that each shot was very important. They did not take 20 pictures and then select the best one. 100 years ago photography was still a relatively new phenomenon, which may help to explain the rapt attention given by each of the family members -- including the baby!

The indicators of the early 20th century in this photo are very apparent -- the curtains in the back, the knickers on Lawrence, the collar and blouse on Jess (try putting that on a boy today and the neighbors may call CPS!), the well worn shoes, the soft white cottons on all the girls, and the high collars on everybody.

Mother Callie, though 5 years older than her husband James, actually looks younger and is quite a beauty at 42 years old. He is the one who -- though only 37 --seems to show in his face the signs of having borne 7 children in the first 12 years of their married life.

Most of those who read this blog are descendants of Bura Davis, the tall girl in the back in the picture above. But a growing number of readers are descendants of the other Davis children, with names like Niles, Millikan, Allen, Borgstadt, Ellred, Taylor, Roberts and of course, Davis. We will be blessed to be joined at the reunion by some of these other members of our larger family.

Congratulations Newlyweds. I mentioned last week that Nathan, our son (and one of James and Callie's GGgrandsons) was recently joined by his fiance Chenda from Cambodia. But I need to report further this week that they were married last Sunday, on Father's Day! It was this father's honor to do the outdoor ceremony in San Diego, on a small bluff overlooking the Pacific ocean. Congratulations to Nathan and Chenda Shepard! The second picture I am including today is a picture of the newlyweds with Cindy and me. (I promise not to bore you EVERY week with updates. ;-)

Happy Birthday Kyle Sauvage. As a final word I want to say happy birthday to Kyle Christian Sauvage, one of James and Callie Davis' GGGgrandsons. Kyle, who turns 5 today, lives in Weatherford, Texas with his parents James and Kelly Sauvage. Kyle is the grandson of Gary Shepard and the great grandson of Maida Shepard.
--
Steve

Shepard Family Update, May 1, 2009

No matter what you've done

for yourself or for humanity,
if you can't look back
on having given love and attention
to your own family,
what have you really accomplished?
-- Elbert Hubbard

Hello Shepard Family and Friends,

A friend of mine recently shared the following story with me that I want to pass on to you.

At a restaurant a while back, I overheard a conversation between a mother and her children. They were getting ready to drive over the Sierra Nevada mountains to Tahoe for the first time.

“After lunch, we’ll have to stop and buy some chains,” the mother said, making conversation as they waited for their food.
“Why do we need chains?” her young son Andrew asked.
“We’ll have to put them on when we get into the snow.”
“Snow!” the little boy said, filled with excitement.
“Probably a lot of snow,” the mom reassured her delighted child.
But then the boy became curious. “But, why do we have to put on chains?”
“It’s the law, and it will make us safer.”
“Chains?" The young child was getting concerned. “Will it hurt?”
“No, of course not. We’ll have someone put them on for us.”
That still didn’t satisfy the young boy. He was struggling. There was silence.
Mom was starting to realize what was going on. “Andrew, do you understand that the chains will go on the tires of the car?”
“On the CAR?” A huge sense of relief came over the child.
“Yes, on the car.”

And with that, mom gave her child a big hug. The family had a laugh over it. All was okay. The trip could continue in a most delightful way. Without the youngster and the rest of his family having to wear chains.

Have you ever noticed that families are places where misunderstandings arise? Of course you have. I have too. And because of that, families -- at their best -- are also places where love and attention are given.

Speaking of misunderstandings, I received an email this past week which let me know how badly I misunderstood a family celebration that was held recently. The email was from Becky Davis, daughter of Mildred (Beck) Davis of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Mildred (see a picture of her) is the sister-in-law of my grandmother Bura Davis Shepard, and the last surviving member of her generation within our family. Happy Birthday to Mildred, whose 98th (NOT 99th) birthday is today. Here's what Becky said in her email to me:

Good to hear from you, Steve. We enjoy reading your updates on family that we have lost touch with over the years. I remember when Beverly and her family and Will and Bura came to the farm when we lived in the Boise City, OK area and later Beverly and I corresponded for awhile. When we moved to Calif in '58 she came to see us in Tracy.
We had Mom's birthday celebration [last Saturday] on the 25th because we had conflicting plans for the next Saturday. She will only be 98 instead of 99 on May 1. I think she held up having 45 people around better than her daughters did. She was still ready to play chicken-foot that evening. Sunday morning she seemed to have as much energy as usual and attended services.
Daughters Jessie Bushong and I live here and care for Mom. Nordeen Cochran lives in Spearman, Texas and is here for a week. Charlotte Taylor lives about 2 miles from us, and Kathy Villanueva lives about 5 miles away. Her son Bud will be in and out for 2 weeks. Mom has enjoyed having all 6 of her children here.

Besides 6 children, Mom has 22 grandchildren, 50 great grands, and 25 great, great grands. Most live in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. We are all looking forward to the visit from Dane and Elmer on the 5th of May. Thanks, Steve for keeping memories alive. ...Becky Davis

The first picture I am including (above) is a picture of Dane Shepard with 4 of Mildred and Jesse Davis' children, taken recently when Dane was in Bartlesville for a visit. Standing, left to right are Jessie Bushong, Becky Davis, and Kathy Villanueva. Seated is Charlotte Taylor.

The second picture I am including was taken in 1968 and shows Bura Davis Shepard with her 6 siblings in front of the South Flat Church of Christ in Beaver County, Oklahoma. Upper left in the white hat is Bura Davis Shepard, and upper right is Mildred Davis' husband Jesse Robinson Davis, who died the following spring. Partially hidden in the back is Lawrence Davis. The other sisters are Winona, Myra, Margie and Esther.

These 7 children of James Brooks and Caroline Davis (see a picture of them) represent quite an impressive legacy today. Bura herself accounts for 44 direct descendants (of which I am one) with at least one more on the way. Brother Jesse, according to the numbers above, accounts for 103 descendants! If you add up the descendants of the other 5 children, God only knows what the total would be! 500 or more, I am guessing. (I've lived in towns smaller than that!) Actually, making a list of all the descendants of James and Callie would be a great project for someone. Who'd like to take it on? I wonder if it could be done by the time of our family reunion this July?

Speaking of the family reunion, it will take place Saturday, July 18 in Newcastle, Oklahoma, a few miles south of the OKC Airport. In next week's post Dane Shepard will give a detailed update on the planning so far. As I have mentioned before, I am putting together a Photo Presentation for the reunion and would like to have pictures of each family unit, including as many descendants of James and Caroline Davis as possible. Please email digital images to me, or, if you have photographs, send me an email and we can talk about what we might do.

In the meantime, have a wonderful May Day!
--
Steve