BIRTH
John was born in April, 1777 in Coventry, Tolland, Connecticut.
PARENTS
John is the son of Henry Shepard and Esther Bundy.
SIBLINGS
- Elisha Shepard (1772-1849); married Rebecca Bundy (1779-1846)
- Benjamin Shepard (1774-1852); married Clarissa Gates (1781-1831); and, married Sabrina Smith
- Esther Shepard (1778-1848); married Ebenezer Rice (or Royce) (1772-1833)
- Lucy Shepard Bundy (1785-1879); married Ephraim Bundy (1781-1851)
- William Shepard (1794-1863); married Tracey Birdsall (1794-?)
Other possible siblings include David, Erastus, Henry, Marvin, and Delia.
SPOUSE #1
John married Asenath Marvin (1769-1827) in about 1802, in Milford, Otsego County, New York.
CHILDREN
- Andrew Shepard (1803-1848) married Lucy Whaley (1803-1830’s); subsequently, married Eliza Norton
- James Shepard (1804-1877) married Amanda Putnam (1807-1891)
- Asahel Shepard (1806-1890) married Jane Newcomb (1812-1843); subsequently, married Sarah Bartlett (1818-1888)
- Phoebe Shepard (1807-1873) married Alvin Hawley (1800-1846); subsequently, married Richard D. Covell
- Polly Shepard (1809-1882) married Dennis Bruce Chaddock (1796-1868)
- John S. Shepard, Jr. (1811-1892) married Polly M. Powers (1815-1904)
- Ira Shepard (1813-1890) married Ruby Chaddock (1822-1904)
- Martin B. Shepard (1814-1877) married Elvira Greene (1821-1911)
- Marvin E. Shepard (1815-1892) married Persis Chaddock (1821-1910)
- Delilah Shepard (1821-1826)
SPOUSE #2
John married Catherine Wilson Shaw (1792-1862); about 1827. This was also Catherine's second marriage.
CHILDREN
- Fannie R. Shepard (1830-1910); married Clark Shaw (1829-1912)
- Harriet Shepard (1830-1897); married Almon Andrews (1814-1890)
- Laura L. Shepard (1833-1879); married Dr. Israel Warner (1824-1897)
STEP-CHILDREN
Catherine Wilson was first married to Daniel Shaw (1790-1823) in about 1811. And, their children were;
- Horace W Shaw (1812-1876), married Elizabeth Gibson (1827-1893)
- Guy Shaw (1813-1896) married Emily Richmond (1818-1896)
- Lydia Wilson Shaw (1816-1904); married Josiah Putnam (1801-1873)
DEATH
John died on February 14, 1856.
BURIAL
In 1876 it was reported in The Progressive Batavian that John Shepard Sr. was ”buried with his father Henry in Putnam Cemetery, Bethany, New York.”
NOTES
John’s father, Henry Shepard, fought in the Revolution under James Clark, and Col. Comfort Sage. He submitted War Pension Application papers in Ellicottville, NY in 1832. He is registered with SAR.
John was appointed Ensign then Lieutenant of a company in the Otsego County Militia in New York.
John came from Milford, Otsego County, New York and became a pioneer in Genesee County in 1816.
First wife Asenath Marvin and daughter Delilah both died in 1826 and were buried in Dale Pioneer Cemetery in Middlebury, along with grandsons Almon Shepard (1831) and Joseph Shepard (1839).
John and 2nd wife Catherine remained in Middlebury until 1831, then moved to Putnam Settlement in Batavia, where he lived with three daughters and within walking distance of six of his sons.
He purchased seven lots from the Holland Land Company 1821-1831, one for each of his seven sons.
His oldest son, Andrew had lived in Wyoming County and moved to Ohio shortly after his wife Lucy and son Almon died. He then married widow Eliza Norton Proctor in 1835. Between them they had about fourteen children. Andrew died in Ogle County, Illinois in 1848 at the age of 45.
The Progressive Batavian reports upon his death, "John Shepard came to Bethany in 1816, the next year after the cold season so well remembered by the pioneers, and settled on the farm afterward for many years owned by Stephen Meredith. Here he lived two years, then he moved to Middlebury for 14 years, then he came to Batavia where he resided till his death in 1856. He came here very poor. His children are well off, having by self-reliance and persevering industry, acquired a competence." — Charles Putnam, September 9, 1876, Progressive Batavian