Pictorial and Genealogical Record
of Greene County, Missouri • 1893

Together with Bibliographies of Prominent Men of Other Portions of the State, Both Living and Dead


PROF. EDWARD MARTIN SHEPARD. For the past fifteen years Edward Martin Shepard has been a professor in Drury College, and at the present time is the acting president of that institution. He comes of sterling New England stock, and the founder of the family on American soil was Edward Shepard, an English sea captain, who brought his family to this country in 1637. They were among the first settlers of Cambridge, Mass., and there spent the remainder of their days, Mrs. Violet Shepard dying January 9, 1648 or '49. After her death he took for his second wife Mary Pond, a widow of a sea captain of that name. His first union resulted in the birth of the following children: John, born in England, in 1627, Elizabeth, born in England in 1629, Abigail, born in 1631. Deborah, born in 1633; and Sarah, born in 1636. Edward Shepard became a man of property in Cambridge, and his will is still in existence. John Shepard, his eldest son, was a freeman in Cambridge in 1650, and moved to Hartford, Conn., about 1666. He was a sergeant in the militia, and Hinman says he was an important man in the colony. He lived on what is now Lafayette Street, Hartford, and died there June 12, 1707. He married his first wife October 1, 1649, her maiden name being Rebecca Greenhill, daughter of Samuel Greenhill. She died December 22, 1689. His second marriage occurred August 3, 1691, Mrs. Susanna, widow of William Goodwin, Sen., becoming his wife. After her death his third marriage (to Martha, widow of Arthur Henbury), occurred September 8, 1698. He was the father of eleven children, all by his first wife: Rebecca, John, Sarah, Violet, Elizabeth, Edward, Samuel, Thomas, Deborah, Abigail and Hannah. John, the eldest son, was born January 22, 1653, and was a deacon in South Church at Hartford. He was first married May 12, 1680, to Hannah, daughter of Deacon Paul Peck, and a second time to Mrs. Mary Benton, widow of Jonathan Benton. His will dates August 1, 1728, and was proven April 6, 1736. He was the father of seven children: John, Samuel, Hannah, Joseph, Rebecca, Timothy and Rebecca. He died about 1719. Samuel, the son of John, was born February 2, 1684, and died June 5, 1750, first marrying May 17, 1709, Bethiah, daughter of John and Meletiah (Blanford) Steele, a descendant of George Steele, of Essex County, England. She died in 1746, after which Mr. Shepard married a second time, Eunice ________ who is supposed to have died at Hartford, Conn., October29, 1772. Mr.Shepard, was the father of nine children by his first wife: John, James, Bethiah, Hannah, Sarah, Samuel, Stephen, William and Amos. John, the eldest of this family, was born April 28, 1710, and his will was probated July 7, 1789. He married Rebecca _______ and to them eight children were given: John, Rebecca, Jerusha, Aaron, Eldad, Anna, Eunice and Huldah. The son Eldad was born at New Hartford, (?) in 1740, and died at East Granville, Mass., August 13, 1807. He married Rebecca Seymour, who was born in 1747, and died at Winsted, Conn., September 21, 1807, after having borne her husband ten children: Oliver, Rhoda, Anna, James, Betsey, Rebecca, Amelia, Levi, Ruth and Polly. The father was supposed to have been a soldier of the Revolution. James, the son of Eldad, was born December 21, 1774, at New Hartford, (?) Conn., and died at Norfolk, Conn., January 31, 1844, where he had been a hotel proprietor and major of the State militia. He was married to Abigail Andros, who died at Norfolk, Conn., September 2, 1861, and by her became the father of six children: John Andros, Laura L., James H., Jerusha, Samuel and Eliza A. He was a member of the Congregational Church, as were all his ancestors. His son Samuel was born at West Winsted, Conn., December 10, 1813, and died at Norfolk, Conn., January 16, 1872, aged fifty-nine years. He received an academic education at Norfolk, Conn., and afterward became a merchant at Norfolk, which business he followed there for several years. His wife, Mary I. Dennis, was born at Newton, N. J., January 14, 1821, and May 25, 1853, was married to Mr. Shepard. She was a daughter of Ezekiel Dennis, who was a surveyor and merchant by occupation, and belonged to the religious sect of Friends. He was descended from Scotch-Irish ancestors who came to this country with William Penn. He was a man of wealth and prominence, and reared his children in comfort and gave them excellent advantages in their youth. Edward Martin was born May 15, 1854; Eliza Dennis was born October 8, 1857, at Winsted, Conn., and died February 20, 1860, and Mary Isabella was born April 24, 1859, at Winsted, Conn. Their father was a man whose good name was above reproach, was amiable and quiet in disposition, and was an earnest member of the Congregational Church, as is his widow who survives him, at the present time making her home with the subject of this sketch. Prof. Edward Martin Shepard, son of the above mentioned worthy couple, first saw the light on May 15, 1854, at Winsted, Conn. He was given educational advantages of an excellent nature, and received the practical part of his education at Williams College in the class of 1878, and received the degree of A.M. in l881. He soon after became a special student in biology at Peabody Academy of Science, at Salem, Mass. He was soon after appointed curator of the museum of Roanoke College at Salem, Va., and professor of natural history at Waynesburg College, Pa., in 1878. He was later chosen professor of biology and geology at Drury College in 1878, since which time he has filled this position in a very acceptable and creditable manner. He has had published various scientific papers, and one volume on mineralogy in 1881, by A. S. Barnes & Co., New. York-a text-book now used in a number of colleges. He has also tables for plant analysis, and schedules for qualitative chemical analysis, published at Springfield, Mo., in 1883. In 1890 he was appointed special assistant on the State geological survey of Missouri, in charge of Greene, portions of Polk, Webster, Christian and Dallas Counties, and has in press the State geological report for this area. For years Prof. Shepard has been interested in the early history of the aboriginal tribes and early explorers of Missouri and the Southwest, and has made many valuable investigations. For many years he has made a special study of the origin of the lead and zinc deposits of southwest Missouri, and is considered an expert in mining matters. Prof. Shepard was married June 28, 1881, to Harriett Elma, ninth child of Stephen Van Rensselaer Ohlen and Nancy Record Clark, of Florida, N. Y. The professor and his wife have two children: Isabella Violet, who was born August 23, 1888, in Springfield, and Edward Martin, born August 27, 1889. Prof. Shepard and his wife are members of the First Congregational Church, in which he is a trustee, and politically he is a Democrat. He is a man of scholarly attainments, is graphic and clear in his delineations. and possesses the rare faculty of imparting information qualities which have made him eminent in his profession throughout the State.

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