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Born Oct 10, 1830 to Henry Sheppard & Diana Smith Sheppard
in Jackson County, Virgina.
It was a large family of 11 brothers and sister's.
On January 23, 1851 he married Mary Jane Ingraham
from Virginia.
On Oct 5, 1851.
Thier first child was born, Frances E. Sheppard,
had come early, was sickly and died 12 days later on the 17th of Oct. 1851. Lovernia Sheppard was born Jan 29, 1853. James Buchanan
Sheppard was born April 27, 1857, and Jacob Ingraham
Sheppard was borm on Dec 17, 1861. All four
children were born in Jackson County,Virginia,
prior to the civil war.
Samuel Hamilton Sheppard fought in the War of Southern Independence, better
known as the Civil War between the States. His name along with other relative's, appears on the Roster of Jackson County
Confederate Soldiers. Company F of the 17th Virginia Calvery
was formed by the counties of Wood, Jackson, Wirt and Roane located in Virginia before 1862.
These counties now lie in the "occupied" state of West Virginia. Company F was known by the
name of "The Night Hawk Rangers". Formed after the war had begun,
Sept 23, 1862 this company consisted of men from all walks of life Farmers,
doctors, lawyers, merchants. They carried a handmade flag made up of silk and
homespun cotton. Given to them by their women folk. It was inscribed "Liberty or Death"
on one side and "Night Hawk Rangers" on the opposite side. They
carried this flag mounted on a mahogany staff into all their battles.
After the war he took the family to Godfrey, Bourbon County Kansas. They had
discovered coal and Grandpa Sam opened a coal office.He
would purchase coal by the wagon load to be transfered
to coal cars to be shipped on the train and sold again.
On February 1, 1972 Teresa Florance Sheppard, my great
grandmother, made her way into the world. Thier
house was a buzzing with the activity of a new born brings.
But tradgety was to strike the family again, with
the death of Lovernia, their eldest daughter on
Nov. 30, 1872, who died of pneumonia.
Soon after Grandpa Sam bought a farm with his 2 sons Jim and Jacob (Jake)a few miles west of town. This kept them busy, and was
more suited to the family of farmers.
When The Womens Temperence
Union came to town they formed a "Good Templar Lodge" the whole family
joined and took the pledge. Grandpa Sam was a 32nd degree Mason a man of
honor.
Soon their son Jake moved to Ft Scott to teach school. He studied law on his
own until he could pass the Kansas Bar. He was out in the world and making
his own way. He stayed in Kansas and married
Ida Gifford July 4, 1885 in Ft. Scott, Bourbon
County, Kansas, USA, Ida
bore him a son named Jim. Grandpa Sam was very proud of his Son.
In 1883 Sam got word from a brother-in-law, George Andrew Winkler who married
Sam's sister Artimicia Elizabeth Sheppard,
that the land in Idaho
was rich for farming and there was plenty of land open to homesteading. It
was planned that Uncle Sam would go first and file a claim on the land and
get it ready for the family. It was about 1883 that he migrated west to make
his claim. He stayed about two years getting the land ready.
He returned by train to Kansas
to get his family. They sold the farm and packed up their
belongs. Took what stock they had and loaded them onto the train stock
cars. Sam,his wife Mary
Jane, his son Jim and daughter Tessie headed off for a new life in Idaho. Grandpa had a
cold that wouldn't get better. It got worse on the train and turned into
Pneumonia. He was still sick when they arrived in Idaho.
Unfortunately Grandpa Sam H. Sheppard came to "The Trails End"
November 25, 1886, in Weiser, Washington
County, Idaho. He lead a full, interesting life, and we're proud of him. He
now dwells in the House of the Lord with his family around him, Happy at
last!
Lovingly his Great Great Granddaughter Sandra E.
Mitchell.
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