William Shepard

Family/Spouse: Experience Hart. Experience was born in 1650 in Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. John Shepard, Sr was born in 1673 in Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA; died on 10 Aug 1756 in Westfield, Hampden, Massachusetts, USA.

Notes:

Edward SHEPARD wrote his will, "having arrived unto old age." Bequeathed to wife Mary; children John, Elizabeth, Deborah, Sarah, and to their children in case of their own decease before himself; also to the children of his deceased daughter Abigail, formerly wife of Daniel POND. (4c) Edward SHIPHEARD of Cambridge, New England, mariner, "being through the favor of God arrived unto old age," wrote his will. Gives to dear wife Mary either 20 pounds to be paid her by my executors within 3 months after my decease in such household goods and other things as may be suitable for her, or else the use of my dwelling house, barn, and orchard that lie on the north side of the street during her life, provided she keep the same in tenantable repair. The remainder of my estate to be divided into 6 equal parts. Two parts I give to my son John SHIPARD, or in case of his death before me, to be equally divided among his children; to my daughter Elizabeth, 1/6 part or in case of her death before me to be divided among her children; to my daughter Deborah (the same as to daughter Elizabeth); to the children of Daniel POND which he had by my daughter Abigail deceased 1/6 part to be equally divided; to my daughter Sarah (the same as to daughters Elizabeth & Deborah). Appoints my dear son John SHIPARD executor, and in case he should decease before me, I appoint his eldest son my executor. Wits. Daniel GOOKIN Sr., Daniel GOOKIN Jr.

Land bought 1639
Bought house and lands from James HERRING, Cambridge, MA. Edward SHEPARD bought of James HERRINGE one dwelling house, with a garden, abutting on John BETTS north east, Edward MICKERSON on the north, Mr. ANDREWS west, the highway (now South Street, between Holyoke & Dunster) south. Also a small garden, on the other side of the highway, abutting on John THRUMBULL east and south, on Mr. PAINE's yard west, on the highway north. Also, upon the south side of Charles River, a lot of planting land, 5 acres more or less, abutting Boston field east, John THRUMBULL and Mrs. ANDREWS's lands west and south, upon the highway and Creek north. Surveyed by Richard JACKSON, Joseph ISAKE and Robert SAUNDERS.

Edward Shepard & Family, Members of the Church of Cambridge.
The valuable list of members of the Church of Cambridge 1658-1667 written by Rev Jonathan Mitchell gives the following account: "Edward Shepard member in full Communion. So was also his wife Violet deceased. Their children that were in minority when He Joyned are
"Abigail now living at Dedham.
"Deborah now also at Dedham.
Sarah now dwelling at Braintree.
"The eldest of these aged 12 years the 2d, 10: the 3d., 7 yeares when their parents Joyned here being all baptized in England. Mary now the wife of the foresaid Edward Shepard was dismissed hither from Ch. at Dorchester & is in f. C. with us. Her daughter Mary Pond baptized at Dorchester was 11 years old at her mothers joyning with us."

Edward SHEPARD was admitted to the church in Cambridge with "his first wife Violet." Their children that were in minority when he joined were Abigail, now (1658) living at Dedham, Deborah now also at Dedham, Sarah now dwelling at Braintree. The eldest of these was aged 12 years, the second, age 10, and the third, age 7, when their parents joined, being all baptised in England. Mary, now the wife of Edward SHEPARD, was dismissed hither from the church at Dorchester and is in full communion with us. Her daughter Mary POND baptized at Dorchester, was 11 years old at her mother's joining with us. Recorded 1658. (NOTE: Daughter Sarah would have been age 7 in 1643. See notes under Sarah.)

Gregory WOLTERTON of Hartford, upon the river of Conictticote, wrote his will. Mentions wife Jane, James WOLTERTON, son of Matthew WOLTERTON of Ipsago, Suffolk, England, Matthew WALLER of New London, Rebecka WALLER, and Sara WALLER, and the sons of William WALLER, dec'd, at Lyme: John, Samuel and Matthew. Gives to John SHEPEARD Sen., the son of Edward SHEPARD, one piece of land, he to pay 20s. to his father Edward SHEPARD, 20s. to his sister Debora FAIRBANKS, and 20s. to sister Sara THOMPSON, and 20s. to his sister's abovesaid children.

Elmstead Market is a village in the Tendring district of Essex. It lies 3 km northeast of Wivenhoe and 6 km east of Colchester. It is on the A133 road which until a few years ago was the main road to Clacton, Frinton and Harwich. The A120 road constructed to bypass Colchester and Elmstead Market has reduced the volume of through traffic considerably.

The identity of Edward Shepard's wife Violet has occasioned much controversey. Her only son, John Shepard, married for his first wife a Hartford, Connecticutt, girl, and removed to Hartford before the death of Gregory Wolterton of that town. Wolerton made his will 17 July 1674, dying shortly after, and in his will remembered many relatives of his own and of his several wives. One of the first legacies is that of four acres to John Shepard, Sr., son of Edward Shepard, the said John to pay 20 schillings each to his father Edward, to his sister Deborah Fairbanks, his sister Sara Tomson, and his sister Abigail's children. Thus he left something to four of Edward Shepard's five children, only omitting the elderst Shepard girl Elizabeth; but shortly before making the will, he had given land by deed to Elizabeth (Shepard) (Strickland) Disbourough for life, to go at her death to her four Strickland sons; and in the willhe gave 2 pounds to Elizabeth wife of John Andrews, Jr., whom we can identify as Elizabeth Shepard's only daughter. Thus, he made some provision for ALL of Biolet Shepard's children or their representatives. Furthermore, in 1668, Wintrop's Medical Journal mentions that he treated one of the Strickland boys [children of Elizabeth Shepard] at G[oodman] Wolerton's house in Hartford; so the Stricklands were then visiting or living with Wolerton. Finally, when Edward's son John received a legacy in the will of the childless brother of John Shepard's wife, while John was still living in Cambridge, (1654), he appointed his Uncle Gregory "Winterton" to collect this legacy for him in Hartford. It seems extremely probable, from the foregoing, that Edward Shepard's wife Violet was a sister of Gregory Wolerton. (For a full discussion of the Wolerton will and relationships, see the editor's articles in The American Genealogist, 32: 197-201, 33:95-98. --Editor.

Edward married Violet (Stanley) Charnould on 6 Dec 1620 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. Violet was born on 26 Sep 1596 in Harwich, Essex, England; died on 9 Jan 1649 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Edward married Katherine Becham on 7 Dec 1595 in Little Bentley, Essex, England. Katherine was born on 13 Apr 1572 in Elmstead, Essex, England; died on 1 May 1608 in Elmstead, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]