SHEPARD, John 1800 US Census Readfield 1-1-1-2-1

Variations of spelling this name in old Winthrop and Readfield records include: Shepard, Sheperd, Shephard, Shepherd and Sheppard.[i] Tracking information about this family is challenging because of the various spellings. The same stands true for the Sherborn family into which two the Shepard’s daughters married. They were also neighbors.

In October of 1814 John Sleeper of East Readfield deeded property to John Shepard Sr. and Jr.[ii]  Two years later John Shepard was on the taxpayers list as living on a 90 acre farm with a house and barn in East Readfield south of his neighbor Job Sherburne,[iii] which was lot#244 near the Mount Vernon town line. It is not known at this time exactly where the Shepard home was located.  

John Shepard married Sarah __?__ April 3, 1769[iv] and there were 7 children born 1771-1786. After Sarah’s death he married to Catherine Adle - widow of Cornelius Adle, who died in 1803. John Shepard died in 1817, three short months after his second marriage and there were no children from that union.

John Shepard is buried with his first wife Sarah, and their son John and his wife Betsey, in Dudley Plains Cemetery. Catherine is buried with her first husband in East Readfield Cemetery.

Children of John and Sarah Shepard:

1. Sarah b.12/26/1771
2. John b.10/26/1774 d.4/5/1832 m.1818 Betsey Stain of Mt. Vernon[v] d/o John and Rebecca (Emerson) Stain. She b. 8/5/1790 in Winthrop d. 7/12/1884 in Readfield. Both are buried in Dudley Plains Cemetery.
3. Hannah b.9/12/1776
4. Mary (Polly) b.6/30/1779 d.4/1827 m.12/4/1799 Josiah Whittier[vi] s/o Moses and Anna (Webster) Whittier. He b.1778 Raymond, NH d.1864 Readfield. Both are buried East Readfield Cemetery.
5. Anna Nancy b.12/17/1780 d. unk m.11/28/1799 Henry Shurborn s/o Job and Hannah (Elliot) Shurborn of Readfield. He b.1779 d.??
6. Rebecca (Mehitable) b.1783 d.?? m.1805 to John Shurborn of Readfield s/o Job and Hannah (Elliot) Shurborn of Readfield. He b.1782 d.??
7. Judith b.1786 d.?? m.1810 to Luther Swetland of Farmington, ME
   

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[i]  To Those Who Led the Way: VR’s of Readfield, ME 1768-1913; self pub. Dale Potter Clark 2009; pags various

[ii] Kennebec County Registry of Deeds 10/4/1814 Book 28 Page 1 (John Sleeper to John Shepard)

[iii] Stackpole’s History of Winthrop with Genealogical Notes by Keene and Young; pub. Heritage Books Inc. 1994; page 807

[iv] To Those Who Led the Way: VR’s of Readfield, ME 1768-1913; self pub. Dale Potter Clark 2009; page 40

[v] Ibid page 109

[vi] Ibid page 111