My Genealogy Hound

REV. S. G. SHEPARD, an enterprising farmer, was born in 1830 in Wilson County; son of John and Frances G. (Graves) Shepard. The father was of Scotch descent, and was born about 1785 in Prince Edward County, Va. He was a teacher by profession, and in connection with this did farming. At the time of his marriage, which occurred in 1807, he was living in Wilson County. He was not permitted to live the time allotted to man. but was cut down in the prime of life; He died in 1835 with the cholera. The mother was of French origin, and was born in Virginia about 1800; she died in 1860. There were eight children born to them, four of whom are living. Our subject’s grandfather, Samuel Shepard, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, at Yorktown. About 1800 he immigrated to Wilson County, Tenn., where he settled and lived to an advanced age. He cast his first vote for George Washington, and his last for Henry Clay. Our subject received his education in the county schools, and at the breaking out of the late war he enlisted in Company G, Seventh Tennessee Infantry, Confederate States Army, and was made captain of his company. After the death of Gen. Hatton, May 31, 1862, our subject was appointed lieutenant-colonel of his regiment. He led his men in twenty battles, the leading ones being Seven Pines, seven days around Richmond, second Manassas, Sharpsburg, etc. At the close of the war he returned home, and August 3, 1865, married Mattie Major, a native of Wilson County; born in 1845, and the daughter of Samuel and Fanny (Chambers) Major. To our subject and wife were born four children: Samuel G., Alice, John and Agnes. After marriage our subject began farming, and now owns 300 acres, and is a well-to-do farmer. He is a Democrat in politics and a member of the Masonic fraternity. In 1870 he was elected as one of two representatives from Wilson County to assist in revising the constitution of the State of Tennessee. In 1872 he was elected as member to the State Legislature, and in the same year he was ordained as a Missionary Baptist minister. His ministerial duties have been principally confined to Wilson and Rutherford Counties. At present he has charge of four churches, three in Rutherford and one in Cannon County at Woodbury.