John Shepherd

From the History of Belpre by C. E. Dickinson one of the original settlers was "Benjamin Patterson, wife, and six children; three of the rangers, or spies, who were single men, boarded with him, viz: John Shepherd, George Kerr, and Matthew Kerr. Patterson served as a spy three years for the settlement at Belpre and then moved down the river."

From the Biographical and Historical Memoirs of the Early Pioneer Settlers of Ohio by S. P. Hildreth, 1852, ""Two men, Benjamin Patterson and John Shepherd, from the state of New York, were employed as rangers three of the first years of the war, and then moved down the river." See page for Benjamin Patterson whose daughter, Lucretia, married a John Shepherd in 1795.

John Shepherd Sr. and his family lived in "Breckinridge County near Highway No. 60 and in the vicinity of the present village of 'Dukes'. That is about 7 miles from Hawesville and about 14 from Hardinsburg.
John Shepherd Sr. died about 1809 and his wife, Lucretia, was named executrix. A lawyer hired to do genealogical research writes, "His estate was small amounting to only L.136 Sterling. His three oldest children were married in Breckinridge co., KY. But the widow, Lucretia, moved to Perry Co., In between 1811 and 1815 taking Sophia and Ben with her."

Recorded in Deed Book C Breckinridge Co, KY p. 467 "January 9, 1816, David Curtis and Sophia his wife late Sophia Patterson, Isaac Patterson, of Breckinridge County, and James G Jones and Lucretia his wife late Lucretia Shepherd, widow and relict of John Shepherd, dec'd of the Indiana Territory, to Benjamin Patterson of Breckinridge County, whereas Benning Patterson and Hiram Patterson late of New Madrid County, Missouri Territory, died seized in fee of a tract of land each situated in said New Madrid Territory, Territory of Missouri, the said two tracts being the only lands confirmed and granted to the said Benning or Hiram in the said County of New Madrid, and whereas the said Sophia and Lucretia, sisters of the said Benning and Hiram, and Isaac Patterson, brother of the said Benning and Hiram, are each entitled to 1/6th part of the4 same tracts as heirs and legal representatives, Now the said David Curtis and Sophia his wife, James G. Jones and Lucretia his wife, and Isaac Patterson, for and in consideration of the $5.00 paid by the said Benjamin Patterson, have sold to the said Benjamin Patterson their undivided 3/6ths parts of the said two tracts of land, to which they may be entitled as heirs and legal representatives of the said Benning and Hiram Patterson. Certified and recorded January 9, 1816."

John Shepherd is listed in the tax lists for Breckinridge Co., KY for 1807, 1808 and 1809. There is no surviving tax list for 1810. John Shepherd had died by 1810 and his widow, Lucretia Shepherd is listed in the 1810 census for Breckinridge Co., KY with six males living with her. The four youngest were surely Hiram, Solomon, Benjamin and John. The older two males are listed as between 16-25 and 26-44. Lucretia married John Shepherd in 1795 so she cannot be the mother of these two older males. In 1811 there is a listing for a John Shepherd in Breckinridge Co., KY. The John Shepherd who married Susanna Shively in Washington Co., KY stated he was the son of John Shepherd and there is a John Shepherd listed in Washington Co. KY in 1810 census. . There is also a Henry Shepherd 25-44 listed in the same county.

The two older males listed in the 1810 census living with Lucretia Shepherd could be farm laborers or they could be children of John Shepherd from an earlier marriage. In addition to the John Shepherd paying taxes in in Breckinridge Co, KY in 1811, there is a Joseph Shepherd paying taxes in 1813. In 1814 John Shepherd, Joseph Shepherd, Lucretia Shepherd and William Shepherd are all paying taxes. William Shepherd is listed right below the name of Lucretia.