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An American Family History

John Shepard
Children of Deacon Ralph Shepard
and Thanklord Shepard

  • Sarah Shepard
  • Thomas Shepard
  • John Shepard
  • Isaac Shepard
  • Trial Shepard Powers
  • Abraham Shepard
  • Thankful Shepard Dill
  • Jacob Shepard
    		•

    John Shepard was born about 1637, probably in Dedham, Norfork County, Massachusetts. Winfred Shepard in Ancestors and Descendants of Albro Dexter includes John as a son of Ralph and Thanklord Shepard, but he is not included in the Kin of Mellcene Thurman Smith.

    He married Sarah Goble in 1661. Sarah was the daughter of Thomas and Alice Goble of Concord.

    Their children were John Shepard (1661), Martha Shepard (1663), Mary Shepard Streight  (1663), Rachel Shepard Stone, Sarah Shepard, Dorothy Shepard (1669), and Daniel Shepard (1671).

    In 1661 he was granted 30 acres of land by the town “in consideration of the hand of God upon him in the loss of one of his arms.”

    On March 21, 1689/90 he was voted freeman by the court.

    He died in Concord on December 15, 1699.
    Lady Day Before 1752 the year began on March 25th. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year, not the beginning.

    Any man entering a colony or becoming a a member the church, was not free. He was not forced to work, but his movements were carefully observed to see if they followed the Puritanical ideal. After this probationary period, he became a "freeman." Men then took the Oath of a Freeman where they vowed to defend the Commonwealth and not to overthrow the government.

         

     

         

    ©Roberta Tuller 2012
    tuller.roberta@gmail.com

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