Middlesex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643. The county originally included Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, Sudbury, Concord, Woburn, Medford, Wayland, and Reading.
Thomas Shepard was born on April 5, 1635 in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Ralph and Thanklord Shepard.
Winfred Shepard in Ancestors and Descendants of Albro Dexter includes Thomas as a son of Ralph and Thankful Shepard, but he is not included in the Records of Littleton.
He married Hannah Ensign on November 19, 1658 at Malden. Hannah was the daughter of Thomas Ensign and Elizabeth Wilder. She was christened on July 6, 1640.
Their children included:
Thomas Shepard (1659, married Hannah Blanchard),
Hannah Shepard Blanchard (1664, married Joseph Blanchard),
Ralph Shepard (1667),
John Shepard (1669, married Persis Pierce),
Jacob Shepard (1675, married Mercy Chickering),
Sarah Shepard (1678),
David Shepard (1680),
Isaac Shepard (1682, married Rebecca Fuller), and
Mary Shepard (1685).
Hannah died March 14, 1698. His second wife was Joanna White.
He died on September 17, 1719 in Milton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Malden, Massachusetts was first settled in 1640. It was incorporated as a town in 1649 and as a city in 1881. Prior to 1649, it was part of Charlestown called Mystic Side.
Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
