Jonathan Shepard, of English descent, came from Coventry, Conn., in 1768, and a few years later moved his family here. For his first wife he married Love Palmer, of Stonington, Conn., who bore him seven sons and three daughters, all of whom,_ except the oldest daughter, lived in this town. Be his second wife, Polly Underwood, he had one daughter. Jonathan’s son were Jonathan, Oliver, Nathaniel, Amos, Simeon, Joshua, and Roswell, allo; whom came to the town about the same time with their father, and some of them became the most wealthy and influential persons in the town. Jonathan, a shoemaker, married Hannah Benjamin, of Hartford, Conn., and had born to him six sons and a daughter. Capt. Oliver married Zerviah Hatch who bore him two sons and two daughters. He represented the town in the colonial congress and state legislature nine years. Nathaniel married Lois Marvin. Gen. Amos married Thankful Cadwell, of Hartford, Conn., and was the first merchant in the town, served as a major-general of militia, represented the town in legislature many years, was councilor and state senator, and president of the senate seven years. He died in 1812, leaving a large property. Simeon married Rachel Brooks, who bore him four sons and four daughters. Joshua married Lucy Farnsworth and reared two sons and four daughters. Roswell died in youth. William, the eldest son of Capt. Oliver, born here March 6, 1778, married Sally Fisher, reared five children-Amos, Cyrus, Maria, Willard and Oliver, and died June 6, 1841. Oliver, Jr., born March 18, ISIS, was chairman of the board of selectmen ten consecutive years, including the war period, when he was town agent for procuring recruits, represented the town in the legislature two terms, was a justice of the peace many years, settled many estates, and died February 29, 1876. He married William’s cousin, Susan, daughter of Gardner and Sarah (Merrifield) Shepard, who survives him. Their children are Ella N. (Mrs. L. F. Wood), of Keene, Herman 0., a clerk in Worcester, Mass., and Albert C., who resides with his mother in Alstead. Gardner Shepard married twice, reared twelve children and died January 16, 1861. Charles, one of his younger children, a clairvoyant physician, practiced in Alstead until 1881, when he went to South Deerfield, Mass. Phila P. (Mrs. J. V. Greene), resides in Alstead. Sumner G. resides in South Newfane, Vt. Amos, eldest son of William married Abigail Fletcher, of Lempster, N. H.. in 1831, and had children as follows: Cyrus, Sarah S., Harvey E., Norman A., and William C., only the latter of whom is living. He spent about twenty-five years in the grocery business at Fitchburg and Springfield, Mass., returning to his native town in 1878. Amos Shepard died December 25, 1873. Cyrus died in 1861, and Henry E. died a prisoner of war, in Libby prison.
