As research genealogists, we use a variety of sources.
Fundamentally there are two categories of sources: primary and secondary.
Primary sources are records that are original to the timeframe being researched,
such as, court records, marriage records, birth certificates, letters,
first-hand testimony, etc. Secondary sources are records that were created
after the timeframe being researched, such as, information from books, recollections
from someone’s past, etc… Due to the fact that secondary sources
originated beyond the timeframe being researched, there are often inaccuracies
and faulty assumptions.
Primary sources are the “gold standard” for the basis of my
research. Over the years, I have encountered numerous secondary sources that were
clearly in error when compared with the primary source. These errors
are often transcription errors, yet, some have turned out to be deliberate
forgeries. One of my goals is to eliminate these erroneous secondary sources so
they are not indefinitely perpetuated from one researcher to the next.
One of the most important uses for primary sources is in linking the generations together. Without primary sources connecting the generations, doubt can be raised whether those generations are truly connected or not. It took me years to locate the primary sources connecting the patriarchs from the present-day back to our most distantly known ancestor (Samuel Shapard c.1700 - 1752). For those future Shapard research genealogists, I have illuminated the essential records linking the generations of the Shapard family... This key knowledge will greatly advance your understanding of our family tree and dispel any debate over our patriarchal lineage.
Beginning with my grandfather:
David Conger Shapard (1913-1983) was originally named David Evander Shapard, Jr. He changed his name after his parents divorced and his mother moved him from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Enid, Oklahoma, in 1929. The primary source of the name change is located in the last will and testament of his father, David Evander Shapard, Sr., found in the court records of Sebastian County, Arkansas. The primary source confirming he was the son of David Evander Shapard, Sr., and Annelise Conger is his birth certificate, Sebastian County, Arkansas. Note that David Conger Shapard had a brother (Jack Conger Shapard) who died shortly after birth. David had no other siblings.
David Conger Shapard (1913-1983) was originally named David Evander Shapard, Jr. He changed his name after his parents divorced and his mother moved him from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Enid, Oklahoma, in 1929. The primary source of the name change is located in the last will and testament of his father, David Evander Shapard, Sr., found in the court records of Sebastian County, Arkansas. The primary source confirming he was the son of David Evander Shapard, Sr., and Annelise Conger is his birth certificate, Sebastian County, Arkansas. Note that David Conger Shapard had a brother (Jack Conger Shapard) who died shortly after birth. David had no other siblings.
David Evander Shapard, Sr. (1887-1935) was the son of Rev. Edwin Ruthven Shapard and Jennie Neely Hall. The primary source linking these generations is the Death Report of David Evander Shapard, Sr., located in Sebastian County, Arkansas, as well as, letters of correspondence between David Evander Shapard, Sr., and Rev. J.Y. Bryce, which states the father-son relationship. These letters are held in the J.Y. Bryce Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Note that David Evander Shapard, Sr., had two brothers (Sumner Samuel Shapard and Edwin Ruthven Shapard, Jr.) and one sister (Elizabeth "Lizzie" Mitchell Shapard).
Rev. Edwin Ruthven Shapard (1838-1889) was the son of Robert Paine Shapard and Parthenia Mitchell. The primary source linking these generations is from E.R. Shapard's Sebastian County Arkansas 1889 Death Record (familysearch film 4707960, image 275) listing his parents as Robert Paine Shapard and Parthenia. Note that Edwin had numerous siblings: William Booker, James Hodge, daughter, Avarilla Elizabeth, Robert Addison, Evander, David Green, Sarah and John Mitchell.
Robert Paine Shapard (1805-1871) was the son of Lewis Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is the apprentice bond found in Rutherford County, Tennessee Deed Book L, page 1-3, whereby, Lewis Shapard bound "his son" Robert P. Shapard to Joshua Harrison to learn the trade of a nailer. Note that Robert Paine Shapard had numerous siblings: William Booker, Sophia, James Paine, Booker, Lewis, Martha, Thelia and Thomas Paine.
Lewis Shapard (1773-1833) was the son of William Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is found in Granville County, North Carolina Deed Book T, page 49, whereby, William Shapard places his property in trust in return for an annuity to be paid each Christmas by "his children:" Samuel, Mildred, Elizabeth, James, William, Lewis, Thomas, Mary , John, Anne and Robert. In addition, there is another source from Granville County, North Carolina Deed Book S, page 259, whereby, William Shapard deeds a tract of land to "his son" Lewis Shapard. As stated above, Lewis had numerous siblings.
William Shapard (1741 - 1807) was the son of Samuel Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is found at Virginia Digital Collections; Middlesex County, Virginia Chancery #1791-002; Vass vs Shackleford, whereby, it states that William Shapard is the brother of Mrs. Crittenden. This court record further documents that Mrs. Frances (Shapard) Crittenden was the daughter of Samuel Shapard. Thus William and Frances were siblings and the children of Samuel Shapard. Further evidence at worldfamilies.net the Shepard DNA Project confirms a Y-DNA match between William Shapard's lineage and his brother Robert's lineage - proving them to be siblings of the same father (Samuel Shapard). Note that William had numerous siblings: Samuel [Jr.], Robert, Elizabeth, John, Ann, Mary, Mildred, Frances and Sarah.
Beyond Samuel Shapard (c.1700-1752) we have no connection to additional generations, as of yet.
Robert Paine Shapard (1805-1871) was the son of Lewis Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is the apprentice bond found in Rutherford County, Tennessee Deed Book L, page 1-3, whereby, Lewis Shapard bound "his son" Robert P. Shapard to Joshua Harrison to learn the trade of a nailer. Note that Robert Paine Shapard had numerous siblings: William Booker, Sophia, James Paine, Booker, Lewis, Martha, Thelia and Thomas Paine.
Lewis Shapard (1773-1833) was the son of William Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is found in Granville County, North Carolina Deed Book T, page 49, whereby, William Shapard places his property in trust in return for an annuity to be paid each Christmas by "his children:" Samuel, Mildred, Elizabeth, James, William, Lewis, Thomas, Mary , John, Anne and Robert. In addition, there is another source from Granville County, North Carolina Deed Book S, page 259, whereby, William Shapard deeds a tract of land to "his son" Lewis Shapard. As stated above, Lewis had numerous siblings.
William Shapard (1741 - 1807) was the son of Samuel Shapard. The primary source linking these generations is found at Virginia Digital Collections; Middlesex County, Virginia Chancery #1791-002; Vass vs Shackleford, whereby, it states that William Shapard is the brother of Mrs. Crittenden. This court record further documents that Mrs. Frances (Shapard) Crittenden was the daughter of Samuel Shapard. Thus William and Frances were siblings and the children of Samuel Shapard. Further evidence at worldfamilies.net the Shepard DNA Project confirms a Y-DNA match between William Shapard's lineage and his brother Robert's lineage - proving them to be siblings of the same father (Samuel Shapard). Note that William had numerous siblings: Samuel [Jr.], Robert, Elizabeth, John, Ann, Mary, Mildred, Frances and Sarah.
Beyond Samuel Shapard (c.1700-1752) we have no connection to additional generations, as of yet.
