CHAPTER 3: 1815-1819
On August 8, 1815, Royal F. Shepherd purchased 107 ½ acres of land on Deep Run from William Brown and his wife Hanna for $1,400. The property was bounded by the lands of Charles Woodward (1769-1825), Stephen Duval (1782-1850), Samuel Brown (1771-1847) and Royal’s widowed aunt Sally Sheppard (?-1822). That same day, Royal mad a $600 profit by selling the same land to Stephen Duval (1782-1850), Martin Smith, Zachariah Magruder, Reuben Burton and Richard C. Gillian. The collective of men were investors, headed by Royal’s cousin Stephen Duval (1782-1850), whom greatly desired the property as a site for a mill, paying an astronomical $2000 for the land.
Stephen Duval (1782-1850) was the son of Joseph Duval (?-1800) and Elizabeth Shapard (1755-?). Stephen had a talent for business and acquired great wealth through his ventures. He purchased many tracts of land along creeks ideal for the operation of mills. As the city of Richmond grew, he saw the value of lumber and nails for construction, and founded the first planning mill and nail factory in Henrico County. Stephen also invested heavily in properties within the city of Richmond. He was a veteran of the War of 1812 and married Lucy Johnson (1790-1842) having many children. His first home was located on Deep Run; yet, later he established his residence on a James River plantation known as “Cedar Grove,” where he is buried.
Around this time, Royal and his wife Mary were blessed with the birth of their second child, a daughter they named Elizabeth Shepherd (c.1815-c.1842). Interestingly, Royal’s wife Mary was unable to “conveniently” come to the courthouse for the acknowledgement of the sale of their land to Mr. Duvall, et. al., due to the fact that she was pregnant or had recently delivered her baby. Two Justices of the County Court, Samuel Brown and Thomas Lewis, made a personal visit in late October to the Shepherd home to ensure she was under no duress from her husband to sell the land. At present, few records have been found pertaining to their daughter Elizabeth Shepherd, except that in 1840, at 25 years of age, she was unmarried and living in Richmond, Virginia.
Interestingly, only a few months after Royal sold the land to Stephen Duvall and the other mill investors, Royal’s sister Mary A. “Polly” Hopkins and her husband Jacob Hopkins decided to also cash in on the lucrative price of land offered on Deep Run properties. Due to the fact that the newlyweds were living in Fluvanna County for the foreseeable future, they had no need for their property in Henrico County. On December 20, 1815, Mary A. Hopkins sold her inherited land of 104 ½ acres on Deep Run in Henrico County, bounded by the lands of David A. Shepherd, Royal F. Shepherd, David Bullock, and others, to Stephen Duvall, Reuben Barton, Martin Smith, Zachariah Magruder and Samuel Patterson for $1500. Royal F. Shepherd, David A. Shepherd and John Blackburn all signed their names as witnesses on the deed.
In November of 1815, the County Court approved the construction of a road through the Deep Run area to service a local coal mine. The throughfare was known as Heth Road, being named after the landowner and mine operator Harry Heth, by whom the road was first proposed. It traversed the lands of William Cottrell, Daniel Perkins, David Bullock, Charles Cottrell, David A. Shepherd, Stephen Duval & Company, Royall F. Shepherd, Reeves Tinsley, John F. Henley, Martin Pate, John Lawrence, Reuben Alsey, Sheppard Jones, Robert Jones, Nancy Jones and John Ambler. A writ of ad quod damnum was issued by the court to the landowners to assess the damage the road would inflict on their lands. In March of 1817, another road was surveyed by Royal F. Shepherd, William Cottrell and Martin Pate to run from Stephen Duvall’s mill to the Three Notched Road and Woodward’s Bridge.
On November 7, 1815, Royal’s brother Samuel Shepherd (1792-1849) filed a lawsuit against his uncle and former guardian Samuel Woodward (1762-1828) for the collection of an overdue debt. Recall that on April 5, 1813, when Samuel turned 21 years of age, he had sold his inherited land on the waters of Deep Run to Charles Woodward (1769-1825), the brother of his former guardian Samuel Woodward (1762-1828), and moved to Richmond. Whilst in Richmond, Samuel gained employment with the Richmond Compiler, being the city’s first successful daily newspaper, and possibly the Virginia Patriot newspaper, learning the trade of printing and typesetting. Apparently, he became very proficient and talented at his job, which was disrupted by the War of 1812.
After serving in the militia during the war, Samuel left Richmond and moved to Norfolk, Virginia, where he formed a partnership, in early 1815, with Hamilton Shields. The two men had much in common, both were veterans of the war and Samuel had worked with Hamilton’s brother William at the Compiler newspaper office in Richmond. The men began a daily newspaper in Norfolk titled the American Beacon and Commercial Diary which found great success. In April of 1816, Samuel and Hamilton brought in another partner, a printer named Henry Ashburn, to keep up with the growing operation of their paper.
Back in Richmond, in May of 1816, the Compiler newspaper, owned partly by William Shields, was purchased by Philip Duval and Daniel Trueheart. After the sale, Mr. Shields desired to partner with his brother in Norfolk and made Samuel Shepherd a lucrative offer, buying out his interest in the American Beacon and Commercial Diary. Samuel then returned to Richmond and partnered with William Pollard. Both men were talented printers by trade, and together they ventured into business operating a printing shop under the firm name of “Shepherd & Pollard.”
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On October 15, 1816, the Shepherd family of Henrico County celebrated the wedding of Sarah “Sally” Warrock Shepherd (1797-1855) to Samuel Smith Cottrell (1782-1855). Sarah was the 19 year-old daughter of Sarah “Sally” (Cocke) (?-1822) and the late Reuben Sheppard (c.1772-1813). Due to her youthful age, her mother legally had to consent to the marriage. Samuel Smith Cottrell was the son of Charles W. Cottrell (1751-1818) and Mary Shapard (1758-c.1799). After the death of his first wife, Charles W. Cottrell then married Mary “Polly” (Allen) Sheppard (1769-1826) in 1799, being Royal F. Shepherd’s widowed mother. Therefore, Royal F. Shepherd and Samuel Smith Cottrell were not only step-brothers, but also became brothers-in-law when Royal married Samuel’s sister Mary “Polly” Cottrell (1792-c.1819). This closeness in family ties with Samuel Smith Cottrell, explains why Royal F. Shepherd was his surety on the marriage bond.
An interesting event occurred in November of 1816, during a heated political election for the Henrico County House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia between former judge and incumbent George Savage (?-1824) and lawyer William Byrd Chamberlayne (1789-1858). On election day, Mr. Chamberlayne prevailed in the polls by only 28 votes (182 to 154); and, as was common practice, a list of voters their votes was made available to both parties. Upon examination, Mr. Savage noticed a number of questionable votes being attributed to Mr. Chamberlayne’s tally. Mr. Savage petitioned the Henrico County Committee of Privileges and Elections to oversee the matter to expunge these fraudulent votes from Mr. Chamberlayne’s poll numbers. In response, the committee investigated the voters in question and published a list of their findings. One of those votes being object to by Mr. Savage was that of Samuel Smith Cottrell (1782-1855), son of Charles, who owned no land at the time, thus was not legally permitted to cast a vote. Another vote in objection was that of Royal F. Shepherd’s brother David A. Shepherd (1795-c.1830) for being under the legal voting age. The Committee found that after deducting the fraudulent votes in the petition, the election was overturned and George Savage became victor by three votes (157 to 154). On November 23rd, the findings of the Committee were presented to the House of Delegates for a final resolution. However, Mr. Chamberlayne used the same tactic as his opponent and scoured the poll results for fraud in favor of Mr. Savage, presenting the same to the House before their final vote on the matter on November 30th. This political drama concluded with the House amending the report of the Committee to include Mr. Chamberlayne’s new list, which astonishingly reversed the victory back to Mr. Chamberlayne as the winner by only two votes (154 to 152)! William B. Chamberlayne would preside as the Henrico County delegate for the House from 1816-1821.
In the notorious election of 1816, step-brothers David A. Shepherd and Samuel Smith Cottrell were publicly exposed as casting illegal votes that nearly overturned an election. This would have brought a degree of scorn on them and their family by a large segment of the public. When the November investigation by the Committee of Privileges and Elections began, in an effort to protect his son’s name, Samuel’s father, Charles W. Cottrell, issued his son a deed, retroactively dated to March 8, 1816, for 80 acres of his land in Henrico County near the coal pits. Unfortunately, the ruse did not fool the authorities as the deed had not previously been recorded by the County Court. As a result, Samuel’s vote was cast out and the authorities had the deed legally recorded on November 21st, making Samuel a freeholder in Henrico County which allowed him to rightfully vote in subsequent elections. Although Samuel’s step-brother David A. Shepherd (1795-c.1830) was just a few weeks shy of legally casting a vote in the November 1816 election, by February of 1817, he had reached the legal age of 21 years old, and could scoff off the whole event as over-eagerness to become an adult.
As a man of legal age, on February 3, 1817, David A. Shepherd sold his 116 acres of inherited land on Flat Branch and Deep Run, adjoining the lands of Royal F. Shepherd, Samuel Brown and Bullock, to his step-brother Samuel Smith Cottrell (1782-1855) for $1,400. This was Samuel’s first “true” land purchase. Ironically, in return, on November 10, 1817, Samuel Smith Cottrell and his wife Sarah sold, for $1600, the scandalous 80 acres of land near the coal pits, issued to him by his father, to David A. Shepherd! From all accounts, David would utilize this land to begin a small scale coal company.
Beginning in February of 1817, a series of tragic events befell the Cottrell and Sheppard family. The first occurred when Charles Sheppard Cottrell (1779-1817), the brother of Samuel Smith Cottrell and step-brother of Royal F. Shepherd, died at 37 years of age. Charles Sheppard Cottrell had married Eliza Potts on September 15, 1806, in Henrico County, and they had three children: John, Mary and Richard. On March 3, 1817, Royal F. Shepherd became the administrator of the estate, backed by Samuel Cottrell as surety on a $2000 bond. In May of 1818, Samuel Cottrell became the guardian of his three children.
The second tragic incident occurred in January of 1818, when another brother of Samuel Smith Cottrell and step-brother of Royal F. Shepherd, died. Benjamin Sheppard Cottrell (1792-1818) passed away at the age of 26 years old in Henrico County. There is no record of him having a wife or children. On February 2, 1818, Samuel Cottrell became the administrator of his estate, who with Peter Cottrell and David A. Shepherd gave bond in the amount of $3000 for the faithful performance of his duty.
The third tragedy that befell the Sheppard and Cottrell family also came in January of 1818, when their patriarch Charles W. Cottrell (1751-1818) passed away at the age of 67 years old. Charles was the son of Richard Cottrell (c.1710-1792) and Judith Smith (c.1715-1753) and had resided in Henrico County on Deep Run Creek since the 1730s. On September 4, 1777, during the Revolutionary War, Charles married Mary Shapard (1758-c.1799) in Goochland County, Virginia. Mary was the 19 year-old daughter of Samuel Shapard II (1729-1781) and Elizabeth Price, and the sister of Royal F. Shepherd’s father Samuel Shapard III [spelled later as Sheppard] (c. 1767-1795). One year later, Charles’ brother Peter Cottrell (1760-1815) married Susanna Shapard (1760-1807), sister of Mary Shapard (1758-c.1799), tightly intertwining the Shapard and Cottrell families. Charles and Mary had seven children whom survived to adulthood: Charles Sheppard Cottrell (1779-1817) married Eliza Potts in 1806; Samuel Smith Cottrell (1782-1855) married Sarah Warrock Shepherd (1797-1855) in 1816; Elizabeth Deborah Cottrell (1784-1853) married Samuel Cottrell (1781-1858) son of Peter and Susanna Cottrell; Judith “Judy” Cottrell (1787-1823) married Samuel Brown (1771-1847) in 1807; Martha Cottrell (1790-c.1825) married Thomas Cocke in 1809; Benjamin Sheppard Cottrell (1792-1818); and Mary “Polly” Cottrell (1792-1819) married Royal Fleming Shepherd (1789-1849).
In 1792, Charles inherited an abundance of wealth, in the form of land and slaves, from the will of his late father Richard Cottrell. Sometime between 1792 and 1799, Charles’ wife Mary Shapard (1758-c.1799) died, leaving him to care for their seven children. Around the same time, in the summer of 1795, Charles’ brother-in-law Samuel Shapard III [spelled later as Sheppard] (c. 1767-1795) also died leaving his widow Mary “Polly” (Allen) Sheppard (1769-1826) financially comfortable, yet with five children under the age of six years old: Royal F. Shepherd, Elizabeth P. Shepherd, Samuel Shepherd, Mary A. Shepherd and David A. Shepherd. On September 26, 1799, Charles W. Cottrell (1751-1818) married Mary “Polly” (Allen) Sheppard (1769-1826), being his former brother-in-law’s widow, merging the Cottrell and Shepherd children under one roof. By all accounts, Charles was a good provider for his family, and was blessed with affluence during his lifetime for his hard work.
His last will & testament, proved in Henrico County Court on February 2, 1818 by the oaths of Peter Cottrell and David A. Shepherd, stated; “I give to my beloved wife Mary Cottrell, for the duration of her life, the tract of land whereon I now live, and negros Daniel, Moll, Sally, Tom and 1/3 of household and kitchen furniture, 1/3 of crop of corn, wheat, oats, fodder, also 1/3 of pork, also 1/3 money. I give to my daughter Judy Brown negros Luckey and her children Bill, Stephen, John, Mary, Jane, Henry, Seloy, Claborne of which she has possession. I give to my daughter Elizabeth Cottrell negro Jenny, Nan and her child Archer of which is in her possession. I give to my daughter Martha Cock negro Poll and her child David, and negro Cynthia of which is in her possession. I give to my daughter Polly Shepherd negros Claibourn and Betty of which is in her possession. I give to my son Samuel Cottrell negros Joseph, Johnson and ½ land adjoining the Deep Run Coal pits. I give to my son Benjamin Cottrell negros Bob, Phillis and a sorrel mare, bed and furniture, cow and calf and after the death of my wife I give him the tract of land whereupon I now live. I give to my grandsons John Cottrell and Richard P. Cottrell children of my deceased son Charles Shepherd Cottrell, decd., the balance of my tract of land adjoining the Deep Run Coal Pits not given to my son Samuel Cottrell. I give to my granddaughter orphan of Charles Shepherd Cottrell negro Lucy and her children Bob, Moses and Amey and a negro Lewis. I give to my granddaughter Maria Brown, daughter of Samuel Brown negro named Dick. I give to my granddaughter Harriet Brown daughter of Samuel Brown negro Will. I give to my daughter Judy Brown $100. I give to my daughter Betsy Cottrell $100. I give to my daughter Patsey Cock $100. I give to my daughter Polly Shepherd $100. I give to my grandchildren orphans of my son Charles Cottrell Shepherd $100 to be equally divided between them. The balance I wish equally divided between son Samuel Cottrell, Benjamin Cottrell, Elizabeth Cottrell, Patsey Cock, Polly Shepherd, and one part for my three grandchildren John Cottrell, Richard P. Cottrell and Mary Cottrell…I appoint my son-in-law Samuel Cottrell and my son Samuel Cottrell and my son-in-law Royal F. Shepherd executors of this last will and testament.”
Charles W. Cottrell’s estate was laden with slaves, land, cash, household items and plantation goods and supplies. His sons-in-law Samuel Cottrell (1781-1858) and Royal F. Shepherd (1789-1849) became the administrators of the estate on February 2, 1818, granted by the County Court. Due to the vastness of his property, a bond was required of them for the astounding amount of $10,000 for the faithful performance of their duties. Peter Cottrell, David A. Shepherd and Edward C. Mayo vouched as sureties on the bond.
On February 19, 1818, a sale of the estate of the late Charles W. Cottrell was held at his plantation in Henrico County. As the administrator of estate, Royal F. Shepherd oversaw the event and acquired some items for himself. In particular he purchased a negro girl Phillis, cross saw, pole axe, cotton seed, flax, dressing glass [mirror], pillow cases, corn, crockeryware, bucket, iron pot, oats, cider casks, scythe & cradle, sheep sheers, decanter, 8 lbs. iron and parcel of plank board.
A fourth tragic event occurred in the fall of 1818, when Royal’s friend and brother-in-law, Jesse Ellis Redford (c.1790-1818), the husband of Elizabeth “Betsy” Price Shepherd died in Goochland County, Virginia. In an effort to help his sister, Royal F. Shepherd became the administer of her late husband’s estate. Their brother David A. Shepherd and their cousin Stephen Duvall were sureties in the amount of $10,000, backing Royal as Administrator. During the sale of his estate, Royal’s brother Samuel Shepherd (1792-1849) traveled from Richmond and purchased a negro girl named Sally for $300, a two-year lease on a negro man named Pharow for $110, a bond on Samuel Woodward for $19.62, and a crop of wheat for $164.08. Jesse’s widow Elizabeth remained in Goochland County on her widow’s dower of land until 1825. She then moved to Henrico County, living with or near her brother Royal F. Shepherd. On July 3, 1828, Elizabeth married widower Martin Pate (c. 1775-1845) of upper Henrico County. Interestingly, on January 5, 1829, Robert S. Redford and John F. Redford, orphans of Jesse Redford, chose their uncle Royal F. Shepherd as their guardian. Royal’s brother Samuel Shepherd was bound as security in the amount of $1000.
Finally, breaking the chain of tragic events that befell the Sheppard and Cottrell family, a joyful ceremony was held on August 7, 1818, for the marriage of David A. Shepherd (1795-c.1830) to Nancy Patmon (1800-1823). The bride was the daughter of Elizabeth Miller (?-1823) and the late Watson Patmon (?-1815). Her parents married circa 1792 and resided in Henrico County since that time. Their home residence was a large plantation in the Upper District of the county on the waters of Upham Brook, yet, they also invested in properties in the city of Richmond and Scuffletown. Mr. and Mrs. Patmon had five children whom survived to adulthood: William Patmon (1793-c.1845) married Sarah Winn (?-1852) and moved to Hanover County, Virginia in 1816; Cynthia Patmon (1795-1857) married Price Shoemaker (1789-1842) on April 30, 1811. As a wedding offer, Mr. and Mrs. Patmon sold them 60 acres from their land in 1811. About 1824, Cynthia and Price Shoemaker moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, before finally settling in Daviess County, Kentucky; Fleming Patmon (1797-c.1849) married Sarah “Sally” Miller Ryall on February 7, 1820. Fleming was appointed Constable of the Upper District of Henrico County for numerous terms. Nancy Patmon (1800-1823) married David A. Shepherd (1795-c.1830) on August 7, 1818; Elizabeth Patmon (1802-c.1845) married Thomas M. Shoemaker (1796-1863) on August 6, 1821. About 1823, Elizabeth and Thomas M. Shoemaker moved to Shelby County, Kentucky, before finally settling in Daviess County, Kentucky. Interestingly, Thomas M. Shoemaker and Price Shoemakers were brothers, and also the cousins of David A. Shepherd (1795-c.1830), as their parents were Thomas Shoemaker (1760-1821) and Frances Shapard (c. 1763-c.1801), being David’s uncle and aunt.
Another celebration occurred the day after Christmas on December 26, 1818 in the city of Richmond when Samuel Shepherd (1792-1849) married Miss Maria Davis (1798-1877). The bride was the daughter of Augustine Davis (1752-1825) and Martha Davenport (1756-1825).
Augustine Davis (1752-1825) was born in Yorktown Virginia in 1752. As a young man entered the printing trade at Williamsburg. In the mid-1780s, after the Revolutionary War, he opened his own printing office in the city of Richmond, being the newly established Virginia capitol. His newspaper went through numerous name changes over the years, before securing itself as the Virginia Gazette and General Advisor from 1790 to 1809. Augustine gained much clout with the most prominent men in America as his newspaper was the first in the city to print The Federalist essays in an effort to ratify the Constitution. Even George Washington himself made an association with Mr. Davis during this time. From1788 until 1802, he was the Postmaster of the city of Richmond. Augustine was appointed as the Public Printer of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 1791 until 1798, gaining lucrative printing contracts from the state government to publish their journals and laws. He became one of Richmond’s wealthiest and most influential men during this era. However, by 1809 his paper was in need of a rebrand, as sales had been in gradual decline. Davis hired a new editor and changed the name of his newspaper to the Virginia Patriot. In 1816, the name was altered again to the Virginia Patriot and Richmond Daily Mercantile Adviser when Augustine’s son George Davis (1788-1821) became his partner. In 1821, Augustine sold his printing office and newspaper, retiring in comfort until his death in November of 1825. He married Martha Davenport (1756-1825) on February 28, 1778, and they had 7 children: Edmund Davis (1779-1838) was married and had several children in Charleston, South Carolina; Augustine Davis, Jr., (1781-1793) drowned at age 12 while swimming; John Davis (1783-1806) died at 23 years of age; George Davis (1788-1821) bachelor died at his father’s house at 33 years old a few months after his father retired from printing; Harriett Davis (1796-1875) married Master Commodore Thomas Tarlton Webb (1796-1853) on February 28, 1818; Maria Davis (1798-1877) married Samuel Shepherd (1792-1849) on December 26, 1818; Matilda Davis (c.1800-?) married Dr. Charles T. Davis on February 23, 1829.
Samuel Shepherd (1792-1849) certainly would have known Augustine Davis (1752-1825) through the printing community of Richmond, as well as, his son George Davis (1788-1821). It is quite possible that Samuel may have even worked for them when he first moved to Richmond in 1813, typesetting for the Virginia Patriot. Regardless of how they first met, Samuel’s father-in-law certainly valued him as a suitable husband and provider for his daughter; perhaps seeing a lot of himself in the endeavors of young Samuel.
About a year prior to his marriage, Samuel Shepherd and his partner William Pollard made a business association with Thomas Ritchie (1778-1854), who was the editor and owner of the Richmond Enquirer newspaper from 1804 to 1845, and had recently been elected as the Public Printer for the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1815. Mr. Ritchie had more work than his printing office could manage so he subcontracted with Shepherd & Pollard to print the government jobs. Over the years, Samuel became very skilled and proficient at the specific type of printing required for legal and government documents and invested heavily in the necessary equipment, which set his office apart from the others in Richmond. In 1823, Samuel’s partner William Pollard acquired the majority interest in the
Around this time, Whig members of the Virginia General Assembly, who were politically opposed to Thomas Ritchie as a Democrat, began to favor the idea of appointing Samuel Shepherd as the Public Printer since he had always performed the actual printing and politically favored the Whig party. Their efforts culminated in December of 1834, when Samuel Shepherd was elected as Public Printer of the Commonwealth of Virginia by the legislature in a vote of 87 to 75. Samuel was distraught by the arrangement which brought an end to his eight-year partnership with Mr. Ritchie. Samuel bought out Mr. Ritchie’s interest in the firm and then partnered with John B. Colin. They continued to conduct business at the office formerly occupied by Samuel Shepherd & Co., on 13th Street next to the Eagle
Aside from his printing endeavors, Samuel was elected as a councilman of Madison Ward in Richmond, as well as, being a Committee Member of the Common Hall in April of 1826. He was honored, in 1831, with the commission of Captain of Infantry in the Richmond Virginia Militia.
Over the years, Samuel provided a comfortable life for his family, and became the wealthiest of his brothers. Interestingly, the tangible value of his 2/3 ownership in his printing company and book bindery only amounted to $2,400 and $400. The majority of his wealth was earned through the production of his press, specifically through his government contracts. Samuel Shepherd also invested well during his lifetime. As early as 1820, he purchased five shares in the Richmond Turnpike Company at a public auction in front of the Eagle Hotel for a total of $130. In 1829, he purchased his three-story brick office building on E (Main) Street and 11Th Street in the city of Richmond, being part of Lot No. 376, from the estate of his late father-in-law Augustine Davis for $4,510. By 1851, a house had been constructed on the property next to the building and the value had increased to $11,000. In 1834, he purchased 282 ½ acre of prime real estate in Henrico County along the James River, bound by the Westham Turnpike Road. The land was offered to Samuel exclusive of the James River Company for the considerable amount of $9,000. Records indicate that Samuel sold this land in 1838, yet, no deed has been located indicating to whom it was sold or the amount. He also carried shares of Chesterfield Rail Road Company stock, City of Richmond stock and Virginia State stock.
A moderate amount of wealth was also tied up in living property such as slaves and horses. Samuel, like his brothers, had always been a member of the slaveholding class. In 1798, at six years of age, Samuel was bequeathed his first slave by the settlement of his late father’s estate. In 1823, he purchased a negro girl Sally for $300. By 1830, he had five slaves: one male between the age of 25 to 35 years, one female under 10 years old, one female between the age of 10 to 23 years, one female 24 to 35 years old and one female between 36 to 54 years of age. In 1836, he acquired 7 slaves, being the greatest number he would ever manage, as well as, owning 8 horses. In 1840 he had four slaves: one male and one female 24 to 35 years of age and two females between the age of 36 to 54 years. Samuel’s slaves were clearly used as house servants and to assist in his printing business.
Samuel Shepherd and his wife Maria (Davis) had six children that survived to adulthood: Julia Ann Shepherd (1820-1898) married David W. Fisher (1811-1846) on September 28, 1841, and after his death married James T. Goode (1824-1861) in 1851; Martha Shepherd (1823-1901) married John M. Quinn (?-1851) on April 4, 1843, and after his death married Louis Bremond (1828-1892) on November 15, 1852; Edmund Shepherd (1826-1856) married Delia Ann Webb (1828-1907) on November 1, 1849; Samuel Shepherd (1832-1857); Maria Lousia Shepherd (1834-1881) married Dr. Thomas Harold Wilson Upshur (1829-1890) circa 1850; and John Shepherd (1840-?).
One child of particular interest was their son Edmund Shepherd (1826-1856). As a young boy, Edmund held great admiration for his uncle Captain Thomas Tarleton Webb (1796-1853). Captain Webb had entered the U.S. Navy as a Midshipmen on January 1, 1808. At the end of the War of 1812, he was promoted to Lieutenant on December 19, 1814. From 1815 to 1818 he was stationed aboard the 38-gun frigate the Macedonian, that had been captured from the British during the War of 1812 and recommissioned for use as a United States Navy vessel in 1813. Aboard the Macedonian, he saw action in the U.S.-Algerian War as part of a ten-ship squadron commanded by Commodore Stephen Decatur. In September of 1818, while patrolling the Atlantic Ocean, the Macedonian endured the terrors of a hurricane that collapsed her main mast, nearly sinking her until she reached Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs. He was promoted again on March 8, 1831, to Master Commandant, and then to Captain on March 8, 1841. Capt. Webb married Harriett Davis (1796-1875) on February 28, 1818, the daughter of Augustine Davis (1752-1825). They had eight children that survived to adulthood: Virginia Webb (1819-1858) married Admiral John Randolph Tucker; Martha Ann Webb (1820-1906) married John Purcell of Richmond; Harriett Augusta Webb (1822-1908) married Thomas Riley; William Augustus Webb (1824-1881) commanded the Atlanta in Mobile Bay and was taken prisoner of war after it was grounded by federal artillery, he married his cousin Elizabeth Anne Fleming; Lewis Warrington Webb (1826-1883) married Miss Jamison then Lucy Bigger; Delia Ann Webb (1828-1907) married Edmund Shepherd, then Oscar Cranz. Mary Randolph (1831-1900) married Admiral James A. Greer, USN; George Fleming Shield Webb (1833-1856) married Miss Royall.
On October 19, 1841, shortly after Thomas Tarleton Webb received the rank of Captain, his nephew, Edmund Shepherd, at 15 years of age, entered the U.S. Navy as a Midshipmen, and was stationed on a receiving ship at Norfolk, Virginia. In 1843, he was stationed on the sloop Vandalia. On April 8, 1844, he was admitted to the Navy Hospital in Norfolk for cerebral fever and was discharged on the 18th. In 1845, he was stationed to the sloop Cyane, commanded by S.F. Du Pont, upon which he would experience the most exciting moments of his career.
The United States sloop-of-war Cyane was on the west coast of Mexico when the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) broke out. The crew participated in the capture of Monterey, they engaged the enemy at Mesa and Rio Gabriel and crippled the enemy’s gunship, the brig Condor, at Guaymas while taking heavy fire. They disrupted the enemy’s shipping in the Gulf of California and blockaded the ports of San Blas and Mazatlán. While at Mazatlán a blockade run was attempted by the enemy ships, yet the gunners of the Cyane engaged their cannon and defeated the attempt. Under the command of Capt. Du Pont, one hundred members of the crew came to shore, in the face of an overwhelming force of the enemy, and made their way two miles, under constant fire, to successfully relieve the garrison at San Jose. The garrison, commanded by Lt. Haywood, had been surrounded by the enemy for 20 days and was in great distress of being seized. Captain Du Pont and his men then pursued the enemy into the interior of the country capturing their commander-in-chief and twenty prisoners. In all, the crew of the Cyane was involved in seven battles, and only lost one officer and one enlisted man, with many wounded.
After Edmund returned home from his tour aboard the Cyane in May of 1848, he entered the Navy School at Annapolis, where, in 1849, he passed his examination to reach the rank of a Passed Midshipmen. On November 1, 1849, Edmund Shepherd married his first cousin Miss Delia Ann Webb (1828-1907), the daughter of Capt. Thomas Tarleton Webb (1796-1853) and Harriett Davis (1796-1875). In 1850, Edmund was appointed as a Passed Midshipmen to the brig Perry, commanded by Lieutenant Commandant Andrew H. Foote. In May of 1851, he was stationed on the storeship Relief docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York, when an incident occurred, whereby, he was wrongfully charged with desertion, and was dismissed from the service. Stunned, Edmund fought the decision of the Navy Board, and early in 1852, his case was presented before President Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), by the Hon. Secretary of the Navy. The result was favorable and Edmund was actively restored to Passed Midshipmen. His next appointment was in the Mediterranean Squadron aboard the frigate Cumberland being the Flag Ship of the fleet, commanded by Commodore Silas H. Stringham. On February 28, 1855, Congress passed an act reducing the number of officers in the U.S. Navy. Unfortunately, Edmund was retired from service on September 13, 1855, and attempted life on land at his home in Norfolk. Tragically, only five months later, Edmund suffered a wound that became severely infected and he died at the age of only 30 years old on February 17, 1856, leaving a widow and no children. Although his life was short, he clearly lived an extraordinary one.
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