William Shapard (1771-1843) of Richmond Virginia; Updated Information

 

William Shapard (1771-1843), the son of William Shapard, Sr. (c.1740-1807) and Mary Booker (1746-1804), came to the city of Richmond circa 1798 from Granville County, North Carolina. William was a skilled carpenter and house joiner in North Carolina; however, he did not continue this vocation whilst in Virginia, instead establishing himself as a merchant in Richmond. He and his partner, Gustavus Lucke, created the firm of Shapard & Lucke selling imports off the ships docking at Richmond ports, as well as, selling freight space on outgoing vessels. Shapard & Lucke dissolved their partnership in 1803, only to reunite in 1804 and then finally dissolve again in 1810, whereby, the firm name was changed to William Shapard & Co. In 1809, William began investing in real estate, purchasing Richmond town lot No. 555 from Edmund W. Rootes for the significant sum of $2,475. William had a beloved bulldog named ‘Thaddeus,’ that was stolen, in 1812, by a runaway slave.  During the War of 1812, William donated $200 worth of gunpowder in support of the U.S. Army in defense of the city of Richmond. William and his younger brother Robert Shapard (1786-1828) both served in Capt. John R. Jones’ 19^th Regiment Virginia Militia, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Ambler in 1813 and 1814.  From 1815 through 1821, he partnered in business with his cousin Lewis Webb, son of John Webb (1747-1826) and Amy Booker (1752-1835), under the name of ‘Shapard & Webb.’ William also formed a partnership with his brother Robert Shapard, that was dissolved in 1825.

William Shapard became extremely successful in his business and acquired tremendous wealth. He resided at his 1,300 acre plantation known as ‘Westham Cottage’ on the north side of the James River on Big Westham Creek, which was worked by his 54 slaves. A portion of his plantation is now part of the campus of the University of Richmond, whereupon a slave cemetery was recently discovered. In addition to his plantation, he also owned several lots in the city of Richmond in DuVal’s addition and on H Street near Monumental Church. William Shapard was elected as a Justice of Henrico County on April 13, 1824, and maintained his judgeship until approximately January of 1833. He became a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Richmond on May 24, 1828, and was dismissed on January 18, 1838 to join the 4^th Presbyterian church of Richmond. In 1827, William petitioned the authorities of Henrico County to establish a saw and grist mill on his plantation along the James River. In 1832, a vandal on two separate occasions set fire to William Shapard’s property, burning down a cottage and two barns filled with farm equipment and grains. He offered a $250 reward for the apprehension of those responsible, and on December 3, 1832, the scoundrel was captured.

There is evidence that William may have married prior to 1818, and that his wife “Elizabeth H. Shapard” died on July 7, 1818 in Richmond. William did marry late in life, at 54 years of age, in 1825, to Catherine Bridges, being the widow of James Bridges. Through their union they had one daughter, named Willianna (1826-1897), born on March 4, 1826. Apparently Willianna was quite a beauty for her time, as musician Gustave Bessner in 1842 composed a waltz in her honor. Willianna married Philip Mayo Tabb (1819-1888) of Richmond, Virginia, in 1845. William Shapard died at the age of 72, on February 16, 1843, and was buried in Shockoe Hill Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia, where his towering stone obelisk remains standing to this day.