Complex sentence: Shepard was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1785 and 1786 and was selectman for Westfield from 1784 to 1787.Local farmers and ex-Militia began to rebel after months of destitution and taxation they believed to be unfairly levied by the powers from Boston.
Split into simpler sentences: Shepard was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1785 and 1786 and was selectman for Westfield from 1784 to 1787. In this time local farmers and veterans of the war began to rebel after months of destitution and taxation they believed to be unfairly levied by the powers from Boston.