Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-11-13
PUBS VA,I

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about 1912, when it was torn down
and building of brick erected in its
place, the stones being used for wall
around the lot. Shepherd College,
the State Normal School, now has
taken the place Of the old stone fort,
descendant of Thomas Shepherd to
whom it came by Inheritance having
presented it for this purpose. A stone
wall stills surrounds the lot with doubt
less some Of the same stone in it that
had formed the walls of Thomas Shep-
herds old home.
Seven years after the town was in
cOrporated an Episcopal church was
erected a small building of stone),
chiefly by Thomas Shepherd, and the
date of its erection was cut in stone
over the door, 1883" In his will
he says: at is my desire that the lot
in Mecklenburg on which the English
church stands, known by Lot No. 40,
be for the sole use of the Parish Of Nor
borne, free from ground rents, and
my heirs give deed for it to the ves-
try if required" "
This old church was twice replaced
with larger buildings, and the present
structure, of which picture is given,
was built in l842, chiefly through the
self-denying efforts of Mrs. Eleanor
Strobe Shepherd, widow of Thomas
Shepherds son Abraham, most de-
voted churchwoman, although born Ill
the Society of Friends. in 1858 a
fourth Episcopal church was built in
another location, beautiful structure
Of limestone, and the old church is
now used as a place Of worship by the
colored Methodist congregation.
Thomas Shepherd and Elizabeth
Van Meter, his wife, had ten children
William, Thomas, John, Abraham,
David, Susannah, Mary, Martha, Sa-
rah and Elizabeth. OF his sons, Alb
raham married Eleanor Strobe and
had seven children-Rezin Davis, Alb
raham, James Hervey, Henry, Anne,
Eliza and Charles Moses David mar
ried Rachel league, and was the faith
er of FIVE children; William married
and had three children, mentioned in
Thom as Shepherds will by name
William, Thomas and Sarah, but whoa
he married is not known, nor DO
know anything Of the families Of
Thomas and John. OF Thomas Shep-
herds daughters, Susannah married
Mr.. Eofe, who afterwards became one
of the leading lawyers of Wheeling
Martha married a Mr.. Mcdowell; Sa-
rah, a Mr.. Thornburg, and her son,
Thomas Thornburg, is mentioned in
Thomas Shepherds will; Mary mar
ried Mr.. Fay, and Elizabeth mar
ried Mr.. Brown.
Thomas Shepherd died in l786,and
was buried in about the center Of the
lot which he had reserved for grave
yard for himself and his defendants,
and which is still used as such. Time
has, however, obliterated all trace Of
his grave and that of Elizabeth, his
wife. But Shepherdstown is in itself
a monument to him. Go where you
will the world over you will find some
one who knows this modest little town
on the South bank of the Potomac;
for since the days of the revolutionary
war, when Thomas Shepherds son,
Captain Abraham Shepherd, marched
with his company Gall of them pioneer
citizens from the right bank Of the
Potomac to the relief Of Boston, to
the present day, when her cons are to
be found in the foremost ranks Of the
worlds great workers, upon this
tiny mother has been reflected the
glory Of her stalwart sons, and Thorn
as Shepherd builded better than he
knew when he founded the town Of
Mecklenburg.
FANNY SHEPHERD ALLEN.