Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-11-13
From the West Virginia Historical Magazine.
THOMAS SHEPHERD.

THOMAS SHEPHERD.
Tradition says that Thomas Shep-
herd came to America with his broth
ers, David and John, from Shropshire,
England, in the early part of the 18th
century, landing at Annapolis, Nd.
How long they stayed there is pot
known; but in 1874 Thomas Shep-
herd bought two thousand acres OF
land on the south side of the Potomac
river from Jost Hite, and on June II,
l751, he added $50 acres, and on Jam
uary Is, 1853, 222 acres, by grants
from "the Right Honorable Lord Fair
tax" ," which two grants are recorded
in the land Office in Richmond, Va.
In addition to all this, he seems to
have acquired from one Richard Nor
gan a tract of so acres, for several old
leases are in existence subdividing this
land and referring to it as follows
which said piece, parcel, or
tract of land is part Of fifty acres OF
land conveyed to the said Thomas
Shepherd by Captain Richard Nor
gan, bearing date the fifth day of Au-
gust, one thousand, seven hundred
and sixty-two." This antedates the
second deed from Lord Fairfax by six
years.
In this same year, 1862, an act was
passed incorporating town which
Thomas Shepherd had laid off on his
land. 1t was first called Mecklen-
burg, but after his death the name was
changed to Shepherdstown, in honor of
its founder.
As to the people whom Thomas
Shepherd found already living on the
land which he bought and afterward
had incorporated, nothing authentic
is known, but an old paper In the pos
session of the writer gives the terms
npon which Thomas Shepherd sold the
lots in the town. This quaint cid pa
per says:
THE said Thomas Shepherd exc
cuted an article in writing wherein he
covenanted and agreed with the sub
scribers thereto to lay of twenty lots,
half an acre in each lot; to let each
subscriber have one lot during the
continuance of the Indian war free and
clear from rent or any incumbrance {;
and at the end Of the then Indian war
each subscriber should pay fourty
shillings current money Of Virginia;
and on the payment Of the said fourty
shillings each subscriber, his heirs OF
assigns, should receive sufficient
title for his lot, subject to a yearly
rent after the then Indian war, Of five
shillings sterling, and for making the
said titles and complying with the
covenants and agreements above men
toned the said Thomas Shepherd
bound himself his heirs, executors and
administrators in the penal sum of
one thousand pounds like current
money of Virginia, to be paid to the
subscribers in his non-performance.
A descendant of Thomas Shepherd
still owns one of these half acre lots.
Through the center Of the town ran
a small stream, the power Of which
was utilized to run a grist mill and
saw mill, built by this clear-headed
man, who had evidently come to the
wilderness with not only courage
and wisdom, but some capital to back
his enterprise.
He had married Elizabeth Van
Meter, daughter of John Van Meter
and sister Of Jost Hite's wife, but when
and where this marriage took place l
have not been able to find out. The
Van Meters were among the early
Dutch settlers of New Jersey. A
very interesting account of this iami-
ly was published in the West Virginia
Historical Magazine for April, 1902,
in which mention is made of this mar
riage.
Thomas Shepherd built in the GEN.
ter of the town Of Meckleuburg stone
house, which was intended for de-
fense against the Indians as well as
for dwelling for his family. 1t was
known as 1.-THE Fort, and the neigh
boring families collected there in time
Of danger. This was left by will to
his SOD Abraham, with the proviso
that his beloved spouse" should have
the use of it during her life. "The