Evening star., 1909-05-05
DEATH OF WILMER S. SHEPHERD
CAREER OF BROTHER OF DIS
TRICT's FORMER GOVERNOR.
Prominent in Business Here and
Elsewhere-With Others, Pounds
City in New Mexico. II

Wilmer s. Shepherd who died at Ala
mogordo. New Mexico, Of heart disease
at midnight April ID. was a native Of
this city, who during his younger years
was prominent as a business man here.
He was the third of four sons, the late
Gov. Alexander r. Shepherd being the
oldest. He was named after Rev. DR..
Wilmer of the Protestant Episcopal
Church of Charles county, Md.
At the outbreak of the rebellion he,
with his two Older brothers, responded 10
the call for District troops, and after a
short military service was drafted into
the quartermaster department. and for
years was assistant to the late Q. NJ. Gen.
Rucker, who early in the war became
auartermaster general of the Army OF
the Potomac.
commission as captain and A. Q. NJ. y.
S. A.. he entered into partnership with
Gov. Shepherd on the retirement of the
late ]. w. Thompson from the firm OF
new firm was launched Alex. r. Shep-
herd & Bros. Thomas NJ. Shepherd being
the other member. =
As the new government proceeded a
vast amount of supplies of material such
as the Shepherd firm was handling was
needed and at the proper time proposals
were asked for the same by the board OF
public works.
On the day set for the opening
thereof the board consisting of Gov. III.
Cooke, Gov. Shepherd, Col. Magruder. \.
B. Mullet and S. P. Brown, had assem-
bled. Many proposals were received from
concerns throughout the country-the last
and lowest in every item being that or
Alexander r. Shepherd & Bros, which
having been read by Dr. Tindall. the sec-
retary, was handed TO Gov. Shepherd.
who was filing them. The governor. who
was evidently taken by surprise, tore the
,iy1nu three nlecpS.
saying: The firm of Alex. X. Shepherd
& Bros. has no bid to offer to the District
government for any kind. class or guam
tity of supplies of any character. That's
final.'
Withdraws From the Firm.
Wilmer who had prepared the bid.
walked out, and to the store. and that
afternoon when the governor reached his
business house he found the clerical force
busily taking inventory of stock on
hand" In answer to an inquiry he was
told by his partner that If the firm could
not do legitimate business with every
body. he proposed to retire therefrom.
He did retire and the firm was reorgan-
ized.
This occurred just after the Chicago
fire, and Wilmer Shepherd went to that
city. built one of the finest bushes
houses of the time. on Madison street
above the bridge, and established the
largest plumbing and gasfittinS estab-
lishments then in operation. Heavy losses
engendered by the failure of the owners
of the fremont House. which he had
equipped. disgusted him. and he sold out
and purchased a farm in Indiana. where
he was busily occupied until lie received
letter from the governor, who had 10
Gated at Batopilas. Mexico, asking him TO
move there. He went made an exciting
and interesting journey through the then
Indian-infested districts of Texas. and
was with the governor for ten years.
His health failing. Mr.. Shepherd made a
connection with FL Paso business men and
went to Tularosa. \. NJ. etghty-eight
miles north investing In ranches ana
cattle raising and mines. Several years
ago. he. with others, apportioned a part
of their land and the town of Alamogordo
was established. 1t is now a fourishing
railroad center and it's making has large
" contributed to a marketable success OF
Mr. Shepherds investments. He was a
frequent visitor to Ell Paso. Tex. where
he was a great favorite among the older
business men. He had made one of his
visits to that city the 4th of April and
when he left seemed in vigorous health
Mr.. Shepherd married the daughter OF
Mr.. Shedd of Washington, who died sew
eral years ago. Two sons and a daugh-
ter the latter the wife of Quincy Smith
of the +. II. Smith CompanX Of this
CITY, survive him. Deceased was sixty
eight years of age