New Britain herald., 1919-05-16
JAMES SHEPARD IS
 6l YEARS OLD TODAY
Venerable Lake Street Man Quietly Observes Anniversary


 of Lake street, who is celebrating the S1st anniversary of his blrth' AL HIS ripe old age he is most active and takes as much interest in life as does a boy of school age. The city joins in congra atulating him because many of his years have been spent in cre- ating the grand history of this city
 Eighty-one years ago tOday MI Shepard was born in Plantsvllle or poor parents and he grew up poor boy. He had a desire for an education and his parents struggled for hlm 10 obtain 1t. He successfully pursued his studies at the town school and was graduated from Lewis academy in the town of Southington. His mind was not settled as to what he would do in life and he entered the old stowe factory in Plantsville which later be- came a part of the Well-knOWn Peck, Stowe and Wilcox plant of Southlng- ton There he worked for 12 years, at the end of which time he went to Bristol as a qualified tOOl-maker, of which there were few at that time When 2O1b years of age he took unto himself a wife, Miss Celia Adelaide Curtis of the town of Bristol. She is still living and in three weeks time will also celebrate her S1st anniver- sary. The couple had one daughter Celia Antoinette Shepard, who died in the year 1907. The couple will also celebrate the 6Oth anniversary of their wedding in the fall of this year.
 In Bristol Mr. Shepard worked in, various factories and at the same time he was planning future for himself. Accordingly, in 1866. he started the patent-soliciting business in Bristol at which he won success in later years. In that year, also, he started a New Britain office for the same business and had with him as a partner. c. F. Mitchell The two had their first office in the old build ing on Main street where the city clerks office is now located. The building was then a bank and the office was on the second floor. In 1876 the Bristol office was abandoned in favor of the local one and business was then done on a larger scale. MT. Shepard and his family moved here at that time and took up their resi- dence on Lake street, where the cou- pie still live,
 In 1869 the two men dissolved partnership. There was no quarrel whatever, but each decided it was best for himself. The men still did busi- ness in the same office and, mat ter of fact worked together for at least 40 years.
 MT. 5Shepard'sl fame was won as an expert testifier in cases before the United States circuit courts. His first case was in 1873, when his testimo ony was accepted as satisfactory for that of an expert in connection with patents From that time his success was unmea sured. He knew patents from X to z and could not he caught on any technical part by the ablest lawyers while on the witness stand. He understood science, also and was somewhat of an inventor himself. His first patent was taken out in S66 and was for a new fruit box. It is strange to note that the invention is prac- tically the same as is in use today Mr. Shepard sold the invention for a nominal sum and did not go farther in the inventive line.
 His strict honesty while on trial and testifyinG is shown by the fact that he never bought or owned one uOlIdI S NOlln oL SlOCh III d man uTaC turing concern. This he refused to do because he did not want anyone to say that his testimony was biased or influenced. Many shares of valu- able stock have been passed over. by him because of that feeling of his conscience. His work in connection with patents was really kept up until the year 1910. He sold his office in 1908, but did not stop work until two years later.
 During one patent case before the circuit court he offered testimony which was used throughout the coun- try. It was the case of an air brake for a trolley car. The case was being tried in all parts of the country and his testimony was so regarded that. without personally appearing. it was accepted by 30 cases being tried at the time. It went as far West as the State of California and travelled both North and South.
 The "COmmem oratiVe Biogra phical Record" for Connecticut has the fol- lowing to say concerning Mr. SheDard.
 AS an expert in mechanics he has a good reputation, being widely known among manufa cturerS and patent lawyers generally, having testified in hundreds Of cases on a great variety of subjects, and his testimony has been used in all parts of the country from California and Oregon to Louisiana, Florida, and North as far as Wisconsin,"
 But while he gained such success as a business man he did not devote all his time to il. He always took some time for recreation and never was without hobby for divertince his mind lie hunted without a gun and i fished without a hook. for while he loved to commune with nature and it's creations he did not believe in kill ing or catching animals
 Today Mir. Shepard takes a great in-