Evening star., 1941-04-20
Awarded
Tribute as
Local Hero
Recognition Seen
AS People Recalled
DUTY Performed

posed him were now of his best
friends and best wlshers, who then
fundamentally joined with many
others in according him, on october
6. 1887. a welcome such as his public
services merited, and this home
coming is still recalled as one OF
the most notable events in the his
tory of the National Capital. The
Governor" an account says, was
escorted into the city by William
F. Mattingly, Myron NJ. Parker and
Crosby S. Noyes, who drove with him
from Bleak House to Wizards Hotel,
where. with his wife and sons and
daughters, he held an informal re-
ception. He then went TO grand
stand which had been erected on the
south garden of the Treasury Build
ing, facing down Pennsylvania ave-
nue., and here he was surrounded
by the leading professional and
businessmen of the city"
Gov. Shepherd was married on
January so, 1862, to Miss Mary
Grace Young, daughter of Col. Will
liam P. Young, and had 10 children,
three of whom died in infancy. He
died at BotapoliS, Mexico, Sep
tember 13, 1902, and his body was
brought to this city and funeral
services conducted at the New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church. He is
buried in Rock Greek Cemetery.
The monument to Gov. Shepherd,
which is to be moved to the NUM-
cipal Center, was unveiled on May
3. 1909, with an order of exercises
that included music by the Marine
Band. invocation by Rev. wallace
Radcliffe, a Tribute" by Theodore
w. Noyes, address by William F.
Mattingly, remarks by B. H.
Warner, acceptance by Commls-
sioner Henry B. F. Mcfarland, pre-
sentations of the Sculptor U. S. j.
Dunbar and benediction by Right
Rev. Alfred Harding, Bishop of
Washington.
Mr.. Noyes, who was chairman OF
the Shepherd Memorial Committee.
and who presided at the unveiling
of the statue, in his Tribute to
Shepherd" among several things,
said:
Many men of the New Washing
ton. for whom I speak, may never
have seen Shepherd-not even in
the home -comings of 1887 and 1895,
when apparently all Washington
turned out to greet him. Our i'm
preston of his great personality
may spring from peruSal OF the
pages of municipal history or from
the fireSide tales concerning him
told by our fathers or others Of the
local patriarchS. For example, my
own conception of his character, his
controlling motive, his true great
ness, is derived largely Though not
entirely) from my father, Who
knew his inmoSt thoughts and plans,
and who, as a firm friend and a
loyal WaShingtonian, fought for him
and with him for Washington
Shepherd as determined force
personified and Shepherd as in
devoted loyalty the great and typical
Washingtonian, will live forever.
humanly speaking, in the minds OF
the men of Washington, as his
physical aspect will be perpetuated
by his monument of bronze and
granite. The rugged lines of face
and head and figure faithfully por-
trayed in this statue suggests (what
his whole life confirms the man
of power, of abnormal strength and
energy, of elemental dominating
force"
Said Mr.. Mattingly:
"One of the most ardent, in
f1uential and loyal friends that
Shepherd had, during his intense
struggle, was Crosby S. Noyes, bust
of whom has been placed just within
the portals of this new and beauti-
full Municipal Building. 1t is fitting
and proper that son of his should
have addressed you on this oc-
casion, when the citizens OF this
District are paying honor to the
memory Of his fathers dead friend.
And Mr.. warmers remarks in
cluded:
To-day we present to the Nations
Capital the statue OF a hero OF
peace: one who, undaunted by OPP
position, labored for its regenera-
ton and recreation, and this bronze
of Alexander r. Shepherd is, in the
coming centuries, to say to the world
that a grateful people appreciated
his patriotic public services"
Commissioner Mcfarland added
this:
"The statue of Alexander r.
Shepherd will to the end of this
city's life inspire its citizens with
courage and zeal to work together
for noble ends. Thus working
together we can confidently expect
that they will have the greatest pos
sihle success"