The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1952-06-26

SiiC Vi TIE HlOSI COlOElUI per
sonalities ever to come out OF
Southeastern Ohio is Colonel
Sheppard B. Philpot, U. S. Army,
retired. Now 76, Col. Philpot is
living at 1926 Northwood, St.
Louis, Mo
"Shep," as his old-time friends
know him, retired IL years ago
not by choice but because of the
u. S. Army regulations. He was
born near Summerfield on the
Philpot farm in 1876, son of
James Monroe and Martha Nc
Clintock Philpot. He soon gave
evidence of unusual physical and
mental abilities. In his early
youth he attained the height of
six feet, four inches, and weigh
, ed $50 pounds. He had the repu-
tation not only of being one of
the most powerful physically, of
neighborhood young men at a
time when young men generally
in Noble County claimed to be
more than q match physically
with any and all corners from this
part Of Ohio, but he was an able
competitor in debate wherever a
battle of wits was involved.
In early manhood, Shep was a
successful salesman, but tucked
back in his consciousness. there
developed a determination to
serve his country in the armed
forces making it his life's profess
sion. This urge was unusually
I keen and deep seated because of
| men with whom he was acquaint-
| ed had, for reasons he could not
understand, eVaded Civil War
duty by buying substitutes.
For some reason at the time
armies in the North were being
recruited and trained to defeat
the Southern forces in the War
between the States, there was a
provision that a young man, even
though eligible physically, men
tally and of proper age, when
drafted could buy a substitute for
$500. Naturally many Of those
who got out of active war service
by this method, were none too
popular with northern patriots at
large. Shep early determined
that he and his children would
do their best to make up for this
by serving Uncle Sam to the ex-
tent of their physical, mental and
spiritual ability.
Col. Philpot graduated from
Summerfield High School at Is,
then entered college in Iowa
working his way on his uncle's
stock farm and by cleaning rifles
in the college armory.
While packing for a Journey
to the Klondyke to join the gold
rush in 1898, the U. S. S. Maine
was blown up in the Havana
Harbor. Shep Immediately en-
listed in the u. S. Army. He
soon was in the midst of the
fighting in Cuba, received a
gun shot wound and was taken
to Fort Monroe, Va, on the
hospital ship Missouri in the
spring of 1899.
Recovering about the time the
war ended, Shep started for the
Boer War in South Africa. How
ever his ship was turned back on
the African coast and in June of
1900 he landed at Taku Forts,
China. Here occurred one Of the
outstanding events in the history
of the United States Army.
North Chinese, probably in
famed by evidences of eXploi-
tation by Europeans in their
country, started what became
known as the Boxer Rebellion.
The fury of the Chinese was so
great against the white race, that
they marched on Peking, besieg-
ed and took over the Chinese cap
ital where were crowded togeth- |
er refugees from Christian mis- |
sions, business organizations, gov
ernment officials and employees /!
from nearly every European and |
nation. 1t was one of |
the most terrifying situations in |
the history of relations between
the yellow and white races. 1t