San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Shepherd, J. Avery 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 3, 2006, 5:09 pm

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. (1880)

Shepherd, Rev. J. Avery, S. T. D. Rector of the Episcopal church. This gentleman
is a native of Vermont. In his earliest childhood he was taken to Brazil, his
father having gone there to superintend certain engineering works in that
country. The Portuguese language became vernacular, while his "mother tongue"
was learned by means of Webster's spelling book, an old almanac of the States,
several years out of date, and the Bible, which he read aloud for some hours
daily. Among his early recollections is the chase, on the coast of Brazil,
between Rio de Janeiro and Bahia, which a pirate gave the merchant vessel in
which his father was sailing. The pirate was well armed. The merchant ship had
six guns; these were occasionally fired, and the American flag was flying. After
coming near enough to see that the American sailors "meant business," the pirate
after a deliberation of more than two hours, and a chase of six, thought it
prudent to retire. After his father's death in Rio de Janeiro the mother and son
returned to his native State. He graduated at Middlebury College, and shortly
afterwards went to the South, where much of his life was spent. At the
solicitation of Bishop Green he removed to Mississippi to take charge of St.
Andrew's College at Jackson. He there married Miss Evelyn M. Turner of
Baltimore, and subsequently removed to California. In San Francisco he
established a private seminary for young ladies, which not only proved
successful, but it became one of the most select schools ever opened on the
Pacific coast. Not a few of the leaders in society in San Francisco and Oakland,
whose residence dates from early times, were distinguished pupils of Dr.
Shepherd's seminary. In 1858 he returned to the Atlantic States, and established
a large female seminary in Montgomery, Alabama. Here he continued until the end
of the war. Just at its close, he accompanied the Mayor and Council of the city
by invitation, carrying a flag of truce for the surrender of Montgomery, which
was the last town surrendered. Dr. Shepherd then removed to Ellicott City, near
Baltimore, where he intended to make a permanent home. He erected a large
building for a high school for boys. This was eminently successful. First-class
professors were engaged at liberal salaries, and no school in the country
enjoyed a better reputation for the intellectual training and manly development
of the pupils. This was in a flourishing condition for many years! Dr.
Shepherd's son received an appointment in the assay department of the new mint
in San Francisco upon its first opening. Contemplating in consequence an
ultimate removal, Dr. Shepherd disposed of his school at Ellicott City and
entered upon the charge of a large church in Baltimore, and finally removed to
this State, leaving the East for no purpose but to be near his son, who was
settled here. San Francisco was the first home of Dr. Shepherd's married life,
and after an absence of twenty years he has returned to make the Pacific coast
his permanent home. Dr. Shepherd has the reputation of being among the foremost
in the ranks of scientific readers and Bible students.

Additional Comments:
Santa Rosa Township

Extracted from:

HISTORY
—OF-
SONOMA COUNTY,
-INCLUDING ITS—
Geology, Topooraphy, Mountains, Valleys and Streams;
—TOGETHER WITH—
A Full and Particular Record of the Spanish Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the Most Authentic Sources; the Names of Original
Spanish and American Pioneers; a full Political History, Comprising the Tabular
Statements of Elections and Office-holders since the Formation of the County;
Separate Histories of each Township, Showing the Advancement of Grape and Grain
 Growing Interests, and Pisciculture;
ALSO, INCIDENTS OF PIONEER LIFE; THE RAISING OF THE BEAR FLAG; AND BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCHES OF EARLY AND PROMINENT SETTLERS AND REPRESENTATIVE MEN;
—AND OF ITS—
Cities, Towns, Churches, Schools, Secret Societies, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO:
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


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