Lapeer-Tuscola County MI Archives Biographies.....Sheppard, James M. 1848 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 20, 2007, 8:05 pm

Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

JAMES M. SHEPPARD, the proprietor of a general grocery and crockery store in
Imlay City, was born in Belmont County, Ohio, November 5, 1848. He is a son of
Samuel and Eliza (McPherson) Sheppard, natives of Ohio. Our subject's father was
a farmer and was born in 1813. He removed to Tuscola County, this State, where
he purchased eighty acres of land. This he successfully operated for some years,
his decease taking place in 1885. Our subject's mother died in Ohio, and she was
interred at Sewellsville. Her death took place when our subject was about twelve
years of age, and the father was again married. There were six children by the
first marriage, four daughters and two sons, and of these our subject was the
fourth in order of birth. They arc: Elvira G., Louisa Jane, Clarissa E., he of
whom we write, Emma E. and Francis M. Elvira married a Mr. Frizzell and lives
near Sewellsville: Louisa, Mrs. Hissey, lives near Hindrysburg, Ohio; Clarissa
married I. B. Coler and lives near Caro, Tuscola County; Emma E. married Sidney
Fish and lives near Caro; Francis M. lives on the farm which our subject's
father purchased.

  The original of our sketch was reared on a farm and received a common-school
education. He was a hard student and became qualified for teaching without
attending High School. He began teaching when he first came to Michigan, giving
two years of his time to that profession in Tuscola County. He then took a three
months' course in the Commercial College at Vassar. He then returned to
Muskingum County, Ohio, and was there engaged in teaching for five years. While
there, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Daugherty, their nuptials
being solemnized in October, 1869. There were three children by that marriage,
two of whom are still living—Melva E., who lives with her grandparents in
Tuscola County, and Frances E., who also makes her home with her grandparents.

  Abut 1875 our subject returned to Michigan and located in Tuscola County,
where he purchased forty acres of land. He was engaged both in farming and
teaching, but within two years after coming his wife died, and giving up
farming, he went to Vassar and took a position as book-keeper for a Mr. McHose,
remaining with him for four months. He then was clerk for L. C. Merritt two or
more years. He was married in Vassar, October 10, 1879, to Miss Valeria Leach, a
native of Pennsylvania. She is a daughter of Thomas A. and Myriam Leach. By this
marriage there were three children—Clare L., Samuel T. and Lola M. The first
named was born in Imlay, August 10, 1881, the second child, December 16, 1882;
the third, in October, 1885. This last one died July 5, 1891, of diphtheria.
Our subject clerked in Mr. Heusten's law office for about a year, and in 1881
came to Imlay and opened up in the grocery business, which he has since
continued. He here has a good and prosperous trade, and carries a fine stock of
the class of goods most used by his patrons. Our subject is a Republican in
politics, and has been Township Clerk for three years, and Councilman for six
years. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and has held all its offices. He has
twice represented the order in the Grand Council. He moreover belongs to the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has passed through all its chairs, being
now representative to the Grand Lodge. Mr. Sheppard is emphatically a self-made
man, both in point of education and finance.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties,
Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of
the Presidents of the United States

Chicago:
Chapman Bros.
1892


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