Biographical Sketch of James P. B. Shepherd, Johnson County, Missouri, >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** James P. B. Shepherd, proprietor of "Honey Creek Ranch," is a native of Tennessee. He was born December, 1849, in Overton county, near Living- ston, the son of George Washington and Elizabeth (Taylor) Shepherd, the former, a native of Virginia and the latter of Tennessee. The father died in Tennessee and the mother in Johnson county, Missouri. Her re- mains were interred in Liberty cemetery. In 1863, J. P. B. Shepherd enlisted at Jacksonville, Illinois, in the 7th Illinois Infantry, serv- ing in company K. He was first stationed at Rock Island, guarding the prisoners and later saw active service with his regiment in Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina. He was for a time with "Fighting Joe Hooker" and in many battles and skirmishes. His two brothers, Moses and Thomas, served in the Union army, answering Pres. Lincoln's first call for volunteers. J. P. B. Shepherd was mustered out and honorably discharged at Springfield, Illinois in 1865. In 1873 Mr. Shepherd came to Johnson county and for a short time was located at Valley City. He was engaged in farming there on the place owned by Charlie Sellers. Among the first pioneers of Valley City, who were there in 1873 and are still with us, are Perry Bold and "Willy" Maddox. In 1880, J. P. B. Shepherd purchased his present home from Mrs. John Powelson and the land adjoining her place, a farm which comprises 240 acres. All the improvements upon the place, Mr. Shepherd has himself placed there. He is giving most of his attention to stock raising, handling Berkshire and Poland China hogs and Aberdeen Angus cattle. The males only are registered. About 100 acres of this place are in corn, 35 acres in oats, and 10 acres in alfalfa. Near the drainage ditch, which crosses the southwester end of the farm, is a ridge underlaid with the best quality of firing clay, five percent iron. Mr. Shepherd has a sample brick made from the clay, showing its excellent qualities. There is not a rock on the entire place which was not placed there by Mr. Shepherd. He had a well dug, near the house, and after digging down 50 feet with a spade no rock was found. The farm is exceeedingly well watered and is an ideal stock ranch. March 15, 1873, J. P. B. Shepherd was united in marriage at Galesburg, Missouri by Elder D. F. Warnkey to Dora McDowell, of Crawford county, Kansas. Mrs. Shepherd is a native of Iowa, born March 3, 1856, daughter of J. A. and Eleanor Mc- Dowell, natives of West Virginia and Belmont county, Ohio, respectively. To Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd have been born four children: Minnie, the wife of J. V. Woolsey, Pueblo, Colorado, she has two children, James Walter and Dora Ruth; Nellie, the wife of Roy Parsons, and they reside at home with her parents, and have one child, Nellie May; William, who married Elvina Cameron, the daughter of Alexander Cameron, of Hazel Hill town- ship, and they reside on a farm in Warrensburg township, and have four children, Glen William, James Russell, R. Alexander and Nellie Elvina; and James A., who married Bettie Morris, and they reside on a farm in Warrensburg township, and have three children, Alta May, Morris Hadley, Mary Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are numbered among the best and most respected families of Johnson county. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: <> Penny Harrell ====================================================================