John Wesley Shepard 1843 – 1892
John Wesley Shepard was born in Stratton 11/03/1843 recorded as Dorchester Q1 1843 vol 8 page 66 (11/03/1843)
“John Wesley Shepard was born on 11/03/1843 at Stratton (3 Miles N.W. of Dorchester). According to his Birth Certificate his father was William Shepard, a Cordwainer (an old term for a Shoemaker) and his mother was formerly Ann White. This proved to be incorrect because her marriage certificate shows that her maiden name was Watts. How this error in the registration occurred is not known. The first Census on which he appears is the one taken in April 1851 when he was aged 8. He was living in Stratton with his parents and younger brother Henry Watts (6) and sisters Flora Ann (4) and Sabina (10 mths). The surname was spelt Sheppard.”
The Stratton Census for 1851 is shown on the photographs page.
The Stratton Census for 1851 is shown on the photographs page.
“...The surname had reverted to the spelling we know when the 1861 Census was taken...”
"By the time of the 1871 Census he was still single, aged 28 and living at home in Stratton with his parents. His occupation had now changed to Gardener. Only Flora (now aged 24) had left home so it must have been pretty crowded.."
John Wesley Shepard married Mary Jane Barter on 11th March 1879 Dorchester Q3 1879 vol 5a page 537
Mary Jane Barter was born in Bradford Peverell on 3rd July 1855 recorded as Dorchester Q3 1855 vol 5a page 319
The 1891 census is shown under Reginald James Watts Shepard 1886 – 1951
Mary Jane Shepard died 11/06/1891 in West Stafford aged 35 recorded in Dorchester Q2 1891 vol 5a page 232.
Mary Jane Shepard died 11/06/1891 in West Stafford aged 35 recorded in Dorchester Q2 1891 vol 5a page 232.
John Wesley Shepard died 19/08/1892 age 49 in Stratton recorded as Dorchester Q3 1892 vol 5a page 181
The Probate Register shows that his effects were shared between his father-in-law John Barter and his uncle Amos Shepard who as we know took responsibility for the male children of the family. The relative value of an estate in 1892 of £500 in todays money would be in the region of £42,200.00 using the retail price index or £55,500.00 using average earnings.