How patriotic of me. McClellan AFB newspaper, many moons ago.
I am using this blog to keep the family (and any one else interested) updated on my family history research. As a warning to readers, I will show bias and opinions in my posts – I just can’t help myself. As I am a family historian I do not censor, (do you know what your children are doing online?), or sugarcoat anything I find regarding my ancestors. So if you don’t like what you read don’t blame me, blame your ancestors.
So everyone can enjoy our family photographs, I have a FLICKR site where all family related images are free to download. For cool videos that might pop up check out my YouTube Channel. I haven’t really made full use of this account, yet.
Keeping up with modern genealogical research techniques I have family DNA results involved in JOHN, SHEPARD, CAIN and HAMM DNA surname projects at FamilyTreeDNA.
And last, but not least, here is my web site My John and Shepard Ancestors.
If you think you’re related, don’t hesitate to contact me as I look forward to meeting long lost cousins and sharing what I have found…as long as you reciprocate.
(The image in my blog header is of a picnic celebrating a family event, possibly the big celebration of Elza’s not 93rd birthday. Elza Shepard and Jane (Buchanan) Shepard are at the far end of the table looking on their descendants towards the camera. The original is black and white, I colorized it at MyHeritage.)
My other passion: https://jenswarpeddesigns.wordpress.com
jen's ancestors 
I can’t wait to take some time to peruse your blog. My mom is Doug Shepard’s Aunt Judy Shepard Wince from West Virginia . . . I would participate in your DNA research but I was adopted. It does not however stop me from wanting to know all about the whole family who loved me as I were their own in every way. I don’t for a second not think that this is MY family too . . . I have always had such an interest in my Grandma’s Shepard’s ancestor’s. I will get after Mom to see what pictures we have in the albums she has.
LikeLike
Tracey – it is great to hear from another Shepard cousin. If your family has Shepard and related photos that is great, we have so many that are unidentified and I would love to know who all these people are. We have had some luck with other cousins chiming in with names, more is always better.
LikeLike
Hi Jen,
My son, Benjamin’s very distant grandmother is Elizabeth Shepard the daughter of Deacon John Shepard and Elizabeth Woodruff. Elizabeth married Isaac Sacket.
My son has many relatives that are from Westfield, Massachusetts, in which several served in the Revolution-Day, Nimocks, Noble, Sacket, Shepard, along with others from the area in Connecticut-Howland, Peake, Marcy.
My son was born in Marietta, Ohio in 1987. We have photos of him by the Enoch Shepard’s gravesite at the Indian Mound Cemetery. We lived about 50 yards from there.
I, personally collect artifacts from the Revolution. I also have signed documents from various family members-a document of Enoch Shepard in Marietta, a document signed by William Shepard, Jr., a letter sent to William Shepard, Sr, a letter signed by William L. Marcy-Sec. of State and a letter signed by Delos B Sackett-Inspector General of the Army.
I am always researching family history of the French/Indian War, American Revolution and Shay’s Rebellion. Ben was a member of the Children of the American Revolution, Sons of the Revolution and has now applied for membership into the Sons of the American Revolution.
Henry DeJulia
LikeLike
Henry,
Great to meet more Shepard relatives. There certainly do seem to be a lot of us out in the wide world.
LikeLike
Hello! I came across your site while researching my mom’s side of the family. It appears that we have a common ancestor; Andries Rees through Willem.
LikeLike
Diane — that’s great! Nice to meet you. I don’t hear from any of my Dutch cousins very often, to mostly never.
LikeLike
Hello, while reading I came across a person I may be related to and was wondering if you have any information on who John Webbs wife T. Clevenger Webb’s parenst names?
LikeLike
Hi Katlynn,
At this time I have no evidence that Clevenger is his wife’s surname, other’s might, but I haven’t seen the source. I personally do not have the parents of Theodocia or her husband John, yet.
LikeLike
Hello! I am a Kring! My great aunt was Ruth Kring Shepherd. I would love to chat with you!
LikeLike
Hello Kristine. A pleasure to meet you. You are welcome to email me jbumann@me.com
LikeLike
Jen,
While looking for more Stackpole family information I ran across your blog. I am a Stackpole who it seems shares much in common with many other Stackpole; lack of family history. Thomas R Stackpole was my great grandfather. My Grandfather was his son William Jackson Stackpole. My father was the son of Lavecia Morgan Stackpole. My Dad was Dale Woodrow Stackpole. His sister was Beatrice. I never meet any of the Stackpole family but did correspond with Diddy several years ago. I also did the DNA test and a first cousin match was Charles Stackpole. I also have the chart of the land grants of the Stackpole land. I had Bill Cunningham do research for me in 2000 and he sent quite an extensive chart of the family descendants. I have a few old tin type pictures and copies of copies of my Grandma and the Stackpole women , and Grandfather. I recently moved but also have a few other items . My father left his family home after his father’s death and joined the military. I am the only child of Dad and although many years went by my father did not speak to anyone in his family after he left. It was his desire to return home to show me his town when I was 15 but unfortunately he died that year. That was in 1976 and for most of my life I have sought information about the Stackpole family. It seems they are scattered far and wide! It certainly seems that many Stackpole descendants have the same lack of family as there are so many searching on these ancestory sites.
LikeLike
I’d love to see some of those pictures!
LikeLike
Jen, I heard about you from Jan Schwenke. I am a descendant of Silas Mobley and Rebecca Buchanan/ William Mobley and Susan Bloom were my maternal great grandparents.
My father did extensive research of the Mobley family history. He visited Mobberley, England and Normandy, France to view church records. He also compiled a lot of information about the Mobleys in the USA. There is a lot of genealogical information and maps in his files.
If you have any questions, I’d be glad to see if I can look up the answers. There is a vast amount of material.
I’d love to see more photos of the Mobleys and the Blooms!
Best regards, Mary Ann Shao
LikeLike
Mary Ann–How nice to meet you. I would love to hear about the Mobley’s origins! All the photos for the Mobleys are online at my flickr site in the Shepard and Shaw Album. Some might be Mobleys, but we don’t know that they are, as very little was labeled by anyone.
LikeLike
Hi Jen,
I’m adopted and have recently connected with my birth family. My grandfather was a Cross. I can see through a family tree on Ancestry.com that I’m related to Amandor Cross. However, the tree stops after that point. Do you have the remainder of the tree up through the early-mid 1900’s? Thank you for any help!
LikeLike
Welcome to the family! If you search my website I have data to, at least, the children of Amandor Cross and Sophia Rosa. I also have several posts on my site about both families. CAUTION: The Cross and Rosa families were not the most law abiding bunch, so there is much about them that is not so nice. But, I don’t think they murdered anyone, so that’s good. If you want to contact me via email I can give you contact info for at least one person who, I think, also descends from Amandor. http://www.jensancestors.net
LikeLike
Hi there, I am a History student (non-traditional), and I wrote and presented a paper in Wisconsin, on women during the Civil War era including Mary Schaal Johns. I hope to confirm the photo you used as the same person and perhaps find out a little more information on this lovely woman. She is by far my favorite subject and would love anything to learn a little more about her if you are willing to share. Thank you!
LikeLike
Yes, the photo is said to be Mary. I received it from one of her descendants. All that I know about her is pretty much what I have written about them. If you have any specific questions please send me an email at jbumann@me.com. I have several articles about Augustus and his wife Mary you can just do a search on my site and you’ll find them.
I could give you possible contact information for a descendent, but they really don’t like to communicate much or share. That is if I can find it.
LikeLike
Jen,
Just discovered your blog, read the one on the Lantz Farm in Wetzel County, WV. Very informative, Alexander and Margaret are my 3x Great Uncle and Aunt.
I see you have Cain’s on your blog, too. My Grandmother was a Cain and her husband, my Grandfather was a Lantz.
When I have more time I will be going over your blog.
Thanks for your research and sharing it.
LikeLike
David – I sent an email reply, but forgot to mention my CAIN line. I have seen Cain’s showing up when I do research in the area, it always gives me a jolt, but I have to remember my Cains lived in Rhode Island and Wisconsin. None ever showed up in West Virginia. But, hey who knows maybe in Ireland they were family!
LikeLike
Hello Jen-
I am new to studying ties before my family online, but have always shared a love of hearing the family stories from my mother about her family. In doing research to find a patriot we came across the names of William and Enoch.
They would have been my 5 greats grandfathers.
A story I can share is that of Joseph Shepard. (son of Hartley)
The story is that Joseph met his future wife Mariah VanFossen, when she resided with her family in an Indian camp in Jackson county, WV. They fell in love but her father would not grant them permission to marry. Joseph “abducted” her from the encampment. In the public record of their marriage she gives a false name, and out of fear they spent several years on the run. They appear in census records in Pennsylvania and various WV counties before settling along the Ohio River again.
My mother says their son Earl Bryan Shepard was really named Earl VanBryan in remembrance of her VanFossen name. Earl Bryan was her grandfather, and her father was Earl Dale Shepard, (often called Dale to avoid confusion with his father’s name.)
LikeLike
Cynthia,
What a wonderful story! Thank you very much for sharing.
In case you weren’t aware, I am the one who has been doing the DNA study for the Shepard lines. No one else has, at least I haven’t heard from, or ran into any. My grandfather’s YDNA matches with Shepards from Westfield, and my ancestry thru-lines show matches with descents of Enoch’s children. Which I find gratifying. Because, we have no documented records telling us who Hartley’s parents are. Unless someone in the family has that one bible that tells us all! Boy, would that be nice.
Please check my flickr site (https://flic.kr/s/aHsj5ES1HV) for pictures from the Shepard family. You might find some of Joseph, we have lots of unlabeled ones. If you can identify anyone in them that would be fantastic.
LikeLike