Founded in 1720 from the merger of Essex, King and Queen and King William counties, Spotsylvania was named after former Governor Alexander Spotswood.
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| A little more than 100 years after the death of George Shepherd, Spotsylvania would be the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. There were 27,399 casualties at the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, fought May 8-19, 1864. Founded in 1720 from the merger of Essex, King and Queen and King William counties, Spotsylvania was named after former Governor Alexander Spotswood. |
George Shepherd is the earliest Shepherd ancestor that has been certainly identified in America, or abroad. He is the great, great, great, great grandfather of Grover and Harrison Shepherd.
George Shepherd lived in St. George's Parish, Spotsylvania County, Virginia during the first half of the eighteenth century. The first record of George Shepherd comes from 1731 where it is stated that he owned land in precinct 5 of St. George's Parish.
Birthday Unknown
Events in the life of George Shepherd prior to 1731 are the subjects of debate among the many descendants of this Colonial gentlemen. No one seems to know for sure if George Shepherd was born in Scotland, England, Colonial Maryland, Colonial Virginia, or who his parents were. Some concrete evidence concerning George's origins would be most welcome.
The following have been proposed as birth dates for George Shepherd:
- 1700 in England
- 1700 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
- Born in Edinburgh, Scotland
- October 7, 1716 in Banff, Scotland
- 1720 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Proponents of the 1716 birth date say that George was the son of Thomas and Christian McLachlan Shepherd of Scotland. A problem with this is that George would have been considerably younger than his wife, Elizabeth Day, if his wife was indeed the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Day of Essex County, Virginia.
Another source says George was the son of Edward Shepherd and wife Arvarilla of England, and that he migrated to Colonial Virginia about 1733. Based on the fact that first names are usually used for succeeding generations, there are not any children, or grandchildren of George bearing the name of Edward or Arvarilla.
Another source says George and wife Elizabeth imigrated to America with son James about 1733. Yet another source says George and his brother John came to America from Baniff, Scotland.
Most researchers seem to settle on "abt. 1700" as George's birth date in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Since George married Mary Elizabeth Angelica Day, who was born 1687-1699, a birth date around 1700 for George seems a reasonable assumption, but this is by no means definitive.
Married Elizabeth Day
Elizabeth was the only daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Day. But just when did George and Elizabeth get married? Three dates have been proposed for the marriage of George and Elizabeth. These are 1720, 1725, and 1739. The majority of researchers have settled on 1725.
Not much is known about the everyday life of George Shepherd. However, the following events are known from old records in Spotsylvania, Virginia:
Death
George Shepherd wrote his Last Will and Testament on January 10, 1750. His will was probabed on October 1, 1751, indicating that he died sometime between these dates. In his will, George mentions his wife and six children.
Children
Three of George Shepherd's six children (James, John Sr., and Robert) and their families removed to the Reddies River area of Wilkes County, North Carolina about 1775 where they were among early settlers of the area.
Six Known Children of George and Elizabeth Day Shepherd born in Spotsylvania, Virginia:
