My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM SHEPHERD is a native of Tacony, in Philadelphia county, although the greater part of his life has been passed in Montgomery county. He was born June 18, 1830. He is the son of Levi and Hettie (Wilkinson) Shepherd, both long deceased. His father was a miller by trade, and was engaged in that business at Tacony. When William Shepherd was four years of age his father removed to Moreland township, in Montgomery county, and in 1843 removed from Moreland to Montgomery township.

William Shepherd grew to manhood in Montgomery township, attending the neighborhood schools when not engaged in agricultural pursuits, and acquired such education as his opportunities permitted. After relinquishing school studies he remained with his parents, assisting his father in farm work until his marriage, which occurred April 7, 1861, to Mary E., daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Taylor) Primer, of Montgomery township, who were farmers. Their children: Joseph Harry, born March 4, 1862, married, April 2, 1884, Lina C. Oberholtzer, daughter of Owen and Alice (Cook) Oberholtzer, of Bloomingdale, Waterloo county, Ontario, Canada, and resides at that place; Charles, born August 31, 1863, married, in 1890, Laura, daughter of Isaac and Susan (Swartley) Heckler, and lives in Upper Gwynedd township, having purchased a farm near Kneedler Station in 1901, their children being Leroy, born January 3, 1891, Susan H., born June 3, 1900; Walter, born March 24, 1865, married, October 9, 1890, Hannah Ellen, daughter of Joseph and Emeline (Moore) Mitchell, farmers, of Montgomery township, and have three children, Blanche, born September 23, 1891, Mary, born December 13, 1895, Walter Leslie, born June 27, 1901; Ella, born November 14, 1868, died June 13, 1890.

Levi Shepherd (father) was born November 20, 1797, and died February 21, 1889, married Hettie Wilkinson, born October 17, 1796, died April 12, 1865. Their children: Wilhelmina, married Samuel Conard, of Upper Dublin township, near Fort Washington; Linford L., married Emily Jones, of Upper Gwynedd township, daughter of Amos Jones, and lived for many years at Franklinville, in Whitpain township, Linford being a drover, and they having a large family of children, of whom Lizzie Kate married Jonathan Cleaver, they live in Plymouth township, Hester, Eugene, Eulalie and Linford, the father dying March 15, 1894, at the age of seventy-three years, and Mrs. Emily Shepherd survives and resides with her daughters in Conshohocken; John, married Sarah Lawrence, and, she dying, he married Kate Kibblehouse; Phebe, born July 11, 1826, married, February 27, 1851, George Berkhimer, and is still living at Franklinville, in Whitpain township, although her husband is long since deceased (see biographical sketch of George Berkhimer, elsewhere in this work); Margaret Ann, married, January 1, 1852, William H. Slingluff, son of Henry and Elizabeth (Schlater) Slingluff, and resided at Blue Bell, in Whitpain township, (see sketches of Henry G. and George B. Slingluff, elsewhere in this work); Elizabeth, married Linford Preston, for many years a blacksmith at Blue Bell, in Whitpain township; Hettie, unmarried, and resides at the Shepherd homestead, on the old State Road, in Horsham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania; Charles, married, and resides in the state of Indiana; Levi, married Harriet Walton, and lives on the old homestead in Horsham township.

William Shepherd has been a successful farmer, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of the community in which he has spent his life. He is an earnest Republican in politics, and was elected a member of the board of poor directors in Montgomery county, filling the position with credit, and being re-elected. He has also held different township offices. He is an influential man in that section of Montgomery county. He is domestic in his tastes, and enjoys the comforts of home, although actively interested in whatever promises to benefit those around him.