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Ancestor Stories
Shepherd's Plantation, Florence Township, Stewart County, GA (1836-1924) |
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My Shepherd Ancestors: Florence township, Stewart County, Georgia The story of my ancestors, the Shepherds of Florence Georgia, begin with Dr. Albert H. Shepherd and his two brothers, Edward Thompson Shepherd, and William Shepherd,. The three brothers owned nearly 300 slaves between them. My family's origins begin with the family of Albert, who built his Plantation in Florence, GA, (22 District). There is a Landmark at this site, placed there in 1935, by Daughters of the American Revolution to honor the men who died at the Battle of Shepherd's Plantation. In 1836, the Creek Indians attacked Shepherd's Plantation in the middle of the night , and many of the slaves ran away to Columbus, GA. during the battle. My ancestors did not. A year later, Albert died and his widow Anne Elizabeth Shepherd, his daughter Sarah Porterhouse Shepherd, and only son Colonel William Smythe Shepherd inherited the plantation and slaves. The family lived in Columbus, GA. My ancestors, worked, lived, died and are buried at this site where the Slave Quarters was once located. When I visited in 1992, there were only two of the small shanties still standing. Grandfather William Joseph Shepherd, was born in the former Slave Quarters September 4, 1880, to his parents, Prince Shepherd,III. (1858-1929), and Frances Evans Jackson. (1860 - 1921). Prince's father, also named Prince (II) (1818- abt. 1901), married Sallie Hendry (b. 1833 - abt. 1903). To this union the following children were born: Charlton Shepherd (1854-1926), Hannah( 1853), Charlotte (1859), Griffen (1861), G-Grandfather Prince (1858), and Patt Shepherd (1865-1935). Grandfather Shepherd met Grandmother Mary Louise Martin (b. November 16, 1883), when he was ten and she was seven years old. She lived ten miles South of Florence, in Omaha township, Stewart County, GA. They played together as children, and as teens met at Mr. Moriah Church School on Sundays. Grandfather worked until he was sixteen at the Turpentine Mill in Florence until a recuriter for Coal Miners came into the county. In 1905, he was recurited to work in the Coal Mines in Buxton, Iowa. W. J. (as he was called by most everyone), and Grandmother Mary Lou, Martin, arrived in Buxton, Iowa, in 1905 where they were married (July 7, 1905,) at St. John's AME Church, Buxton, IA. My grandparent's love affair ended May 14, 1944, when W. J. died, Grandmother Shepherd took to her bed and never got up again. She died July 7, 1944. At present, I am researching the Martin ancestors, Clark Martin(1857-1927) and Lucy Wiley Martin. (1863- 1933) Lucy Finley Shepherd -Porter |
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