John & Elizabeth (Henkes) Sheppard

SHEPPARD, KISHMAN, KURTH, HENKES, KUHN

Posted By: Yvonne Ellwood (email)
Date: 12/28/2005 at 05:28:58

JOHN SHEPPARD, by Yvonne Ellwood

Born: 15 May 1823 Place: Devonshire, England (near the English Channel) John came from England to America with his parents in 1833 at age 10, and made their home at Sandusky, Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie. Perhaps his parents died and are buried there.

An older brother Edward, had come to America at an earlier date and settled there......a sister between the two brothers stayed in England.

Summers he worked on sailboats on the Great Lakes and winters he worked in the woods.

Married Elizabeth in Sandusky, Ohio; making their home at Sandusky, Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie. Soon after they moved to Minnesota.

John worked on the riverboats from St. Louis, Missouri to Stillwater, MN, before the Civil war-during this time he was actively engaged in work with the Underground Railroad helping FREE the SLAVES up the Mississippi River to Minnesota, and then north to CANADA and freedom. (author note: my gg-grandfather on my dads side of the family also did this same thing with the underground Railroad.)

John & Elizabeth lived in Minnesota 7 years., then came to Iowa in 1858 moving to a farm west of Farmersburg, Iowa (where Landry Kishman and son lived, 1979) in Wagner twp., Clayton Co.,Iowa until 1898. This farm is the first farm on the S. side of the road, W. of the Woodside
Farm (near Monona). From there they moved a few miles S.W. to the farm now owned by Gary Kurth (son of Glen Kurth,1979). Spring water supplied their needs. In 1898 John and Elizabeth moved to Monona, Iowa where they lived in the house that became the printing Office for the Monona Leader,1958. Their son, Eli, bought their home and lived there until his death when it was sold to Glen Kurth.

John Sheppard hauled wheat by team and wagon to McGregor where he had it ground into flour for their use....per Esther Burr from Milo Yearous. John Sheppard was the father of 10 Children.

When he passed away he had 28 grand children and 7 g-grandchildren. He was ill about 9 weeks & died 30 July 1913 age 90. He is layed to rest beside his wife in Gooding Cemetery, Wagner twp., Clayton Co., Iowa , where many relatives were laid to rest also.

Johns’ son George, also lived on the first farm in Clayton County. He sold the farm to his nephew, George Kishman. The ownership then passed to George Kishmans’ son, Landry.

Eli Sheppard also lived on the Gary Kurth farm. George Sheppard later moved to a farm near Nerstrand, Minnesota. John & Elizabeth are buried in the Gooding Cemetery, Wagner twp.,Clayton Co.,Iowa, N.E. of Farmersburg.

John Sheppard jr. said. " My father always used the letter ‘a’ in spelling Sheppard on his wedding certificate and in business, etc., but at his death someone said it should be the same on his gravestone as on his fathers’ (John sr.). So it was put that way on the stone. Records at the Courthouse and all the childrens school records show use of the ‘a’ in the last name, and brother George, and his sisters.

Died: 30 July 1913 (age 90), Clayton Co., Iowa and is buried in the Gooding Cemetery in Wagner twp., Clayton Co., Iowa.
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ELIZABETH HENKES, by Yvonne Ellwood

Elizabeth Henkes was born: 17 July 1834 at Hessian Castle, Germany to I. MARTIN HENKES:
Born: 28 March 1805 Place: Germany. Came to America abt. 1850 First settled near Cleveland and lived for four years or till 1854. In 1855 they came to Clayton County, Iowa-Wagner township-Old Homestead. and died: 6 May 1875. His Spouse: CATHERINE ANNA KUHN (or Anna Catherine Kuhn); was born: 30 Oct. 1806 at Hessian Castle, Germany, and Died: 17 June 1889) ).

Elizabeth came to America with her parents to join her brother John in Brownhelm Twp., Ohio near Cleveland in 1850.

Elizabeth's brothers (no sisters) were: Adam
(Big Adam); Yost (August-Justus); John Melchoir; Gus (Justus-August); and Adam (Little Adam).

She was married to John Sheppard in 1851 in Sandusky, Ohio.

Elizabeth died on 15 April 1905, and is buried in the Gooding Cemetery, Wagner twp., Clayton Co., Iowa.