Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah October 5, 2020

A worthy representative of the business interests of Carroll, Eugene Shepard has attained deserved success, being at the head of a flourishing jewelry store. He was born in Ogle county, Illinois, May 30, 1867, son of Cyrenus and Christian (Wolroth) Shepard, both of whom are natives of New York. There were six children in their family: Laura P., now the widow of George Davis of Rochelle, Illinois; Anna C., wife of George S. Dotson, and they live in Adams county near Grant, Iowa; Flora D., now Mrs. John Redman of Red Oak, Iowa; Ida V., wife of Frank Hubbard of Elliott, Iowa; Zenus M., who died at the age of twenty-one years; and Eugene, the subject of this review. Mr. Shepard, Sr., was a settler of Ogle county, Illinois, and came to Iowa in 1871, locating in Red Oak. He returned to Illinois in 1910, and is now living retired at Rochelle, having reached the advanced age of eighty-eight years. Grandfather Shepard was a native of New York and devoted his attention to farming. His wife was upwards of ninety years of age when she died.

Eugene Shepard came to Iowa with his parents at the age of four years and was reared in the paternal home. He received his early education in the district schools and assisted his father in work upon the home farm until he attained the age of twelve years. At the age of twenty-one, having decided not to give his attention to farming and stock-raising, he began learning the jeweler’s trade at Rochelle, Illinois, in which he made rapid advancement. In 1895 he returned to Iowa, and at Carroll, as the years passed has met with an increasing measure of success in a vocation to which he seems especially adapted.

In 1891 he was united in marriage to Miss Grace I. Stetler, daughter of Oliver and Laura (Herrick) Stetler, and two children were born to this union: Frederick Earl and Frank. His wife having been called away, Mr. Shepard was again married June 30, 1896, to Miss Josephine M. Patty, daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Greelee) Patty. Four children have come to brighten the home of Mr. and Mrs. Shepard, namely: Grace, Frederick Earl, Joseph and Mabel.

Mrs. Shepard was the first female child born in Carroll, Iowa. She was reared and attended the public schools, being successfully engaged in teaching for a number of years before her marriage. Mr. Shepard early became acquainted with the importance of labor and applied himself with such diligence and good judgment that he has attained comparative financial independence. He is intelligent, wide awake and progressive, and the success he has achieved is the result of his own efforts. He belongs to the class of men who contribute to the material advancement of the community and who may always be depended upon in times of emergency. Politically, he gives his support to the republican party. He has not sought the emoluments of office, as he has devoted his energies to private affairs in the promotion of which he has found his time well occupied.

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