David Shepard (surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Dr. David Shepard was an American doctor and soldier. He was an early proponent of inoculation to prevent small pox.
, to John and Elizabeth (Noble) Shepard. David attended Yale
, graduating (B.A.) in 1766 and then returning to Westfield. The next year he married Margaret Clap, daughter of Ezra Clap (Yale, 1740) on December 3, 1767. She died in 1769, leaving him with one daughter: Margaret. He removed to Chester, Massachusetts
(then called Murrayfield) and married a second time to Lucinda Mather on January 7, 1773. They had six children: Mather, David, Lucinda, Harriet, Fanny and Horace.
As Boston's conflict with the royal government came to a head in 1773-75, Shepard was appointed to the Chester Committee of Correspondence
. He responded to the Lexington Alarm as captain of a Company of Minutemen in the Regiment commanded by Col. Seth Pomeroy
, and was appointed Surgeon on April 28, 1775. He continued in that capacity in 1775 and 1776, and served with a detachment of the Third Hampshire County Regiment which marched to Ticonderoga to reinforce the army by order of General Schuyler.
In January of 1788, Shepard was at Boston, Massachusetts were he served as representative of the town of Chester at a Constitutional Convention to consider a constitution reported by the Philadelphia Convention
of 1787.
In 1802 he purchased a farm near Amsterdam (town), New York
, and resided there until his death. This farm later became the Fairview Cemetery (Amsterdam, New York)
.
Life and career
David Shepard was born in Westfield, MassachusettsWestfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
, to John and Elizabeth (Noble) Shepard. David attended Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, graduating (B.A.) in 1766 and then returning to Westfield. The next year he married Margaret Clap, daughter of Ezra Clap (Yale, 1740) on December 3, 1767. She died in 1769, leaving him with one daughter: Margaret. He removed to Chester, Massachusetts
Chester, Massachusetts
Chester is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, situated in the western part of the state. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan statistical area. The town includes the Chester Factory Village Historic District. The total population was 1,337 in the 2010...
(then called Murrayfield) and married a second time to Lucinda Mather on January 7, 1773. They had six children: Mather, David, Lucinda, Harriet, Fanny and Horace.
As Boston's conflict with the royal government came to a head in 1773-75, Shepard was appointed to the Chester Committee of Correspondence
Committee of correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence were shadow governments organized by the Patriot leaders of the Thirteen Colonies on the eve of American Revolution. They coordinated responses to Britain and shared their plans; by 1773 they had emerged as shadow governments, superseding the colonial legislature...
. He responded to the Lexington Alarm as captain of a Company of Minutemen in the Regiment commanded by Col. Seth Pomeroy
Seth Pomeroy
Seth Pomeroy was an American gunsmith and soldier from Northampton, Massachusetts. His military service included the French and Indian War and the early stages of the American Revolutionary War...
, and was appointed Surgeon on April 28, 1775. He continued in that capacity in 1775 and 1776, and served with a detachment of the Third Hampshire County Regiment which marched to Ticonderoga to reinforce the army by order of General Schuyler.
In January of 1788, Shepard was at Boston, Massachusetts were he served as representative of the town of Chester at a Constitutional Convention to consider a constitution reported by the Philadelphia Convention
Philadelphia Convention
The Constitutional Convention took place from May 14 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from...
of 1787.
In 1802 he purchased a farm near Amsterdam (town), New York
Amsterdam (town), New York
Amsterdam is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 5,566 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.The town is adjacent to and borders the city of Amsterdam on three sides...
, and resided there until his death. This farm later became the Fairview Cemetery (Amsterdam, New York)
Fairview Cemetery (Amsterdam, New York)
Fairview Cemetery in Amsterdam, New York, holds the remains of many members of Amsterdam's old wealthy carpet manufacturing families as well as middle Americans....
.