Ralph Shepard was born about 1606 as he was aged 29 years on 30 June 1635. He died in Charlestown 20 August 1693.
Ralph Shepard was married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London, 21 May 1632 to Thankslord Perkins. She died after 28 March 1675, the date on which she acknowledged a deed.
Ralph Shepard attended the first town meeting for Dedham on 18 August 1636 (a meeting which was actually held in Watertown) and was present at several other such meetings in Watertown in late 1636, suggesting that he lived for his first two years in New England in Watertown, even though there is no surviving record for him in that town. (There is no documentary support for the claim by Pope and Chamberlain that he settled first at Charlestown.) He was also an early signer of the town covenant. He was present at the first Dedham town meeting actually held in Dedham and continued to appear regularly at Dedham town meetings until 17 May 1639.
Ralph Shepard moved from Dedham to Weymouth in 1639 (sale of land in Dedham and birth of child in Weymouth in that year) and was still there in early 1646, when he was fence viewer. During this same period there are records for him at Rehoboth, but Ralph Hamilton Shepard concluded that the immigrant never resided at Rehoboth, and we concur with this assessment. On 10 January 1644[/5], the town of Rehoboth agreed "that all of those that are underwritten who have forfeited their lots for not fencing, or not removing their families according to a former order made the 24th of the 8th month [October] 1643, therefore we do enter upon them for and in behalf of the town, to be disposed of as the town shall think meet"; "Ralph Sheppard" was first in a list of eighteen men who forfeited their land.
Source: R.C. Anderson's Great Migration Study Project.
Thank you Contributor 47062703 for this information.
Please note that although the surname is spelled Shephard on the gravestone, it was spelled in a variety of ways during Ralph Shepard's lifetime, including Shepard, the spelling retained by his male line descendants.
Ralph Shepard was married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London, 21 May 1632 to Thankslord Perkins. She died after 28 March 1675, the date on which she acknowledged a deed.
Ralph Shepard attended the first town meeting for Dedham on 18 August 1636 (a meeting which was actually held in Watertown) and was present at several other such meetings in Watertown in late 1636, suggesting that he lived for his first two years in New England in Watertown, even though there is no surviving record for him in that town. (There is no documentary support for the claim by Pope and Chamberlain that he settled first at Charlestown.) He was also an early signer of the town covenant. He was present at the first Dedham town meeting actually held in Dedham and continued to appear regularly at Dedham town meetings until 17 May 1639.
Ralph Shepard moved from Dedham to Weymouth in 1639 (sale of land in Dedham and birth of child in Weymouth in that year) and was still there in early 1646, when he was fence viewer. During this same period there are records for him at Rehoboth, but Ralph Hamilton Shepard concluded that the immigrant never resided at Rehoboth, and we concur with this assessment. On 10 January 1644[/5], the town of Rehoboth agreed "that all of those that are underwritten who have forfeited their lots for not fencing, or not removing their families according to a former order made the 24th of the 8th month [October] 1643, therefore we do enter upon them for and in behalf of the town, to be disposed of as the town shall think meet"; "Ralph Sheppard" was first in a list of eighteen men who forfeited their land.
Source: R.C. Anderson's Great Migration Study Project.
Thank you Contributor 47062703 for this information.
Please note that although the surname is spelled Shephard on the gravestone, it was spelled in a variety of ways during Ralph Shepard's lifetime, including Shepard, the spelling retained by his male line descendants.
Ralph Shepard was born about 1606 as he was aged 29 years on 30 June 1635. He died in Charlestown 20 August 1693.
Ralph Shepard was married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London, 21 May 1632 to Thankslord Perkins. She died after 28 March 1675, the date on which she acknowledged a deed.
Ralph Shepard attended the first town meeting for Dedham on 18 August 1636 (a meeting which was actually held in Watertown) and was present at several other such meetings in Watertown in late 1636, suggesting that he lived for his first two years in New England in Watertown, even though there is no surviving record for him in that town. (There is no documentary support for the claim by Pope and Chamberlain that he settled first at Charlestown.) He was also an early signer of the town covenant. He was present at the first Dedham town meeting actually held in Dedham and continued to appear regularly at Dedham town meetings until 17 May 1639.
Ralph Shepard moved from Dedham to Weymouth in 1639 (sale of land in Dedham and birth of child in Weymouth in that year) and was still there in early 1646, when he was fence viewer. During this same period there are records for him at Rehoboth, but Ralph Hamilton Shepard concluded that the immigrant never resided at Rehoboth, and we concur with this assessment. On 10 January 1644[/5], the town of Rehoboth agreed "that all of those that are underwritten who have forfeited their lots for not fencing, or not removing their families according to a former order made the 24th of the 8th month [October] 1643, therefore we do enter upon them for and in behalf of the town, to be disposed of as the town shall think meet"; "Ralph Sheppard" was first in a list of eighteen men who forfeited their land.
Source: R.C. Anderson's Great Migration Study Project.
Thank you Contributor 47062703 for this information.
Please note that although the surname is spelled Shephard on the gravestone, it was spelled in a variety of ways during Ralph Shepard's lifetime, including Shepard, the spelling retained by his male line descendants.
Ralph Shepard was married at St. Bride Fleet Street, London, 21 May 1632 to Thankslord Perkins. She died after 28 March 1675, the date on which she acknowledged a deed.
Ralph Shepard attended the first town meeting for Dedham on 18 August 1636 (a meeting which was actually held in Watertown) and was present at several other such meetings in Watertown in late 1636, suggesting that he lived for his first two years in New England in Watertown, even though there is no surviving record for him in that town. (There is no documentary support for the claim by Pope and Chamberlain that he settled first at Charlestown.) He was also an early signer of the town covenant. He was present at the first Dedham town meeting actually held in Dedham and continued to appear regularly at Dedham town meetings until 17 May 1639.
Ralph Shepard moved from Dedham to Weymouth in 1639 (sale of land in Dedham and birth of child in Weymouth in that year) and was still there in early 1646, when he was fence viewer. During this same period there are records for him at Rehoboth, but Ralph Hamilton Shepard concluded that the immigrant never resided at Rehoboth, and we concur with this assessment. On 10 January 1644[/5], the town of Rehoboth agreed "that all of those that are underwritten who have forfeited their lots for not fencing, or not removing their families according to a former order made the 24th of the 8th month [October] 1643, therefore we do enter upon them for and in behalf of the town, to be disposed of as the town shall think meet"; "Ralph Sheppard" was first in a list of eighteen men who forfeited their land.
Source: R.C. Anderson's Great Migration Study Project.
Thank you Contributor 47062703 for this information.
Please note that although the surname is spelled Shephard on the gravestone, it was spelled in a variety of ways during Ralph Shepard's lifetime, including Shepard, the spelling retained by his male line descendants.
Inscription
HERE LYES Ye BODY
OF RALPH
SHEPHARD AGED
90 YEARS
DIED SEPTEMBER Ye 11
1693
Gravesite Details
Original slate headstone encased in granite. On the reverse of the granite block is:Erected in 1910to protect theoriginal stone.Footstone is facing the wrong way and has the initials R. S.
