Thomas Shepard (1605 - 1649)

Born 5 Nov 1605 in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England

Husband of Margaret (Touteville) Shepard — married 23 Jul 1632 in Bossall, Yorkshire, England

Husband of Joanna (Hooker) Shepard — married 1640 (to 28 Apr 1646) in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 25 Aug 1649 at age 43 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Thomas Shepard migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 6, p. 273) Join: Puritan Great Migration Project Discuss: pgm

Biography

Reverend Thomas Shepard was born on the 5th of November 1605^[1][2] in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} His father was William Shepherd,^[2] a "wise prudent man."^[4][6][7] His mother, a daughter of Mr. Bland the grocer, died when he was just four years old.^[4][6][7] His father remarried to a woman named Amy. Young Thomas felt that his step-mother didn't love him, and she often incensed his father against him.^[4][7]

Thomas was a lecturer at Earls Colne, England at the age of twenty-two.^[7][8] Before that he had been a teacher at Bramford near Ipswich,^[9] lodging with William Cosins. Thomas first married Margaret Touteville,^[2] the daughter of Charles Touteville, on the 23rd of July 1632.^[10][11][12] The blessed event took place in Bossall, Yorkshire.^[10] A son was born to them whom they named Thomas.^[4][5][7] Thomas, fearful of persecution for his religious beliefs, fled to New England aboard the Defence^[2] with his wife and young son.^[4] They traveled through a mighty storm from which "if there had not bin the infinite wisdom and power of God to help" them, they may have died at its hands.^[4] Passing from the ship to the shore young Thomas fell ill.^[4] He died "within a fortnight" in Yarmouth and was buried there.^[4][7] Thomas and Margaret spent the winter in Norfolke with their friend Mr. Roger Harlakendon.^[4][7] When the winter had passed they traveled to London, trying to hide Margaret's pregnancy so the child could be baptized where they were free from persecution.^[4] Their second son, whom they also named Thomas, was born on the 5th of April 1635.^[4] Little Thomas was sickly and weak at first. He later gained his strength and Thomas set out once again with his family.^[4]

After eleven weeks of sailing they reached the shores of New England,^[4] arriving in Boston on the 3rd of October 1635.^[2] Margaret became ill from consumption and young Thomas was cared for by Mrs. Hopkins, a nursemaid.^[4][11] Margaret died on the 7th of February 1636^[2] after enduring the hardships of fleeing England.^[4][11] She had been "very loving" and "had a spirit of prayer, beyond ordinary of her time and experience."^[7] As a minister of the new school Harvard University^[8] Thomas had many public obligations.^[11] He was forced to engage in those public endeavors, "amidst the distracting controversies, and other evils, which, as a leading man in the colony, he could not avoid" while his home left him feeling desolate.^[11]

In 1638 Thomas married Joanna Hooker,^[2] the eldest daughter of his friend Reverand Thomas Hooker.^{[2][7][13][12]} The connection was seen as highly suitable and Joanna was respected "as a wife, as a mother, and as a helper in the great work which was at that time tasking and exhausting his energies."^[13] Less than eight years later Joanna died^[2] and was buried at Cambridge.^[13]

Thomas married for a third time to Margaret (Borodell) (Shepard) Mitchell on September 8, 1647.^[2][12][14] A son they named Jeremiah was born to them.^[7] This marriage did not last long as Thomas died on the 25th of August 1649^{[1][2][5][15]} at the age of forty-three. His widow Margaret remarried to the Reverand Jonathan Mitchell, who was his successor in the church.^[7][12]

Family

Thomas was married three times and produced at least seven children.

Wife: Margaret Touteville^[12]

Married: 23 Jul 1632 Bossall, Yorkshire, England

Children:

1. Thomas Shepard b 1633, d 1634^[4][14]
2. Thomas Shepard b 5 Apr 1635^[4][5][14] He married Joanna Hooker in 1640

Wife: Joanna Hooker^[2][12]

Married: 1638/40 Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusett^[2][13]

Children:

1. (son) Shepard b 1640, d 1640^[7][14]
2. Samuel Sheppard b Oct 1641 Newtowne, MA^{[2][4][7][14]}
3. John Shepard b 9 Mar 1643/4 Newtowne, MA,^[2][7][14] d 14 Jul 1644 Newtowne, MA^[2][7][14] (16 weeks old at death)
4. John Shepard b 2 Apr 1646^[14] (later lived in Lynn, Massachusetts)^[2]

Wife: Margaret Borodell^[2]

Married: 8 Sep 1647 Newtowne^[2][12][14]

Children:

1. Jeremiah Shepard b 11 Aug 1648^[2]

Death & Legacy

Name: Thomas Shepherd

Will Written: 25 Aug 1649^[12]

Death Date: 25 Aug 1649

Will Proved: 22 Nov 1649^[12]

Executor: Daniel Gookin, Edward Collins, Edward Goffe and Samuel Danforth

Bequests:^[12]

1. All my debts be paid
2. After debts, all to my dear wife during her widowhood
3. If my wife marry again she shall have such a proportion of my estate as my executors shall judge meet, also the gold which is in a box in my study
4. Residue to my four children as follows:
   • A double portion to my oldest son Thomas, and my best silver tankard, my best black suit and cloak, all my books, manuscripts and papers, the last all usable by my wife and other children.
   • To my son Samuel a single portion and one of my large silver bowls
   • To my son John a single portion with my other large silver bowl
   • To my son Jeremiah a single portion and my other silver tankard
5. To my beloved friend Mr. Samuel Danforth my velvet cloak and ten pounds
6. To the elders to be equally divided five pounds
7. To my cousin Stedman five pounds
8. To the elder Ruth Mitchenson ten pounds
9. My dear friends and brethren Daniel Gookin, Edward Collins, Edward Goffe and Samuel Danforth be executors

Research Notes

• Ralph Josselin, Vicar of Earls Colne, his wife's mother was Jane Constable whose mother was Anne Shepherd (Of Olney Bucks) whose brother might be one Lawrence Shepherd (Of Olney Bucks). The Rev. Thomas Shepard spent some time in Earls Colne and knew the Rev. Ralph Josselin quite well. I am hoping Shepheard/Shepard researchers can find the link between Thomas and Anne Shepheard/Shepard.

Sources

^{[10] [4] [12] [11] [13] [14] [15] [3] [9] [2] [5] [1] [6] [7] [8]}

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Decease of the Fathers of New England, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1847) Vol. 1, Page 286
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20} Hooker, Edward. The Descendants of Rev. Thomas Hooker, Hartford, Connecticut, 1586-1908 (Rochester, N.Y., 1909) Page 7
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009, Reference page 273
4. ↑ ^{4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19} Adams, Nehemiah. The Autobiography of Thomas Shepard (Boston, MA: Pierce and Parker, 1832) also available on HathiTrust.org.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Joiner, Rev. Darrell and Sallyann. Cary Family History
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3} Shepard, Thomas. The Works of Thomas Shepard, First Pastor of the First Church, Cambridge, Mass., with a Memoir of His Life and Character (Boston: Doctrinal Tract and Book Society, 1853) Vol. 1.
7. ↑ ^{7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16} Young, Alexander. "Chronicles of the First Planters of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, from 1623 - 1636." pp. 498 - 558.see at archive.org
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Wikipedia Thomas_Shepard_(minister) was an English, afterwards American, Puritan minister and a significant figure in early colonial New England. Note: Replace with a better source when found
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Thomas Shepard (Earls Colne Records): "Records of an English Village 1375-1854"
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (familysearch.org.org : accessed 18 June 2019), Thomas Shepard and Margarit Tutvile, 1632; citing Bossall, Yorkshire, England, reference 2:3X7GRMK, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,068,315.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5} Anderson citing Notes and Queries 12 series 5:179, Youn's First Planters 525-27; NEHGR 100:173; God's Plot 36
12. ↑ ^{12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10} Anderson, Robert Charles, Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S, (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume VI, R-S. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009, Reference page 273
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4} Anderson citing GMB 2: 982-85; God's Plot 70; Young's First Planters 556
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 14.9} Anderson citing GM 2:5:125-31
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Anderson, 1634-1635 Volume 6, p. 277.; link for subscribers

• Add additional sources here.

See Also:

• Sheperd, "God's Plot: Puritan Spirituality in Thomas Shepherd's Cambridge.item for purchase - link

• Harvard Square Library, The History of Cambridge: Thomas Shepard (HarvardSquareLibrary.org : accessed 18 June 2019), article about years of Thomas Shepard.

• Sharples, Stephen Paschall. Records of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England, 1632-1830 (Eben Putnam, Boston, 1906) Page 1