EMMA HARRIET EVANS

Emma was born in Augusta, Maine on August 1842, only 22 years after Maine became a state. Augusta was chosen to be Maine's capitol in 1827. The town started to flourish after new industry was introduced, from 1840 to 1850, while Emma was a child.  Augusta ranked among the 100 largest urban populations. During the next decade, however, the city was quickly bypassed by rapidly growing metropolises in the midwest.

Maybe the Evans family moved to South Scituate, Massachusetts when Augusta seemed to be lacking in growth possibilities. Emma's sisters, Julia and Catherine, and brother Charles were all born in Maine. But the youngest daughter, Anna, was born in Massachusetts in 1862.  In fact, the family is in the 1860 Federal census in South Scituate and Emma is age 17.

During a visit with me c. 1985, Mildred Shepard showed me Emma's diary and two strange entries that Emma had made in it, in 1856, writing:
"January 7, 1856=I have this day commenced to teach 11 scholars in the front chamber. We study reading, writing, spelling, geography and arithmetic." [Don't you just love the way she expresses herself and gives a hint about her home?]
"January 11, 1856=Unforeseen circumstances---school is closed." [Poor girl. I wonder what happened.]

Mildred told me that Emma had gone to college in Massachusetts, so I think she may have been studying to be a teacher. However, since you have already read about your great grandfather's letters to Emma during the Civil War, bought property in Michigan, and he and Emma became man and wife, you know that her career to become a teacher was ended. Cyrus and Emma left for Michigan soon after their wedding. Also, somewhat later, Emma's family moved to Michigan and lived close to Emma and Cyrus.

Mitten-shaped Michigan has over 80 counties now. Montcalm is located centrally where the thumb of the mitten juts out. It was marked in red when I copied it for this story...I'm sorry that it didn't copy. The photographs of the cities in Montcalm look very modern and crowded, hardly similar to the farming countryside that Emma and her family were accustomed to in the mid-1800s.

Cyrus and Emma had three sons and two daughters, all born in Michigan, as follows:
1866 Carrie
1870 Irving
1874 Verner
1879 Hershel
1881 Edith, our ancestor

Edith was born in early March and poor Emma died on the 28th of May in 1881 of "quick consumption" which Mildred believed was the measles. Fortunately, Edith had her Evans' grandparents living nearby who adopted her and cared for her in her infancy. When they both died, Edith's Aunt Anna Evans, Emma's youngest sibling, took care of her. Cyrus was busy rearing his three active young sons and working on his farm. Carrie, the oldest daughter, was married and living in Denver, Colorado when Emma died.

EMMA HARRIET EVANS
BORN: 14 Aug 1842 in Augusta, Kennebec, ME
MARRIED: 19 Nov 1865 in Norwell, Plymouth, MA
DIED: 28 May 1881 in Vickeryville, Montcalm, MI
SOURCES: "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH27-Q5G Emma H. Dickinson, 28 May 1881; citing Evergreen, Montcalm, Michigan, reference v A p 124; FHL microfilm 1,295,523; Federal census records of 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880; wikipedia history of Augusta, ME; marriage record; interviews with Mildred Shepard; quotes from Emma's personal diary.

CYRUS WHITNEY HODGES DICKINSON

Cyrus was named after a favorite minister of his family. He was born on the 9th day of October in 1837 in Fort Ann, Washington County, New York. He had six siblings.  Cyrus grew up to be 5 foot 10 inches tall.

"My Grandfather, Cyrus Whitney Hodges Dickinson,"  said Mildred Shepard, c. 1967 "was born in Glen Falls, New York, October 9, 1837,  the seventh son of a seventh son.  He was named after a preacher, Cyrus Whitney Hodges, which griped him terribly." [Glenn Falls is a community near the city of Fort Ann.]

At age 18, Cyrus and a couple of his brothers went to Michigan and purchased land for the family to farm.  Soon after, their parents and other family members left New York and traveled to Montcalm County where they all lived on adjoining properties.

On the 24th of August in 1861, Cyrus enlisted in Company B, 16th Michigan Infantry, in Ionia, Michigan.  At the Battle of Kelly's Ford, Cyrus came down with the mumps. At about this time, his buddy, George Clapp, from South Scituate, Massachusetts was writing to his fiance . Cyrus asked George if his fiance might have a nice friend that he could write to. George immediately thought of Emma Evans and gave Cyrus her address. This was the start of the letters that Cyrus wrote and Emma saved, bless her heart, for us descendants to read and learn from:

12 Nov 1863 at Kelly's Ford, VA--a letter to Miss Emma Evans from Cyrus, the soldier:
"To Miss Emma, Our advance is as far out across the Rappahanock as Culpepper. We are here to guard the rear. Last Sat. at Rapp. Station, Gen'l Mead's army all got in motion very early and took up a line of march in the direction of the river. Two Corps going to Rapp Sta. and the other 3 coming here to this ford. Our corps and the 6th Corp went to the stat and there we found a brigade of rebels and preparations were made and a fight began with the 6th Corps and we was brought up on the left and we took a good shelling from the rebels battery but none of our guard was injured (some narrow escapes). I and 24 others took 100 prisoners to Headquarters.
   My father is 70 years old; mother 63, last August. I have 3 brothers and 3 sisters, all married. My duty is to serve my country."
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6 Dec 1863, another letter to "Kind Friend, Emma...I shall never regret the 3 yrs I have endured of hardships and absences from those I love. I am back on the East side of Rappahannock River. I had hard tack, coffee and salt pork for Thanksgiving dinner. 
   I am on the outside of the picket lines at the house of an old widow. I'm a safe guard, sitting by a cheerful fire. A Virginia girl, niece of old lady, reading. Boys are dancing in the street with a violin being played.
   I keep my photos and diary over my heart. We are trying to hold on to a RR near Bealton, VA."

On the 22nd day of December in 1863, Cyrus re-enlisted before going home to Michigan for a Christmas furlough. Later, he was involved in fighting at Gettysburg, Battle of Bull Run, Little Difficult and other lesser known skirmishes.
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22 May 1864 "Fredericksburg, VA in hospital. Unable to march, too sick. Ambulance." [ After he got well, Dr. detailed Cyrus. ]
2 Jul1864...terribly hot weather.
20 Jul 1864, Camp near Petersburg, VA. [Cyrus thanks Emma's parents, aunt, and sister, Julia, for their kind wishes. Cyrus tells Emma that he left his folks in NY when he was 18. Parents came to MI then, 6 months later. In MI he went to a little school house to hear sermons.
   Atlanta was taken with a great many prisoners. Cyrus saw Gen'l Grant there. The soldiers are playing cards, drinking, and swearing...much drunkenness.]
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30 Sep 1864: at Weldon RR. Buys apples for 5 cents; 5 or 6 peaches for 25 cents; can't afford to buy much from Sutters.
  "Brother, Thomas, is in the 6th MI Cavalry in the valley and has been fighting lately under Sheridan. He is my favorite brother and I love him dearly. He has one very smart pretty little girl. I saw him when I was home last winter. He got a sick furlow from the hospital and came home about 10 days before I came back to Dixie. "
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2 Nov 1864 Papler Spring Church." They will vote on Nov 8th. Charles has enlisted and has gone to Tenn. He fell and sprained his thumb yesterday." [Charles is an older brother.]

Mildred Shepard explained that,  "Cyrus went back to Michigan after the war ended, took out a Homestead, then went to Boston (South Scituate) to meet Emma and her family.  They were married at the Evans home at '62 minutes after a couple o'clock', so he said." [Their marriage took place on 19 Nov 1865.]
Cyrus was Mustered out at Jeffersonville, Indiana, July 8th 1866.  

In the 1870 Federal Census: #258/261 in Montcalm County, MI: Cyrus, age 33, is a farmer with $2,000 in Real Estate and $100 in Personal Estate. He and Emma, age 27, have one daughter, Carrie, age 3. who was born in MI. They lost their first child.

1880 Census, Cyrus is age 43 living in Evergreen Twp., Montcalm, MI. Emma H. is 37, born in ME, her father born in Sweden and Her   mother born in ME.  Carry E. is 13, Irving is 9, Verner is 6 and   Hershal is 1.  Carry, Irving, and Verner are all attending school.

"My Grandmother, Emma, died May 28, 1881 of measles and is buried in Vickeryville, MI.  So is Cyrus.  He passed away February 5, 1918. Cyrus had moved to Denver, CO soon after Grandma passed away." said Mildred Shepard.

1900 Census=Cyrus, age 63, living with Carrie and Judson Ellsworth at 3131 High St. in Denver, Arapahoe, CO.  Judson and Carrie have been married 17 years.  Judson is 41 and a carpenter.  Cyrus is a chiropodist.  

It is obvious that Cyrus lived a full and busy life and was loved and admired by his family...that love is especially noticeable via Mildred Shepard's comments.

CYRUS WHITNEY HODGES DICKINSON
BORN: 9 Oct 1937 in Fort Ann, Washington, NY
MARRIED: 19 Nov 1865 in Norwell, Plymouth, MA
DIED: 5 Feb 1918 in Highland Park, Wayne, MSI
SOURCES: Federal Census Records of 1840 to 1900; Cyrus' military and vital records; Cyrus' letters to Emma Evans during the Civil War:Repository at the home of Sandra Kratzer, descendant of Cyrus Dickinson; Cyrus' photo album: Repository at the home of Marjorie Shepard, the wife of a descendant of Cyrus and the Shepard family historian. Elda Esch, "The Benoni Dickinson Genealogy"; Countless interviews with Midred Shepard.

John and Helen Young Stewart

 Stewart family descendants can thank Allen and Sandra Kratzer who visited the Provincial Archives and Records Office in downtown Charlottetown, PEI, Canada in Summer 2000. They copied various card files and microfilm records of our Stewarts.  The records from the Heritage Foundation were all hand scribed onto 3x5 index cards. For instance, on a card file is:

" John Stewart, born 8 Dec 1813, baptized 1 Apr 1814 by Rev. T. Desbrisay at the St. Paul's Church, record book #3, page 145."

 Thank you, Allen and Sandra for sharing your research of our ancestors of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Next, we have these records from the Kratzer research at PARO:

"Marriage of John Stewart and Eleanor Young  married under license on January 3, 1850.  Witnesses=Edmund Rodd and John Young, recorded January 3, 1851-R. Hodgson, surrogate (Marriages:1844-1852) page 533."

From the microfilm:  John Stewart (bachelor) of the North River and Eleanor Young (spinster) of Brackley Point Rd. were married by license with the consent of friends  3 Jan 1850 by , Charles Lloyd in the presence of Edmund Rodd and John Young."

This list of the children of John Stewart II and Helen, including birth and death dates, was written by their  granddaughter, Mildred Stewart:

William     25 Oct 1850 d.21 Oct 1854
John 20 Nov 1851 d.15 May 1904 Denver, Arapahoe, CO (our ancestor)
James 7 Oct 1853
Mary 2 Feb 1855 d.1931 PEI
Roderick 18 Sep 1856 d.19 Apr 1894 Two Harbors, Lake, MN
Neil        18 Nov 1858 d.1936 PEI
Isabella   13 Apr 1861 died young
Annie M. 14 Jan 1863 d.Sep 1956
Jane 26 Mar 1866
William`  26 Mar 1866 d.28 Dec 1959
Margaret 27 May 1873
Jane 15 Dec 1873
All of the children were born in North River, Prince Edward Island, Canada. [The blank spaces indicate that those dates are unkown.] 
The records for the wife of John Stewart say either Eleanor or  Helen Young, one and the same person. She was born on the 10th of Feb 1828 in Prince Edward Island. She died on the 10th of March in 1889 and is buried at Highfield Park.
John died on the 25th of Jun in 1892, probably buried next to Helen, his wife.

JOHN STEWART
BORN: 8 Dec 1813 in North River, PEI, Canada
MARRIED: 3 Jan 1850 in Queens, PEI, Canada
DIED: 25 Jan 1892 in North River, PEI, Canada

ELEANOR YOUNG
BORN:10 Feb 1828 , Prince Edward Island, Canada
DIED: 10 Mar 1889 in North River, Queens, PEI, Canada
BURIED: Highfield Park
SOURCES: Canadian Census Records of 1851-1891; Vital Records of the Stewart family of North River, PEI, researchers, Allen and Sandra Kratzer; Mar 1889 Newspaper obituary from Charlottetown newspaper re Helen Young Stewart. 

FANNIE JOSEPHINE B. CARVER

Fannie was born in Ruggles Township in 1830 when it was still considered to be in Huron County, Ohio. Today,  Ruggles, in the region known as the Firelands, is in Ashland, County and adjacent to Huron County. It is named for Almon Ruggles, a surveyor. 

In 1850, Fannie was living with her parents in Ruggles. On the 13th of March, 1852 Fannie  married Daniel G. Huffman in Ashland City. Their first child was born in Ohio but their other children were born in West Union, Fayette, Iowa, as follows:

20 Nov 1852    John I.
  6 Dec 1856     Fannie
15  Oct 1858   Susan P.
             1860    William
  26 Jul 1860      Anna

Fannie Josephine died on the 15th of April in 1871 and was buried at the Forest Home Cemetery in Hicksville, Ohio.  She was only 41 years old.

FANNIE JOSEPHINE B. CARVER
BORN: 06 Dec 1830 in Ruggles, Ashland, OH
MARRIED: 13 Mar 1852 in Ashland, Ashland, OH
DIED: 15 Apr 1871 in Hicksville, Defiance, OH
BURIED:  Apr 1871 at Forest Home Cemetery in Hicksville, Defiance, OH
SOURCES: Federal censuses of 1840-1870; Record Collection: "Ohio, County Marriages 1789-2013" FamilySearch.org; Booklet of Shepard/Huffman Genealogy by Mary Kirsch and her son, David Kirsch.

DANIEL G. HUFFMAN

Great grandfather Daniel G. Huffman was born in Clear Creek Township in Ashland County, Ohio. From the book, "History of Defiance County", page 299, published 1883, Hicksville Twp. section, it says:

" D.G.Huffman, born in Ashland Co., December 9, 1829, was the 8th of 10 children of Abraham and Margaret (Cuppy) Huffman. His father was the second person who settled in Clear Creek Twp., Ashland Co., in May, 1813."

 Clear Creek's splendid hunting and fishing opportunities, and for several years the maple sugar season, attracted a few of the Indians to the community each springtime. Sprott's Hill (pictured below) is an Indian mound, an important archaeological site and a burial ground of natives who lived supposedly during the glacial period in what is now Clear Creek, Ohio. See Wikipedia

In the 1850 census of Ashland County, Ohio, Daniel is living with his parents and is a school teacher, possibly in the school that his father donated land for in the early years of settling the area. On the 13th of March 1852, Daniel married Fannie J. B. Carver in Ashland. They had the following children:

1852 John I. born in Ohio
1856 Fannie Josephine born in West Union, Fayette, Iowa and so were the next three children...
1858 Susan P.
1859 William
1860 Anna P.
Fannie Josephine, our ancestor, lived until 1930. The other four children died in Hicksville, Defiance County, Ohio before their 30s. Their mother also died in that same time period of 1871-1882. After reading some newspaper articles about Defiance County during this time, it seems as though there was an epidemic of typhoid fever that may have been the cause of these deaths.

When the family lived in West Union, Fayette, Iowa in 1860 , Daniel was a merchant with $1,000 in real estate and $1,000 in personal estate. In the 1870 Federal census, the family is living in Washington, Defiance, Ohio and Daniel is a farmer. The family evidently moved to Hicksville before April 1871 because mother, Fannie J. B. Huffman, died on the 15th of April 1871 in Hicksville. Daniel joined the Hicksville Odd Fellows Lodge in 1872 for probable much-needed companionship.

In the 1880 Federal census, Daniel is widowed and living in Hicksville, Defiance, OH with two daughters, Fannie J., age 23, a milliner, and Annie, age 19. (Annie died in February 1881.) Daniel is listed as being in the lumber business.

"[Mr. Huffman] was a consistent Christian and for years had been a member in high standing in the M.E. church. Universal regret is felt at his death. Although he had more than his share of the sorrows of life, none but his intimate friends ever heard him complain of his lot, although he often said that but for the sunshine there was he would certainly have to give way to the darkening shadows which had hovered over his life. His high moral and Christian character enabled him to bear up under more affliction than is usually allotted to man. " A quote from the book entitled "Biographies of Defiance County, Ohio" published in 1880.

Huffman, Daniel G. died 29 Nov 1887, age 57 in Hicksville, OH. He was born in Ashland Co., OH. Cause of death, heart disease. Residence: Hicksville, Defiance, OH (from the Defiance Probate Court, Record of Death)

"Daniel G. Huffman died at his home on Smith Street last Saturday morning at one o'clock, from heart disease, after an illness of a few days. He was aged 57 years, 11 months and 17days." [Daniel's obituary from an unknown newspaper of Hicksville, OH.]

DANIEL G. HUFFMAN
BORN: 9 Dec 1829 in Clear Creek Twp., Ashland, OH
MARRIED: 13 Mar 1852 in Ashland, Ashland, OH
DIED: 29 Nov 1887 in Hicksville, Defiance, OH
SOURCES: Federal Census of 1820-1880; Book: "Biographies of Defiance County, Ohio" pub. 1880; Record of Daniel's Death from Defiance Probate Court; Book: "History of Defiance County"; Shepard/Huffman Genealogy booklet by Mary Kirsch and her son, David Kirsch, descendants of the D. G. Huffman family.

RUTH LARRISON

Ruth was born in Salem, Ohio which is a city in northern Columbiana County and southern Mahoning County, Ohio, a border city. Her birthdate was 1 August 1831.  In Ruth's childhood, Salem had a population of about 250 people. Two sections of the city are now designated National Register historic districts: the "Salem Downtown Historic District" and Sugar Tree Alley, designated 1995), and the "South Lincoln Avenue Historic District" (designated 1993), which includes several of the town’s monumental and architecturally distinctive homes. But Ruth's parents didn't remain in Salem for very long, even though it seems like it would have been a pleasant city.  When Ruth was four years old, the Larrison family was located in Iowa. Ruth had nine siblings, one was born in Indiana, another born in Iowa, and all the others were born in Ohio.

As I mentioned in John Shepard's biography, Ruth and John were married in 1855 or 1856 in Adams County, Ohio and had three children, all born in Iowa:

Oct 1856 Jessie S.

Jun 1858 Charles G., our ancestor

Nov 1860 George

Ruth's three children married and had families. So, she had about 12 grandchildren living close to her in her senior years, in Hicksville, Defiance, Ohio. Ruth died in Hicksville at age 72 and 3 months and is buried there at the Forest Home Cemetery.

RUTH LARRISON

BORN: 1 Aug 1831 in Salem, Columbiana, OH

MARRIED: abt. 1855 in ,Adams, OH

DIED: 24 Nov 1904 in Hicksville, Defiance, OH

SOURCES: Federal Census 1850-1900; Ohio County Marriages 1789-2013; Death Record from Defiance Courthouse;  Shepard Genealogy Booklet written by Ruth's descendants, Mary Shreffler Kirsch and her son, David Kirsch.

JOHN WESLEY SHEPARD

Today we begin to study the eight great grandparents of the Shepard Family History. Great grandfather, John Wesley Shepard, spent most of his life on the Ohio/Indiana border. He was born in Oxford, Butler County, Ohio in 1835 on the southwestern edge of Ohio. Oxford had a population of 750 people that year. 

 In the 1850 census there was a John Wesley Shephard, age 15, living with the Brown family in Oxford. There was also a woman named Hannah Shephard in the same household. It is possible that Hannah's maiden name was Brown and that she was living with her parents and was John's mother. Next, we know that John married Ruth Larrison in Adams County, Ohio sometime in 1855 or 1856.  Adams County is a few miles southeast of Butler County but this new couple set off for Iowa soon after their marriage.

Baby daughter, Jessie S., was born on  the 16th of October 1856 in Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. But the Shepards did not stay there long. Their first son, Charles G., our ancestor, was born in New London, Henry, IA in June 1858, and the second son, George, was born in November 1860 in New London.  While living in New London, John was listed as a plasterer in the 1860 census with $100 in real estate and $50 in personal estate.

We next find John as a private in the Indiana E 13th Regiment, Infantry, age 29, who served as a soldier in the Civil War from 12 Nov 1864 to 5 Sep 1865. (He may have wanted to serve for a longer period of time but he and his family were evidently in the process of moving from Iowa back to the Indiana/Ohio border c. 1861.)

The Shepard family is listed in Newville, Dekalb, Indiana in the 1870 census, very close to the northern Ohio border in what was called the Tustison neighborhood. John is a farmer with $800 in real estate and $100 in personal estate. Before 1880, however, the Shepards had moved a few miles eastward, over the border, to Hicksville, Defiance, Ohio and remained there until 1904.  Their home was on Spencer Street. John was a grain buyer, age 45. In 1900 his occupation is either weight master, or some people think the census says wright master. My theory is that if he was still associated with grains, then he was probably still involved with weighing these products in 1900.

On John's death certificate his occupation is clerk. He died on the 25th of January in 1903 in Hicksville, Ohio, age 67, 5 months, and 28 days.

JOHN WESLEY SHEPARD
BORN: 28 Jul 1835 in Oxford, Butler, OH
MARRIED: 1855 or 1856 in , Adams, OH
DIED: 25 Jan 1903 in Hicksville, Defiance, OH
SOURCES: U.S. Federal census records 1840-1900; marriage and death records of John W. Shepard; birth records of John's children; Shepard History Booklet compiled by Mary Shreffler and son, descendants of John W. Shepard.