HENRY SHEPLEY

From the 1887 History of Vernon County, Missouri, p. 494-495:

Henry Shepley

(Farmer and Stock-raiser, Section 22, Post-office, Nevada).

   An important feature of the life of Mr. Shepley is that which refers to his career as a soldier during the late war, and on account of its interest it is briefly mentioned in this connection.  At the commencement of hostilities he was a resident of Colorado, but with a bravery and patriotism characteristic of the man he became a member of Co. H, 2d Colorado cavalry, under Col. Ford, first marched to Ft. Leavenworth and was then transferred to St. Louis, and from there to Pilot Knob.  Subsequently he was sent to Jackson county, Mo., to aid in suppressing guerrilla depreciations, and also took an active part in the engagements against Gen. Price, including the battles of Lexington, Big and Little Blue, Westport, Pleasonton and Newtonia; at the last named he was wounded and had a horse shot from under him.  During the year 1865 he was sent to Western Kansas to engage in Indian warfare against the Arapahoes, Comanches and other tribes, and though taking part in several conflicts he escaped in safety and afterwards returned home in the full consciousness of having rendered meritorious service.  Mr. Shepley is of foreign birth and antecedents, having been born in Baden, Germany, August 22, 1839, the third of five children in the family of his parents, Henry and Barbara Shepley, also natives of Das Vaterland. The former was a farmer by occupation and after emigrating to America located in Erie county, 0., in 1846, where he died in 1853, his wife's death occurring in 1857.  Henry was reared on a farm and obtained a common school education and when 16 years old he left home and began life for himself in Calhoun county, Ill., in 1857, where he remained two years.  Then he went to Colorado and worked in the mines there three years, or until entering the army, as already mentioned.  In 1866 Mr. Shepley went to Kansas City, then a mere village, and the following spring took a trip to Texas, purchasing a drove of cattle which he drove through to Illinois and disposed of to advantage.  While on this trip he passed through Vernon county, Mo., and purchased the farm upon which he now resides, returning and locating on it the next year.  Settlements in this locality at that time were rather sparse and only few families were here.  In 1866 he built his present residence, a neat, commodious structure, hauling the lumber from Kansas City by team.  He now owns 200 acres of valuable land, some four miles from Nevada, devoted to general farming and stock-raising and the growing of fruit, his orchard deserving special notice.  In 1867 Miss Rachel Fry, daughter of Thomas Fry, a respected citizen of this county, became his wife.  They have five children: Oliver V., Lena M., Thomas F., Lettie and Amy.  Politically Mr. Shepley is a stanch Republican and a warm friend to the temperance cause.  He is progressive in the full sense of the term and took active part in securing the creamery, asylum and other worthy enterprises in this community.

 A - B    C - D     E - G     H - L     M - N     O - R     S - T     U - Z

Please contact the County Coordinator if you have family information or photos that can be displayed on this page.