Category: Shepard

Phebe

On By jenbumannIn colonel william shepard, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I wasn’t sure what to make of this document when I saw it listed in the papers of William Shepard at the Westfield Athenaeum as ‘indenture 3 year old negro girl.’ At first I was indignant at the hypocrisy of yet another revolutionary figure fighting for the rights of all [white, rich, men] yet dealing in slavery, but after reading over the document I wasn’t really sure what to think. So I decided to dig into the matter.

From what I understand, regarding this document, William Shepard, along with several other men (who were also relatives of Williams’), were overseers of the poor in Westfield, and on the 16th day of November 1791 signed over:

“a female negro child aged three years the first day of October last past, as an apprentice & servant girl unto Capt. Ezra Clap of said Westfield & Grace his Wife.”

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Courtesy of the Westfield Athenaeum, 6 Elm Street Westfield, MA  01085.

Three year old Phoebe ___  was being indentured to Capt. Ezra Clapp for the term of 15 years (until she was 18). And according to the indenture, they were to teach and instruct “or cause the said apprentice to be instructed in the art, trade or calling of a: Housewife” they also had to provide “meat drink, cloathing & prove[provide?] for her in health & sickness & to teach her to read[?] English”. After her term was up, which would be in 1806, she was to receive “two suits of apparel for all parts of her body suitable for such an apprentice[?] & dismiss her from his said service at expiration of said term.”

According to online sources, Ezra arrived in Westfield in 1743 and built his house a few years later. The house was used as a tavern and later as a meeting place for Revolutionary War plotting. It’s operation as Clapp Tavern occurred from 1766 to the 1790s. I would assume that Phebe’s responsibilities were related to those of someone working in a tavern. Although what duties one expects a 3 year old child to perform is beyond my ken.

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Old picture of tavern date not given.3

Ezra appears to have tried to owned slaves, it is unclear at this time if he actually purchased any outright. In 1781 he was sued by a gentleman by the name of Tony “a negro man of Westfield,” for unlawful imprisonment when Ezra tried to enslave him. Tony won the case.1,2 This evidence from Ezra’s past makes me doubtful that Ezra and this wife Grace were looking at this situation as benevolent parental figures. They were most likely looking to get themselves some cheap slave labor, apparently with the full cooperation of the overseers of the poor, which included William Shepard.

Thankfully Phebe’s indenture would be over when she reached 18, so her years of ‘slavery’ were at least legally finite. I am sure they were not joyful ones. (There is no mention of Phebe or any other indentured persons in Ezra’s household when you read any biographies about him, nor his court case with Tony.)

I have been unable to find out any more about Phebe. Having lost her family when she was a child, I am hoping that she eventually married and had one of her own.

Sources:

1. Tony Negro vs. Ezra Clapp, Case No. 30, Sept. 1781, pp. 204, 216, v13, Inferior Court of Common Pleas Records, Hampshire Co. Commissioners Office, Northampton.

2. Hamden County, MA: Black Families in Hamden County, 1650-1865. by Joseph Carvalho III. Boston: New England Historic Genealogy Society. 2011.

3. “Clap’s Tavern then and now,” Edwin Online, accessed October 9, 2016, http://edwin.westath.org/items/show/476. Courtesy of the Westfield Athenaeum, 6 Elm Street Westfield, MA 01085.

 

January 22, 1943 William Shepard to home…

On By jenbumannIn Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

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January 22, 1943

Dear Dad:

I was happy to hear from you. I hear from Lois all the time but she dont tell me much about herself.

I bet Kenny is a circus. I would like to see him. How much does he weigh now?

The weather here is bad. We had a blizzard the other night that blew over a hundred homes down in Sacramento. Its raining now, as it has been for a few day.

I don’ know for sure whether or not I will be home. To many things can happen to definitely say one way or the

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other.

One more week to go, then Ill have another school behind me. This school is one Herman would have enjoyed. We have been tearing airplanes & engines apart and putting them together again. We wont have to do it as officers, but we will know how it should be done, and can better supervise it.

How is the house & farm? How are the Fritschis, Boltons and Fishers? I offer wonder about the folks at home. It seems like a long time ago since I was home. Dont work to  add Dad. Ill see you soon

Your son
Bill

January 19, 1943 William Shepard to home…

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January 19, 1943

Dear Mother:

I received your letter and the form. It is filled out like you designated. Thanks a lot mother, as I want to get all my insurance and affairs settled before I leave the country.

School is about over for me, and now Ill be getting down to business, which is keeping the planes flying and administration of a group.

Ill probably be in Pendleton Oregon in a few weeks barring any unusual event. I would love to come home, and If I can I will.

 

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My time is kind of short tonite so Ill close. Tell Pop hello for me and you two keep good care of yourself. I heard a few things that Ill pass on:

  1. Rationing will really hit in a few months
  2. “A” cards will be cut to 6 gal a month.
  3. “B & C” cards will also be cut, but how much I dont know.
  4. Foods will get hard to find especially meats etc.

If you can sell the place perhaps you should. Say Ill have to pay income tax, teh! teh![laugh?]

I made about $1500 last year in spite of being in the army. Well so long mother & remember I remember you all.

Your son
Bill

1942[?] William Shepard to Home…

On By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

I am posting two letters today that do not have dates on them. They both appear to be most likely from earlier in 1942, when my grandfather just started his military training. I figured I would finish up the 1942 letters to Dick and Dad before continuing with those from 1943. Interestingly, my grandmother was pregnant with my mother during all this time gramps was writing these letters to home during his military training, and not once is the pregnancy mentioned in his letters.

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[1942?]
Pvt. William A. Shepard
Flight 404 T.S.S. 592
Keesler Field, Miss.

Hi Mom

Received your letter yesterday. If you havent already done it send my bathing suit and strap. If you are thinking about coming down wait for 4 weeks and Ill be through my basic training, then I can get a pass. Be sure to bring Lois and let me know beforehand. After 3 mo. here I go to either St. Petersburg or Ft. Benning Ga. I am going to have Lois come down in a month or when ever you can come down. She can live here easily on $10 to $12 a week. Had drill and shots in the arm lately. Say if you can get a shoe shine kit send one down as I cant find any here. I told Lois to sell the car if she wants to. I think it would be best. I won’t be doing any flying here thank gosh. Well Ill close now and send this. I may try to call up Sun. If so you will bet the call before the letter.

Your son
Bill

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[1942?]

S.O.D.  A.A.F.C.C.
San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center
San Antonio, Texas

Dear Mother,

Looks as if your son could be a ground officer, not a flyer. And I expect to be gone before long. It was a good thing that I came home. It was swell. Here is $75. Ill send the rest at the first of the month. I could send it now, but I want to hold it in reserve. Swell weather here. Having good time

Your son
Bill

January 2, 1943 William Shepard to home

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Jan. 2-1943

Dear Mom,

I liked my presents and thanks a lot. Hope you all had a happy Christmas.

I think that you folks back home have been falling down on the job, all of you. Dad hasn’t been feeling well for quite a while and why in the —- do you all let him work like a horse. I know the answer, because you cant stop him, but you have to now. The way it sounds in letters, is that dad is getting worse, so please take care of him, take him to a doctor or clinic and if he needs a rest, make him take it.

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I know how hard it is to make him do anything, but we all love him and dont want to see anything happen to him.

I am going to get flying if I can because it isn’t any more dangerous than what Ill be doing anyhow.

I know all about the insurance mother. You was swell to take it out for me because I couldnt afford it then. I appreciate it and I cant tell you how much. If I shouldn’t come back Lois & KW will need all of it, but Ill be back and I hope soon.

Everything is fine here.

Ill write again soon.

Love from
Bill

December 27, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On By jenbumannIn letter, letters, Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

[Had a week off and decided to vegetate, so no posts. But, vacations over now so here we go again…]

 

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December 27th [1942]

Dear Mother;

You have the wrong idea about those darn insurance policies. The only thing I want to do is arrange it so there won’t be any delay in Lois is getting the insurance if Im knocked off. You see I am having all my legal affairs handled by the Adjutant General’s office, as all officers in the armed forces do. There is no investigations or delays the way they handle it.

You have been the best mother in the world to me. It was not your job to take out and keep up the insurance. It was mine and I never dune[?] it. I want to receive you of the responsibility that you didn’t

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have to take on yourself. I never have been worried about the money. Understand?

I am going to the Engineering School here in Sacramento. Up at 600 and athletics and breakfast. Classes from 8:00 till 11:30 then lunch. Classes 1:00 till 4:30. Dinner then classes from 7:00 till 9:00. However I do get off on Sundays. Ever since I have been in the army I have had so much school that I didn’t have time for anything else. If you would have come to visit me I couldn’t get off.

In  a month or so Ill be through schools and be on the job. I want you & Lois to come out then. It would be nice if you could come with her … [rest of letter missing]

December 26, 1942 William Shepard to home…

On By jenbumannIn Shepard, UncategorizedLeave a comment

letter_shepardw_to_shepardwr_1942_12_26_p01[1942]
December 26

Dear Family:

Thanks for the christmas. I went down to Stockton and spent the day. I opened my packages there.

The ring is swell. I like and can use everything that was sent.

I arrived in Stockton about 1:00 PM and stayed until 7:30 PM. Uncle Bert has a nice home, family and business. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Stub came home and we went around to all their friends. I met a lot of peopled they looked alright to me.

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I hope that everyone had a good christmas at home. I was able to get your present Lois and will send it right away. I had it ordered through the PX and it was about 30% off on price.

Ill close now to go to class Goodbye all.

Bill

December 20, 1942 William Shepard to home…

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Dec. 20, 1942.

Dear Mother & Father,

Ive never been away from home on Xmas, until now. Yet you have my best there, Kenny and Lois. Please try and make them happy without me this Christmas. It makes me feel pretty bad to think Im not there but Id feel worse if I wasn’t in the Army.

You have been wonderful parents to me and I know it. I was so relieved and happy when Lois wrote & said that she was at home. I want you to want her to stay there until you & she can come out. Don’t come alone Mother, bring Lois with you.

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I will probably be at H B Hatch’s on Xmas. They invited me down, so I won’t be alone.

Have a merry Xmas with a lot of love from

Your son
Bill

December 17, 1942 William Shepard to home…

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12-17-42

Dear Mom:

In order to put my personal affairs in order I want you to do this for me.

  1. Get all my insurance policies out and send me the following details for each policy
    1. Name of Company
    2. Number of Policy
    3. Amount of Policy
    4. War clauses if any in policy
    5. Double indemnity or not
    6. Who is designated as beneficiary?

It would clear matters up if you could & would transfer the policies to me. Then I could arrange for the government to pay the premiums for me. Lois could then be assured of getting prompt payment. As it is matters will be mixed up.

Louis should be my first beneficiary
Kenny ” ” ” second ”

They are my family mother, and as I cant get any more insilian[?] life insurance I want them

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to be my direct beneficiaries. I have money enough and am capable of taking care of it now. The government arranges for premium payment.

I want to arrange all my personal affairs so that If I am killed there won’t be any delay or trouble in settling my estate. This is war and there is a chance of me not coming back so I would thank you forever if you could arrange for this.

Write me right away because I have to have all my personal affairs cleaned up in as soon a time as I can. It is one thing that the US demands of all officers.

Everything is fine here Im getting along swell. The weather is foggy now but It’s still better than Miami Beach. Tell everyone hello for me. Ill be seeing you.

Your son
Bill

December 17, 1942 William Shepard to home…

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12/17/42

Dear Mom and Pop:

Excuse the paper. Ill try to clear up everything. I was commissioned 12-9-42 and started for California the same day.

We traveled by pullman, cost me $110.75 for the trip. As an officer you get travel pay, so that will compensate for it.

Arrived here in Sacramento 12-14 or 15-42 Traveled thru Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

After I arrived here I found that I had been selected to attend the Army Engineer School here (providing I can pass the entrance exams.) I had to talk my way into it. My classmates are all graduate engineers, one a metalurgist, another an aeronautical engineer.

There are 15 men selected every 3 months I believe. The classes are very small and you really get the works.

Classes are about 15 hours a day , 6 days a week 5 hours in airplane mechanic work course per day 5 hours in aeronautical engineering per day 5 hours administrative engineering per day, full schedule isnt it?

It is a wonderful opportunity and I dont see how I ever made it. I must be good and dont realize it. Seriously, I am tickled to death.

It means that the government is giving me an education, then will put me in a real job.

I will get a field or maybe two fields to supervise the engineering work. I probably will be made an assistant engineering officer until I get the hang of it.

Tell Herman I will have to be a “Baird” it is an office job but I think that Ill like it.

The quarters here are swell. Officers have the best of everything. I had to bring some more clothes here.

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Well I dont have much more so Ill close be sure to write me. Send all correspondence to

Lt. William A. Shepard Jr.
Engineering and Supply Officers Training School
McCelland Field, California

Keep the home fires burning. Love to all

Your son
Bill

P.S. I graduated 441 in the class of 3620 at OTS in Miami Beach.

Please don’t tell anyone outside the family anything about the school ??st[Just?] that I am going there.