Category: Shepherd

July 15, 1944 William Shepard to parents…

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

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1704 W. Broadway
Enid, Oklahoma
July 15, 1944\

Dear Dad:

Everything is going fine so I thought that I would write a letter. This finishes my second week here in basic. I have had about all the actual flying I will get. From now on its instrument flying and cross-country and night work. Im getting along fine.

The weather here is hot as blazes although we have a cool place to stay. I fly 6 days a week. It is a pretty long day but I dont have to study evenings. We go swimming a lot. K. W. likes it fine. Sue is beginning to. Ill be happy if we can always find as nice a place

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as this to live in. Enid is a bit smaller than Muskogee but better laid out. The air base is 4 miles south. We take turns driving. I have a B card and need it too. The oldsmobile only gives 12-14 miles to the gallon. It needs an overhaul. On a trip I get 16-17. It is a club coupe and we can pack all our belongings in a rear seat & put the matress in them. The trunk is empty when we move. It is nice and roomy well Ill close and mail this Ill write again soon.

Your son
Bill

August 24, 1943 William Shepard to home…

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301st Service Squadron
Moses Lake A. A. B., Wa.
August 24, 1943

Dear Mother and Father

Here goes a letter. I try to write Lois all the news but now and then Ill slip you all a letter, presonal like. Nothing much stirring here. Ill be here for a while yet. It doesnt look as if Ill ever get overseas. Now Im a training officer. Its a horrible death to die. Happy to hear about Herman.

Say mom how about you and dad coming out Christmas to join Lois & me and we can have christmas together? Maybe you could come about Dec 15 and stay over & go to California? It would make a real trip, a vacation for you all and a chance for us to see eachother. Leaves of absence arent being given out here. Dad would enjoy this county. Yo may never get another chance. How about it?.

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Its getting cool up here now. I expect it though because its Sept 1 almost.

Have a good time in Canada. I wish that I could come up, but the fish are just as big here and just as many. Im getting trout and bass with my fly rods. Some fun. The first bass I caught with my small rod took 5 minutes to land.

Well Ill shut up and listen

Your son
Bill

April 25 [1943] Lois Shepard to in-laws

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April 25 [1943]

Dear Dick

Well-Bill will be gone to Washington State tomorrow – & Evelyn leaves tomorrow nite so I shall be all alone. And Bill had to check the beds & bedding back in today so we have one daybed for all of us tonite. Nice life —

Bill wants me to stay here as he can get back to see me at times & there is a chance that he will be sent back to Pendleton Field in a month or two. Here is a proposition — Would you like to come out the last of May & stay until things are decided. Then if I decide to come back to Ohio you can help me with the children which would be one h– of a job alone. Bill is still trying for flight training –

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it will be either that or overseas — and you will want to see him before he goes.

I am going to try to get a second hand bed next week to do me. The kids are having a good time with their Easter basket this A.M. And bill hasn’t had a day at home yet. We went to a formal dance at the Officer’s Club last nite & had a very good time. I initiated the skirt & it held its own with all the other formals & I had one Tom Collins a& after one fast rhumba it started its effects but I managed to conrol myself. I only wish Bill could stay for it would be so much fun to go all the places with him. We have got to go a little in spite of this dam army– One day Bill will come home & pack to go somewhere

& then come back & unpack.–It keeps you guessing till you don’t care whether it happens or not.

Well Sue must have her bath so please write & let me know if you will come or not. Bill wants you to & he wants me to stay for a couple of months at least. I might have gotten ready & come back with Evelyn but we now know what might happen.

Love
Lois.

DNA news…

On By jenbumannIn Genealogy, Shepard, ShepherdLeave a comment

I finally heard back from Dr. Shepherd, the gentleman who matches Grandfathers yDNA. He sent me a small packet of the research that had been done on his family, all of it by paid researchers. I sent him a couple of questions that he has done his best to answer, now I can start digging deeper into my own research on this line.

All we know right now, is that his ancestor John Shepherd was born in New Jersey about 1783ish. No parents are known and no idea where in New Jersey. We might just have to wait for a few years for more Shepards to have their DNA tested before we can continue the quest. At this time we still don’t know where in Europe the surname originated for this line. It could very well be English. Only time will tell.