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SHEPARD, Ralph

SHEPARD, Ralph

Male Abt 1603 - 1693  (90 years)

 Set As Default Person    

Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name SHEPARD, Ralph  [1, 2] 
    Birth Abt 1603  Stepney, Middlesex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Gender Male 
    Arrival 1635  Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Differentiator The Great Migration; Immigrant 
    Great Migration Ralph and Thankslord (Perkins) Shepard and their two-year-old daughter Sarah, landed on the shores of New England in 1635 on the ship Abigail. 
    Web Address https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Shepard-1151 
    Name Shepherd, Sheperd, Shephard, Sheaphearde, Shepperd, Sheppard 
    Occupation Tailor 
    Death 20 Aug 1693  Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2] 
    Person ID I4936  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

    Marriage 1602  London, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1289  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family PERKINS, Thanklorde,   b. 20 Jun 1612, Northamptonshire, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1681, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years) 
    Marriage 21 May 1632  St Bride, London, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. SHEPARD, John,   b. 26 Oct 1637, Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Dec 1699, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 62 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     2. SHEPARD, Thomas,   b. 5 Apr 1635, Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Sep 1719, Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    +3. SHEPARD, Thankful,   b. 10 Feb 1650, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1692, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 41 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     4. SHEPARD, Isaac,   b. 20 Jun 1639, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Feb 1676, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 36 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     5. SHEPARD, Jacob,   b. 16 Jun 1653, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Feb 1676, Nashoba, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 22 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     6. SHEPARD, Sarah,   b. 6 Aug 1633, Stepney, Middlesex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Jan 1718, Milton, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     7. SHEPARD, Abraham,   b. 7 Mar 1641, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 15 Dec 1699, Concord, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     8. SHEPARD, Triyall,   b. 19 Dec 1641, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Feb 1708, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     9. SHEPHERD, Ralph,   b. 1656, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Jun 1712, Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 56 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     10. SHEPARD, Walter,   b. 1643, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Aug 1719, Sudbury, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     11. SHEPARD, Mary,   b. 1660, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Dec 1686, Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 26 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     12. SHEPARD, Rachel,   b. 1665, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Mar 1724, Lexington, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     13. SHEPARD, Daniel,   b. 1659, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1697, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 38 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F1296  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 4 Feb 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - Abt 1603 - Stepney, Middlesex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 21 May 1632 - St Bride, London, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsArrival - 1635 - Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 20 Aug 1693 - Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Ralph Shepard
    Ralph Shepard Stone 1 Bell Rock Cemetery
    Ralph Shepard's Signature

    Histories
    Ralph Shepard    		Ralph Shepard

    External Links
    WikiTree: Ralph Shepard (1603-1693)    		WikiTree: Ralph Shepard (1603-1693)
    Ralph and Thankslord (Perkins) Shepard and their two-year-old daughter Sarah, landed on the shores of New England in 1635 on the ship Abigail. Upon their arrival in New England, the Shepards initially settled in Watertown. Over the next fifteen years, Ralph and Thankslorde's life was marked by mobility and land transactions. They moved several times, purchasing and selling land in various locations, including Dedham in 1637, Weymouth in 1639, Malden by 1650, and eventually settling in Concord by 1666. Notably, both Ralph and Thankslorde possessed the ability to sign their names. This skill was relatively rare during that period, especially for a woman, and indicates a level of literacy that was not common among the general population.

    We are descended from their daughter Thankful, through the Wright (Tucker) line. 

    Albums
    Great Migration    		Great Migration (119)
    The "Great Migration," as defined by the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), encompasses the English Puritan migration to New England from 1620 to 1640. This movement primarily involved English Puritans who relocated in family units, driven by a quest for religious freedom and the aspiration to establish a Puritan commonwealth. These migrants originated from various regions of England and settled in areas that now form Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, including the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

    An individual's inclusion in the Great Migration Study Project requires evidence of migration to New England within the specified period of 1620 to 1640. The project's objective is to compile biographical and genealogical profiles of all immigrants who arrived in New England during these two decades. The NEHGS has produced extensive volumes and directories, providing details about the lives of these immigrants. This collection presents research on many ancestors who were part of this significant historical migration.

    You may be shocked by how many there are. Even I was at first. However, most of these Great Migration ancestors are my 9th and 10th great-grandparents, and in some cases 11th and 12th, and with the number of great-grandparents doubling with each generation, the possibilities quickly become immense. We have a total of 1024 sets of 9th great-grandparents and 2048 sets of 10th great-grandparents. This makes finding so many Great Migration ancestors more understandable.

  • Notes 
    • Ralph Shepard, a tailor from Stepney, England, embarked on a significant journey with his wife, Thankslorde (Perkins) Shepard, and their two-year-old daughter Sarah in 1635. They set sail for New England aboard the ship Abigail, captained by Robert Hackwell. Their departure was documented on June 30, 1635, with Ralph aged 29 and Thankslorde aged 23.

      Upon their arrival in New England, the Shepards initially settled in Watertown. Over the next fifteen years, Ralph and Thankslorde's life was marked by mobility and land transactions. They moved several times, purchasing and selling land in various locations, including Dedham in 1637, Weymouth in 1639, Malden by 1650, and eventually settling in Concord by 1666. Although Ralph had land in Seekonk, also known as Rehoboth, there is no evidence that the family ever lived there, and eventually, he forfeited this land.

      During these years, Ralph and Thankslorde expanded their family, welcoming six more children, of whom five reached maturity and went on to have children of their own. Notably, both Ralph and Thankslorde possessed the ability to sign their names. This skill was relatively rare during that period, especially for a woman, and indicates a level of literacy that was not common among the general population.

      Ralph and Thankslorde Shepard's life in New England reflects the experiences of many early settlers - a story of movement, land ownership, and family growth in the New World. Their ability to sign their names suggests a level of education and engagement with their community that was remarkable for the time, particularly in the case of Thankslorde. Their story is a testament to the challenges and opportunities faced by early immigrants in America.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1389] Ancestry.com, U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010;), Place: Massachusetts; Year: 1635; Page Number: 262.

    2. [S1557] Ancestry.com, Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).


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