Family of Jeremiah Shepard

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1. REV, JEREMIAH³ SHEPARD (T HOMAS², W ILLIAM¹) was born August 11, 1648 in Cambridge, Middlesex, MA, and died June 02, 1720 in Lynn, Essex, MA. He married MARY WAINWRIGHT, daughter of FRANCIS WAINWRIGHT and PHILLIPA SEWELL. She was born Abt. 1657 in Ipswich, Essex County, MA, and died May 28, 1710 in Lynn, Essex, MA.

Notes for REV, JEREMIAH SHEPARD:

Jeremiah was the first pastor of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts

More About REV, JEREMIAH SHEPARD:

Occupation: Pastor, 1st Congregational Church

Child of JEREMIAH SHEPARD and MARY WAINWRIGHT is:

i. MARY⁴ SHEPARD, b. 1679, Lynn, Essex County, MA; d. September 20, 1761, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; m. ISAAC WHEELER, JR.; b. August 06, 1673, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut; d. June 25, 1737, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

Notes for MARY SHEPARD:

THE HISTORY OF STONINGTON, CT, BY Wheeler, page 637.

Source: Wheeler.

Wheeler: Mary Shepard, born 1679, daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Shepard, first

pastor of Lynn, Mass., and Mary (Wainwright) Shephard. Mary Shepard persuaded

her husband to enlarge their house in Stonington where she established a

variety store. She was the leading merchant of Stonington and upon her death,

20 Sept. 1761 at age 83, she was the richest woman in New London County.

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Mary and her husband, Isaac, lived in a new house on lands in Stonington passed down through Isaac's father from his grandfather. He begin living there immediately following his marriage and began farming. However, Mary aspired to a more active business life, and to gratify her wishes he changed and enlarged his house, making it two stories on the south, and one on the north, with show windows on the west, which were utilized for a variety store, by Mary, who became the leading merchant of the town, buying all of the surplus farm products of the region round about, which she sent to Boston and the West Indies for a market, exchanging the same for goods necessary for the planters of the town. Mary made Equestrian trips to Boston alone, where she purchased her dry goods. She was not only the leading merchant of the town, but her mansion house was the center of all the neighborhood families. Her store was not only a place of business, but a political center, where slates were made for all the offices of the town. She became wealthy, and at her death was the richest woman of the county.

2. Isaac and Mary joined the First Congregational Church of Stonington in 1771.

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