The decendants of Thornton Sheppard and Stephcn Sheppard. two brothers, who were early pioneer settlers of Morgan County held a family raunion(sic) in Carrollton Ill., on Sunday, August 24th

Both Thornton and Stephen Sheppard were natives of North Carolina; Thornton being born in Buncomb County N. C. in 1795 and Stephen being born there in 1804. These men were sons of Lewis Sheppard, who was born in Elizabeth City County, Virginia on April 19, 1775 The Sheppards are one of the oldest families in the United Stated(sic). Robert Sheppard, who emigrated from England, settling at James City in 1621, afterwards called Surrey County, Virginia. was the founder of this family.

Those attending the reunion were: Mrs. Alice Sheppard, Bonnie Sheppard, Amelia Sheppard, Eugene Sheppard, Bonnie Mae Sheppard and Elizabeth Sheppard, of Granite City(IL); F. M. Sheppard and wife, L. E. Sheppard and wife, Clifford Sheppard, Ruth Sheppard, Ruby Sheppard, C. H. Yeager, Kathleen Sheppard of National City, Ill.; Chas. Lamburth, Earl Sheppard and wife, Joe Rhodes and wife, Shirley Rhodes, Wm. Dierking and wife, Ralph Sheppard and wife, Grace Miller, Lynn and Francis Dickerson and wife, of St. Louis (MO); Mrs. V. A. Morrow, and John Mayberry, wife, and daughter, of Athensville, Ill.; James Sheppard and wife, Herman Sheppard and wife and Glenn Gilmore and family, of Jacksonville (IL); E. H. Sheppard, wife. and son, of White Hall(IL); W. F. Day, Lue Sheppard Day, Willie Day, of Roodhouse(IL); Harley Castile and wife, of Jacksonville(IL); S. A. Sheppard, Neal Sheppard, Lillie Sheppard, Cecil Sheppard, Blanch Sheppard, Bonnie Jean Sheppard, Thomas Battershell and wife, Merrill Franklin and wife and Merline Franklin, of Nebo(IL); Stella Hicks, Roodhouse(IL); Alonzo Mansfield, wife and daughter, of White Hall(IL); A. Ruyle, wife and son, of Vandalia, Mo.; Billie Gilmore and wife, Catherine Gilmore, Otis Gilmore, Rebecca Sheppard Gilmore, Harry Spencer and wife, and Rheba Spencer, of Athensville(IL); Lawrence Spencer and wife, of Springfield(IL); Laura Sheppard Dale, McKenzie, Tenn.; Chester Allen and family of Waverly(IL).

This information was transcribed as written or typeset. The images or clippings I worked from vary in clarity, and in some places they may not be legible. Added information or comments are enclosed in ( )'s. As with any transcription, there may be additional typographical or other errors. - Jim Kirk Source: image of clipping from the Inez and Nanci Hoover collection.

Note:
I am not sure I totally believe the second paragraph. I have seen a copy of a letter from Thornton Sheppard, in 1849, that said: ". . . My parents were both born in old Virginia, and their parents came to North Carolina in an early day, and settled on the Yadkin river in Wilkes county, . . . And I was born in the above named county in August the 9th, 1795, . . . "