Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 2.djvu/395

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\1RGIX1A BIOGRAPHY

opposed to secession, but went with his state when she seceded. He was too far ad- vanced in years to enter the army. During a temporary absence both his own residence and thai oi his wire, nearby, were burned by ihc l-'edcT.ils. He married (tirst) Eliza, ciaughier of Capt. Abraham Shepherd, of licrkcley conniy; and (second* Henrietta, daughter of Daniel Dedingcr, of "Cedford," hear Shepherdstown, Virginia, lie died at bib home "Lecland/* near Shepherdstown, August 10. 1877.

Fagc, Francis Nelson, born at "Green- land." Gloucester county, X'irginia, October 28. 1820, eldest son of Mann Page and Judith Kelson, his wife. He was graduated from the United States Military .-\cademy at West J'oint. in 1S41. was commissioned lieutenant of infantry*, and served in the Florida war. Prom 1845 to 1847 he was on duty as adju- tant. He saw service in the Mexican war; received brevet of first lieutenant for gallant conduct in defense of Fort Brown, and of brevet major for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco. He distinguished himself in the battle of Chapultepec, in which he was wounded. In recognition of his excellent conduct throughout the war, the Virginia legislature presented to him a handsome sword, which, with his pistols, came into the possession of his eldest son, Francis Nelson Page, Jr. He married, February 25, 1851, Susan, daughter of Col. William Duval, of Florida. He died at Fort Smith, Arkansas, March 25. 1S60, at the early age of forty years.

Shepherd, Thomas, emigrated from Eng- land, and settled first at Annapolis, Mary- land, whence he removed to the neighbor-

hood of Mecklenburg (now Shepherdstown) \'irginia, which town received its last name from his family, he having there acquired a large tract of land from Lord Fairfax. Thomas Shepherd laid out the town in 1762, and in his will, executed in 1776, directed the deeding of a lot of two acres **on which the Knglish church stood," for church purj)oscs.

Shepherd, Abraham, son of Thomas Shep- herd, the founder of Shepherdstown, \*ir- ginia. He marched in 1775 with a company from Shepherdstown, to join Washington's army at Dosion. At the battle of King's r.ridge, in November. 1776, when his super- ior officers had been killed or wounded, he Commanded the regiment, with credit to himself, r.ishop Meade wrote of him: "Without detracting from the praise due to many others, who have contributed funds and efforts to the last two churches, we must ascribe the first of them chiefly to the zeal, perseverance and liberality of that true friend of the church in her darkest days, Abraham Shepherd.'* Capt. Shepherd mar- ried Eleanor Strode, and their daughter, Eliza Shepherd, became the wife of Edmund Jenings Lee. Capt. Shepherd died Septem- ber 7, 1822, in his sixty-ninth year.

Custis, John Parke, born at the "White House," on the Pamunkey river, Xew Kent county, Virginia, in 1755, son of Daniel Parke Custis and Martha Dandridgc, and £tep.<on of Gen. George W'ashington. He was tutored by Rev. Jonathan Bucher at Annapolis, and in May, 1773, was entered at Kings College, New York City. He re- niained till December, and on February 3, 1774, married Eleanor, daughter of Bene- dict Calvert, of "Mt. Airy," Prince George county, Maryland, a son of Charles Calvert,

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