Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 2.djvu/323

 MAJOR-GENERAL AMOS SHEPARD.

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��and autumn of that year, and was present at the reduction of St. Johns, and the occupation of Montreal. Whether he accompanied Montgom- ery to Quebec is uncertain ; but he did not return home till the ' spring of 1776, when he immediately raised a company and joined the American army above New York, returning be- fore winter.

In January, 1777, he removed to Alstead, whither his father and broth- ers had preceeded him, and lived in the house of his brother Oliver, till the 9th of June, when he moved into Andrew Beckwith's house, probably while a log house, or other temporary residence was being constructed for himself. He purchased his first land, a lot of ninety-two acres, of the heirs of his late brother, Roswell, [see Cheshire County Register, Lib. 5, Fol. 'i3i]> x 5 January, 1777, for ^80; which became the nucleus of a pro- digious territorial estate. In this deed, which was executed at Alstead, he is described by the grantors as "our brother, Amos Shepard of New Haven, state of Connecticut (joiner)." His accounts show that he commenced at once to work at his trade, manufactur- ing the various articles of household use most necessary in families situated as the earliest settlers then were.

But, before the 14th of September following, he had opened the first store in town, in which business he continued, constantly enlarging it, until it became very extensive, comprising not only branch stores in Croydon, Marlow and Newport, but also various manufac- tures, such as lumber, cooperage, leather, hats, and perhaps others.

He was commissioned captain by President Weare, 4 May, 1777, and on the alarm that Ticonderoga was in danger, marched to its defense, as adjutant of the regiment commanded by Col. Benjamin Bellows. He had scarcely returned home when he was again called into service, by order of

��Gen. Folsom, and marched, as captain of Co. 4 of the same regiment, to check the progress of Burgoyne.

After this he does not appear to have been in any active service in the field ; but was rapidly advanced in the militia, being commissioned first major of the 16th Regiment, by Presi- dent Weare, 16 March, 1782; lieut. colonel, 25 December, 1784, and col- onel, 1 March, 1786, by President Langdon ; brigadier general, 29 Sep- tember, 1 791, and major general of the newly organized militia, 2 7 March, 1793, by Governor Bartlett ; which office he held until his resignation, 6 June, 1806.

He was commissioned a justice ot the peace in 1785, and of the quorum in 1 790 ; represented Alstead in the legislature several years ; was coun- cillor in 1785; and was president of the Senate from 1797 to 1S04.

In 1786 he built for himself a man- sion, corresponding to his improved circumstances, in which he lived in a style becoming his position. He possessed vast energy, great sa- gacity in business and an unusual capacity for public affairs. He had no children. By his will, after provid- ing for his widow, he bequeathed the bulk of his property to his partner, Major Samuel Hutchinson, before mentioned, and to his three nephews, Levi, Roswell and Joshua Shepard. His widow died 7 June, 181 7, aged 71. By her will she left $1,000 to the Con- gregational church in Alstead, and $1,000 to the New Hampshire Bible Society. Doubtless an examination of the town records, and of the sepul- chral inscriptions of Alstead, would supply many additional facts in relation to Gen. Shepard, his father and broth- ers, but such examination I have not been able to make. In a future num- ber I will give some account of Major Samuel Hutchinson and his connec- tions.

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