16 Facts About Abraham Shepherd

Abraham Shepherd was a politician from Ohio, United States who was a leader of both houses of the Ohio General Assembly early in the 19th century.

Abraham Shepherd was among the seven children of John Shepherd and Martha Nelson Shepherd.

John Shepherd joined the 4th Virginia Infantry during the American Revolutionary War, and operated a mill, teaching the business to his son.

In 1799, Abraham Shepherd married Margaret Moore, lived at Red Oak a short time before building a brick house and mill, later known as Pilson's Mill, on Eagle Creek.

Abraham Shepherd laid out and dedicated a cemetery, known as Baird's Cemetery.

In October, 1803, Abraham Shepherd was elected one of three Adams County representatives in the Ohio House of Representatives, and was seated December 5,1803.

In 1809, Abraham Shepherd was again elected to the Ohio House, and he was re-elected in 1810.

Abraham Shepherd returned to the legislature in 1815, being elected to the Ohio State Senate for a two-year term.

Abraham Shepherd served as Speaker of the Senate during the 1816-'7 session.

Abraham Shepherd was elected to another two-year term in 1817, and again was elected Speaker during the 1817-'8 session.

Abraham Shepherd was a Presidential elector for James Monroe in 1816.

Abraham Shepherd returned to the Senate in 1825, representing Adams and Brown counties, and during the 1826-'7 session was again Speaker of the Senate.

Abraham Shepherd operated Pilson's Mill on Eagle Creek, now in Jefferson Township, Brown County, Ohio, until 1817, when he moved to Ripley, Ohio.

Abraham Shepherd built a mill, operated by steam as early as 1825, at Red Oak, and was a pork-packer.

Abraham Shepherd was master of a masonic lodge at Ripley in 1818, and was an elder of the Presbyterian Church, and delegate at the Chillicothe Presbytery in 1823,1830 and 1832.

Abraham Shepherd married Harriet Kincade on October 19,1819, and had two more children.