Name of the Collection
The Sidney E. Shepard Papers, 1870-1908
Accession # 1992.08, 1993.07, and a 2001 accrual
.50 cubic feet plus 3 oversize boxes
Provenance of the Collection
The collection was created by Sidney E. Shepard and kept by his family until Mr. Shepard's grandson, Gordon Shepard Jr. donated it to the Mineral Point Library Archives on July 11, 1992. There was an accrual received on September 26, 2001. Additional material (the Quarter Master books and 2 ledgers) came from Wilfred Harris in 1993. The relationship between Mr. Harris and Sidney Shepard is unknown. The collection also included a small number of Civil War artifacts. These may be found in the material culture section of the Mineral Point Library Archives.
Biographical Background
Sidney E. Shepard was born in Rochester, New York on December 8, 1842 to Israel Freemen Shepard and Marie (Bush) Shepard. Sidney was the eldest of 6 children. His siblings were John, Timothy Hastings, Mary E., Frederick W. and William H. Shepard.
Soon after his birth, the Shepards joined Marie (Bush) Shepard’s family in Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio. In the 1850 Federal Census, the Shepards were living with Mrs. Shepard's widowed father, Erastus Bush and Marie’s younger siblings. During this time they were in contact with Sidney's aunt Emaline (Shepard) Legate who was the wife of Charles Legate. Mr. Legate had come to the Wisconsin Territory as a surveyor bringing his wife and children. The Legates settled in Mineral Point. In 1853, the Shepard's joined the Legate's. They moved to a farm 5 miles east of Mineral Point.
When the American Civil War was declared and President Lincoln called for volunteers, Mineral Point men turned out with alacrity. Sidney Shepard was among them. He joined the 11th Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry (WVI) formed in Mineral Point, known as the “Farmer's Brigade.” He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of Company E of the 11th at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin in 1861. The 11th WVI took part in numerous campaigns as part of General Ulysses Grant's “Anaconda Campaign” that won control the Mississippi River valley. Numerous battles culminated with the Siege of Vicksburg. Sidney took part in all of these.
Sidney was promoted to First Lieutenant on July 12, 1863. In October 1863 he became the Acting Assistant Quarter Master of the 2nd Brigade, 1st division of the 13th US Army. As Quarter Master, Sidney was responsible for supplies and personnel in and around New Orleans for the remainder of the conflict. (A complete chronology of Sidney Shepard's Civil War service can be found in the biographical sketches of the Mineral Point Library Archives collection, The Mineral Point G.A.R. Post #125 Records.) His service took place in the Department of the Gulf, District of La Fourche. Sidney served all 4 years of the war, mustering out on September 27, 1865.
Upon his return to Mineral Point after the war, Sidney became a marble dealer and tombstone carver. His business was located on the north end of Mineral Point's High Street in the old Territorial land office. Numerous tombstones in local cemeteries carry his signature, "S.E. Shepard." He employed his brother Timothy and his mother's brother, Drury Bush as well as other local men over the years. He closed the business after the 1880's and became a farmer.
On May 23rd, 1867 Sidney married Catherine (aka Katherine) Clowney of Mineral Point. They had four children: Eda, John Freeman, Laura and Edith. Eda and Laura died in childhood. John Freeman returned to Rochester, New York. Edith married Frank Weidenfeller of Mineral Point. Catherine (Clowney) Shepard died on December 13, 1885. On November 17, 1887, Sidney married a second time to Mary Hutchinson. They had one son, Gordon H. Shepard.
Sidney became very active in G.A.R. Post #125 in Mineral Point which was named for his cousin George Legate, who was killed at Gettysburg. Sidney was a Mason, joining the Mineral Point Masonic Temple in 1868. He also ran for local political office and was appointed Postmaster in 1890. Sidney and his first wife belonged to the Presbyterian Church in Mineral Point. He later joined the Methodist church.
Sidney's father, Israel died on October 30, 1867 on the family farm. His mother, Marie died on June 18, 1874. Both were buried in the Old City Cemetery in Mineral Point but were moved to Graceland Cemetery after it was founded in 1876. Sidney's two daughters were also moved from the Old City Cemetery to Graceland. Sidney died on 20 February 1932 at the age of 90. He and his two wives are buried at Graceland Cemetery in Mineral Point.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of Series I, Biographical Files; Series II, The Civil War Letters and Diary; and Series III, Civil War Regimental Records.
Series I includes accounting journals from Sidney's marble (tombstone carving) business, his farm and his personal accounts. Of special interest is the journal noting tombstone orders from 1870 to 1872. These list the person ordering the stone, the name of the deceased, as well as the cost. The form of payment is noted and many payments are promissory notes or farm produce – an indication of the post war economy of Mineral Point. Three pieces of correspondence note the unsuccessful attempt by Sidney's state representative to have Sidney awarded a medal of honor. In an oversize box can be found Sidney’s personal military documents, including his promotion certificate to Second Lieutenant in 1863, a blank income tax form from 1863, two vouchers delineating payments to Sidney for his expenses and his African American servant, Dick, a Special Order granting Sidney 48 hours leave from Thibodaux, Louisiana to New Orleans, and Sidney’s unsigned letter of resignation in 1864. Also included is the official document awarding Sidney the position of Postmaster of Mineral Point, Wisconsin in 1890.
Series II contains 126 letters (180 pages) between Sidney and his parents and siblings during his service in the Civil War. Sidney relates what is happening in the course of the war as well as his daily routine. Early on he starts signing himself “Lieutenant Sidney Shepard.” Letters from his parents and siblings survive in this Series and cover news from home with references to family and neighbors.
Included in this Series are 119 pages from Sidney’s Civil War diaries. At some time the pages were removed from their bindings. The pages have been sorted by size of page to approximate their date spans. Further research is necessary to confirm the page dates. The diary consists of daily observations of a Civil War soldier with detailed renderings of battles and casualties.
Series III contains a number of official military documents pertaining to Sidney’s assignments as Acting Quarter Master, Quarter Master and Provost Marshall. While these are not an entire record of his work during the Civil War, they illustrate the positions he held, a wide range of activities as well as how the units under his purview were supplied with goods and services. Pre-printed journal pages in this series delineate what and how supplies were tracked to various companies. Also of interest is the file containing receipts given for wages earned by workers on Union occupied plantations in the New Orleans area. The signatures suggest that these are newly emancipated slaves.
Included in this Series are 40 handwritten personal military histories from officers in the Union Army. It appears that Sidney had the responsibility of collecting these as part of the men's promotion process. An undated sheet appears to be a code issued to Sidney during his military career. A bound copy book records Sidney’s correspondence while the Acting Quarter Master and, later the Provost Marshall. The correspondence covers everything from the movement of supplies to the transfer of prisoners and the disposal of contraband.
Restrictions
None.
Box Inventory of the Collection
| Box # | Contents of Folders | Date Span |
| Series I. Biographical Files | ||
| OV3 | Personal Military Records | 1863-1864 |
| 1 | Business & Personal Letters | 1866-1871 |
| 1 | Accounts Journal: Marble Co. | 1870 |
| 1 | Accounts Journals: Personal & Business | 1892-1893 |
| 1 | Cashbook: Tombstone Orders | 1870-1872 |
| 1 | Masonic Rules Booklet | 1872 |
| 1 | Deed to Graceland Cemetery Plot | 1875 |
| OV3 | Appointment to Postmaster | 1890 |
| 1 | “Siege of Vicksburg National Park” | 1906 |
| 1 | Letter re: Medal of Honor | 1908 |
| Series II. The Civil War Letters & Diary | ||
| OV1 | Correspondence with Family | 1861 |
| OV1 | Correspondence with Family | 1862 |
| OV1 | Correspondence with Family | 1863 |
| OV1 | Correspondence with Family | 1864 |
| OV1 | Correspondence with Family | 1865 |
| OV1 | Other Letters | |
| OV1 | Diary Pages | 1863-1865 |
| Series III. Civil War Regimental Records | ||
| 2 | Military Biographies | 1865 |
| 2 | Correspondence & Orders: Q.M. & Provost | 1864-1866 |
| 2 | Receipts for Plantation Workers | 1865 |
| 2 | Code Sheet | no date |
| OV2 | Official Ledger of Quarter Master | 1861-1863 |
| OV2 | Commissary’s Ledger: Acting Q.M. | 1863 |
| OV2 | Quarterly Returns of Ordnance Stores | 1863 |
| OV2 | Descriptive List of Hires: Q.M. | 1864 |
| OV2 | Descriptive Book (Empty) | 1864 |
| OV2 | Copy book of QM S.E. Shepard | 1864-1865 |
Arranged by Shan Thomas and Cindy Taylor, 2017
Finding Guide by Shan Thomas, 2018