The Shepherds were a farming family, living in the Richwood Township section of Miller Co. Julia worked long hours caring for her children, and they survived on little, but made do. I am descended from the Shepherd's second child, a daughter, Ella Lavonia (1895-1957). The rest of the children were: Elphia (1894-1974); Clarence (1897-1966); Clifford (b/d 1898); William "Dugan" (1900-1945); Audrey (1902-1994); Lucy (1903-1979); Sylvia (1904-?); Barney (1907-1921); and lastly, Eula (1910-1993).
The children were close, I have many photographs of them as young teenagers and as children. Few of them stayed in Miller Co. after reaching adulthood; they found the lure of the city too great, and most of them lived in St. Louis at one time or another. Dugan, Elphia, and Ella all returned to Miller Co. to raise their families.
Julia passed away at a young age, in 1936. Jasper followed several years later in 1958, after seeing the birth of many grand- and great-grandchildren. He was not especially close to any of his children, as many men were of the time. However, in his later years he enjoyed visiting his grandchildren as they raised families of their own. The Shepherds were a Christian family and Jasper was an active member in the Hickory Point Christian Church until his death. He and his wife, as are many of their children, are buried in the Hickory Point Cemetery.
As I mentioned earlier, I am descended from Ella Shepherd, who in 1915 married Clyde Leslie McCubbin of Miller Co. He was the second son of Silas and Martha (Cooper) McCubbin, a family who also lived in Miller Co. Clyde was a farming man, and he and Ella lived in Miller Co. unitl about 1921, when they left to work in St. Louis. Later Clyde found a job in Carlinsille, IL. They stayed in IL until the death of Clyde's mother in 1927. Afterward, the family moved back to the McCubbin farm near Watkins, Miller Co. Clyde and Ella had 7 children, 2 of whom died in infancy. The children were Glen (b/d 1916); Giles (1918-2003); Dennis (1920); Jack (1924-2001); Audrey (1927-1988), Ruby (1930), and Freda (b/d 1932). Clyde and Ella worked their farm for many years, and eventually moved into Ulman, where both lived until their deaths. The McCubbin family was close also, though all worked hard to make a living. Giles and Dennis served in WWII and all 3 boys becames successful business- and family men. Ruby and Audrey married and had children, with both living near their parents. Ella passed away in 1957, after suffering from kidney failure. Clyde passed away a few years later in 1965.
The next step in my line is through Clyde and Ella's daughter Ruby. She married Theodore Woolery in 1948, and from their 5 children, all survived and are doing well. I will go no further, as to protect my family, but 2 of the 5 still live in Iberia today. As you can see, we have stayed close to our roots, and for us, Miller Co. is the place we call home, even when we live elsewhere.