Faction Records Taken From Congressional Library, Washington, D. C.

COLONEL MOSES SHEPHERD

"Few men of today leave as many memorials of their public spirit, yet through the irony of fate some of these very monuments which should perpetuate the memory and deeds of Colonel Moses Shepherd are, through the lapse of time, now known by the name of his successor, General Daniel Cruger, whose public career belong to the state of New York, but through his marriage to Moses Shepherd's widow, Lydia Boggs, became for a short time a resident of Wheeling and gave his name to the widow and her possessions.

There is much of Moses Shepherd's life that is unknown to the writer, but the following sketch will prove him to have been a public character of great influence. He was the fifth in descent of his family to thake a prominent part in the warfare, defense and growth of the Virginia frontier. He was the great-great-grandson of Jan Van Meter, the "Indian trader," the first white man to cross the Blue Ridge; great-grandson of John Van Meter, called "John the first of Berkeley," who, with his brother Issaac, received the grant of forty thousand acres of land from Governor Gooch in 1730; the grandson of Capt. Thomas Shepherd, founder of Shepherdstown, and the son and comrade of Colonel David Shepherd, commandant of Forts Henry and Shepherd and county lieutenant of Ohio County and colonel of Virginia militia, Moses Shepherd proved himself a worthy descendant of these pioneers. He was the youngest son of Colonel David Shepherd and Rachel Teague. Born in Shepherdstown, November 11, 1763. His only brother was killed at the siege of Fort Henry, September 1, 1777. He had three sisters. Elizabeth married Major William McIntire, the paymaster of Forts Henry and Shepherd; Sarah married Francis Duke, and Ruth, the youngest daughter, married Captain John Mills, who was given a land grant where they lived and were buried, which is now known as the Steenrod farm. The grand-children and great grandchildren of the three sisters finally inherited the estate of Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger.

"Moses was seven or eight years of age when his father moved his large family to the plantation lying between Big Wheeling and Little Wheeling and lying beyond Middle Wheeling creek. On a beautiful site near the banks of Big Wheeling creek was built Fort Shepherd by Colonel David Shepard. This fort became the neighborhood refuge. Moses became skilled in all the lore of woodcraft familiar with the Indians and an expert hunter. He also aided his father in all the occupations of a planter and in running the large mill that was a very important part of a pioneer's life. After seven years of this prosperous, happy, free life there was an unexpected rising of the Indians, incited by the British. Fort Shepherd was entirely destroyed by the Indians and only the mill was spared, and that because it afforded them much amusement to make the great wheel run. It was located where is now Monument Place. When Colonel Shepherd was ordered by General Hand to take command of Fort Henry he moved his large family there, including the husbands of his daughters and their children. Even the women and girls shared the work of defending the fort, loaded the guns for the men, made ammunition and burned their hands with hot bullets. In this seige the women bore as important and almost as dangerous a part as the men. Lydia Boggs was also in the fort, and was as brave and helpful as the others. This frightful experience in the fort was probably one of the bonds that later drew Moses Shepherd and Lydia Boggs together. After the seige Moses went with his father's family to Catfish Camp, where they remained five years. During these years Moses made frequent visites to the plantation and assisted in restoring these buildings, including a larger, stronger and more commodious Fort Shepherd.

"In 1798 he built upon the site of Fort Shepherd the handsome stone mansion now historic and called variously the "Shepherd Mansion," "The Stone House" and now "Monument Place." The last and perhaps the most important work of Moses Shepherd's life was his connection with the building of the great hightway which was to rival the classic Appian Way and bind the east to the west, the celebrated Cumberland road, now called the National road. This National road is the only highway of its kind ever wholly constructed by the United States government. It extends from Cumberland, Maryland, to St. Louis. The inception originated in 1806, during Jefferson's presidency. Until the railroads were extended beyond the Allegheny Mountains this was the one great highway from east to west. Most of the great men of our country of that period passed over that road. Jackson, Harrison, Clay, General Houston, Polk, Taylor, Benton, and many more, all made a point of stopping at the Shepherd Mansion. Great fortunes and reputations were made by the building of the National road. Colonel Moses Shepherd was one of these men. He constructed many miles of this famous old road and several of the stone bridges. Hnery Clay was the chief advocate in congress for securing funds for building the road, which was the bond of sympathy that united Henry Clay and Moses Shepherd in a firm friendship. Near the ancient Shepherd mansion stands a time worn monument to Henry Clay. This monument was erected by Moses and Lydia Shepherd through an inspiration of friendship and admiration for Henry Clay and to commenorate his distinguished public services on behalf of the National road. The monument is of free stone, twenty feet high, surmounted by a figure of the Goddess of Liberty, now almost obliterated by time and weather. There were originally inscriptions on all four sides -- now all are illegible. One one side was the following inscription:

"Time will bring every amelioration and refinement most gratifying to rational men, and the humblest flower freely plucked under the shelter of the tree of liberty is more to be desired than all the trappings of royalty. 44th year of American Independence, Anno Domini, 1820". Alexander Ramsey, of Washington, and John Arey, of Claysville, executed the monument.

For many years it was the custom of Colonel Moses Shepherd to go every winter to Washington city to attend the meetings of congress in order to settle many claims in connection with the National road. He was always accompanied by his wife, and traveled in great state in a coach and four. His grave is marked by the large Shepherd monument. His wife survived him thirty-five years, and although married again, enjoyed possession of the Shepherd estate as long as she lived.