Shep's Place Family Tree

In 1870 he met Fannie Johnston and it was love at first sight. He wrote to her asking for permission to take her for a walk, as he wished to be better acquainted with her. The following year he proposed to her, she accepted and they were married on the 13th September 1871. John died on the 16th March 1897 leaving his wife and eight children. He was almost 51 years of age.

"John was educated at George Heriot Foundation School, Old Assembly Close, Edinburgh. At about the age of 13 he was apprenticed in South Bridge to a bookseller. After finishing his apprenticeship he continued a short time as a journeyman and then went up to London to another bookseller. He remained in London for several years before he migrated to Australia. In his early years John was noted for his orderliness: his drawer was always held up as a model of perfection with which our confused drawers were contrasted, and his industry. While at his trade of book selling, he developed a great interest in book binding, which he practiced at home in his spare hours. He also turned to the practice of violin music which he has continued ever since. He became interested in athletics in the form of foot racing and used to go out in the mornings to exercise himself in the meadows. In his youngest days he used to take fits of "dourness" when anything crossed him and I can remember how at such times he used to throw away all his treasures and say he didn't want them. But this trait, thanks to the great wisdom of his mother's dealings with him, disappeared long before he reached manhood"