Shep's Place Family Tree

By 1860 Will Harper, 40, was a "merchant," who owned $1,000 of real estate plus $400 of other assets. He and Amanda must have run a hotel at this time because apart from their own family of nine children, they had eleven lodgers or boarders in the house. Of the lodgers, two were William Malones and all were men. I feel sure that Amanda cooked for 22 people at least twice a day! Their residence was known as Virginia House. In those days I suppose it was regarded as a boarding house.

It is interesting to note the occupations of some of their boarders: physician, caulker, laborer, brick and stone mason, school teacher and plasterer.

In 1870 Will was 48 and a school teacher who owned real estate valued at $3,200 and had personal assets worth $1,500. His wife Amanda had died early in 1865, and about six months later Will remarried Emily Norris. The two of them supported a large household, which dseven children: David 24, Harriet 17, Amanda 15 and Thomas 13 from Will's first family plus Emily's children, Carrie Norris 13 and Milly Norris 12. Also, Will and Emily have had two children: William four and Theodocia three. A Nora Harper, aged two, is listed, but she turned out to be Nora Burgess.

All of the children who were aged between 12 and 17 years had attended school during the year. After all, the parents were both school teachers!

By 1880 the boarders had gone. It wass just Will and Emily--both school teachers--and their children, step-children and a grandchild. Most of Will's first family had gone, but his eldest, David 34, a brick mason, and Thomas were there. The grandchild was Nora Burgess, eleven years old, born in West Virginia. Nora Burgess' mother had died in 1869, and the Harpers were looking after her.