Biography

John H. Shepperd was born on January 12, 1860 on a farm in Chariton, Iowa.  In 1891 he graduated from Iowa State College, becoming the first graduate to earn a B.S. in agriculture from that institution.  He attended the University of Minnesota as a graduate student, but completed his M.S.A. at the University of Wisconsin, as the first graduate student in that program.  Upon completion of his master's he was a journalist for the Orange-Judd Farmer.

On November 1, 1893 Dr. Shepperd began his long association with North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC), as Professor of Agriculture and Agriculturalist for the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.  On July 3, 1895 he married Adele Taylor.  Mrs. Shepperd, who was born on July 7, 1864 in Lockport, Illinois.  In 1882 her family moved to Lucas County, Iowa, near the town of Chariton.  Prior to marriage, Mrs. Shepperd had attended Drake University, dEs Moines, Iowa, majoring in chemistry.  After her marriage and move to Fargo, she was active in club work as well as working for Dr. Edwin F. Ladd at the Pure Food Drug Laboratory for twenty years.

In 1909 Dr. Shepperd was named Dean of Agriculture and Director of the College Farm.  He became chairman of the livestock department of the Experiment Station in 1914.  In 1918 he became chairman of the Animal Husbandry Department.  In 1928, his alma mater, Iowa State College awarded him an honorary doctorate.  He served as President of NDAC from 1930 to 1937, at which time he became President Emeritus.

During his years at NDAC he devoted much of his time and research to the solving of practical problems for farmers.  His interests covered a wide range of topics from hogs, beef, sheep and dairying to soils and machinery.  During his 40+ years at NDAC, he wrote hundreds of articles, bulletins, and scientific papers.

Dr. Shepperd died at the age of seventy on January 23, 1939 in Fargo.  He was buried in Chariton, Iowa.  Mrs. Shepperd died on September 1, 1954 at the age of ninety and was also buried in Chariton.  The had no children.

(Note: for more in-depth historical background, see: Five for the Land and Its People, Bill G. Reid, 1989, pp. 103-121)

Scope and Contents

The collection consists primarily of correspondence.  Unfortunately, Dr. Shepperd's papers were moved several times and in the process, many were removed from their original folders.  The collection was partially processed sometime in the past, which also seems to have disturbed their original order.  Thus, the bulk of the correspondence is arranged as "Experiment Station/ College," as it was impossible to delineate the exact origin of the papers.  The correspondence, for the most part, consists of requests for information relating to agricultural problems from farmers throughout the Upper Midwest.  Some of these requests were index by by a previous processor.  This includes requests for seed information, seed reports, and animal husbandry information requests.

The Correspondence Series also includes Dr. Shepperd's papers relating to applications he made for other positions, memberships he held in a variety of organizations, and records he maintained as the Statistical Agent for the USDA.  Personal correspondence, such as financial papers relating to Dr. Shepperd's farms and family letters are also included in this series.  The family correspondence includes a series of letters that Dr. Shepperd wrote to his brother (Bruce) over a span of twenty years.  A previous processor also indexed these letters, including the years he was President of NDAC.  Finally the Correspondence Series concludes with ten letterpress volumes of copies of letters sent by Dr. Shepperd from 1901 to 1906.

The collection also includes a sampling of class record books and notebooks.  The Subject Files complete the collection.  These include extensive notes from Dr. and Mrs. Shepperd's 1925 World Tour.  Both kept notebooks of their trips, including maps.  The final folders contain copies of the many "writing" undertaken by Dr. Shepperd.  These include articles, speeches, and scientific papers.  Some of Mrs. Shepperd's writing were also found here.  For a complete bibliography of Dr. Shepperd's writings please refer to the biographical section at the beginning of the collection.

Collection Donated 18 January 1952 by an unknown donor (Acc. 10)
Processed by Diane Thueson, April 1984

BOX 1

1         Inventory and partial index to correspondence
2         Biographical material
3         Biography, 1955

Correspondence Series - Experiment Station/College, 1896-1939

4         A-C - 1896-1901 (indexed)
5         D-G - 1896-1901 (indexed)
6         H-L - 1896-1901 (indexed)
7         L-O - 1896-1901 (indexed)
8         P-S - 1896-1901 (indexed)
9         S-Y - 1896-1901 (indexed)
10       A-F - 1896-1902 (indexed)
11       G-J - 1896-1902 (indexed)

BOX 2

1         K-M - 1896-1902 (indexed)
2         N-W - 1896-1902 (indexed)
3         A-B - 1897-1900 (indexed)
4         C-D - 1897-1900 (indexed)
5         E-G - 1897-1900 (indexed)
6         H-K - 1897-1900 (indexed)
7         L-M - 1897-1900 (indexed)
8         N-P - 1897-1900 (indexed)
9         R-S - 1897-1900 (indexed)
10       T-V - 1897-1900 (indexed)

BOX 3

1         A-C - 1901 (indexed)
2         C-G - 1901 (indexed)
3         H-L - 1901 (indexed)
4         M-R - 1901 (indexed)
5         S - 1901 (indexed)
6         T - 1901 (indexed)
7         U-V - 1901 (indexed)
8         A-B - 1902 (indexed)
9         C-D - 1902 (indexed)
10       E-G - 1902 (indexed)

BOX 4

1         I-L - 1902 (indexed)
2         M-O - 1902 (indexed)
3         P-R - 1902 (indexed)
4         A-B - 1902 (not indexed)
5         C-F - 1902 (not indexed)
6         G-L - 1902 (not indexed)
7         M-O - 1902 (not indexed)
8         P-R - 1902 (not indexed)
9         S-V - 1902 (not indexed)
10       W-Z - 1902 (not indexed)

BOX 5

1         A-B - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
2         C - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
3         D-G - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
4         H - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
5         I-L - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
6         M - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
7         N-P - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
8         R-S - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
9         T - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
10       V-W - 1902-1903 (not indexed)
11       Z - 1902-1903 (not indexed)

BOX 6

1         A - 1903 (not indexed)
2         B - 1903 (not indexed)
3         C - 1903 (not indexed)
4         D-F - 1903 (not indexed)
5         G-I - 1903 (not indexed)
6         K-M - 1903 (not indexed)
7         N-Q - 1903 (not indexed)
8         R-S - 1903 (not indexed)
9         T-V - 1903 (not indexed)
10       W-Z - 1903 (not indexed)
11       October 1901 - March 1902 (not indexed)
12       March 1902 - August 1902 (not indexed)
13       December 1903 - January 1904 (not indexed)
14       January 1904 - February 1904 (not indexed)

BOX 7

1         February 1904 - March 1904 (not indexed)
2         March 1904 (not indexed)
3         March 1904 (not indexed)
4         March - April 1904 (not indexed)
5         April - May 1904 (not indexed)
6         May - June 1904 (not indexed)
7         A-B - 1904 (not indexed)
8         C - 1904 (not indexed)
9         D-F - 1904 (not indexed)
10       G - 1904 (not indexed)
11       H - 1904 (not indexed)
12       K-L - 1904 (not indexed)
13       M - 1904 (not indexed)

BOX 8

1         N - 1904 (not indexed)
2         P-R - 1904 (not indexed)
3         S - 1904 (not indexed)
4         T - 1904 (not indexed)
5         W-Z - 1904 (not indexed)
6         A-B - World's Fair, 1904
7         C - World's Fair, 1904
8         D-F - World's Fair, 1904
9         G - World's Fair, 1904
10       H-I - World's Fair, 1904
11        J-L - World's Fair, 1904
12       M - World's Fair, 1904
13       N-R - World's Fair, 1904
14       S - World's Fair, 1904
15       T-Z - World's Fair, 1904

BOX 9

1         July 1904
2         August-September 1904
3         October 1904
4         November 1904
5         December 1904
6         January 1905
7         February 1905
8         March 1905
9         April 1905
10       May-June 1905
11       July 1905
12       August 1905

BOX 10

1         September 1905
2         October 1905
3         November 1905
4         December 1905
5         A-B - 1906
6         C-D - 1906
7         E-F - 1906
8         H-J - 1906
9         K-M - 1906
10       N-P - 1906
11       R-S - 1906
12       T-V - 1906
13       W-Z - 1906

BOX 11

1         A-B - 1906, January-June
2         C - 1906, January-June
3         D-F - 1906, January-June
4         G-I - 1906, January-June
5         K-L - 1906, January-June
6         M - 1906, January-June
7         N-P - 1906, January-June
8         S - 1906, January-June
9         T - 1906, January-June
10       W-Z - 1906, January-June
11       A-B - 1906, July-December
12       C-D - 1906, July-December
13       F-G - 1906, July-December
14       H-J - 1906, July-December
15       K-M - 1906, July-December
16       N-S - 1906, July-December
17       T-Z - 1906, July-December

BOX 12

1         1907-1911
2         1912-1914
3         1915-1917
4         1918
5         1919-1921
6         1922-1929
7         1930-1932
8         1933-1936
9         1937-1938
10       1938
11       1938-1939

Correspondence Series - Miscellaneous Personal

BOX 13

1         1880-1912
2         1913-1916
3         1917-1920
4         1921-1924
5         1925-1927
6         1928-1930
7         1931-1938
8         1905-1936
9         1923-1934

Correspondence Series - Publishing Firms

10       1904-1921
11       1922-1931
12       1932-1934

Correspondence Series - Applications for Positions

13       1904-1905
14       1906
15       1907-1912

BOX 14

1         1913-1917
2         1918
3         1919-1920

Correspondence Series - Memberships

4         Alumni Association, 1906-1934
5         Chamber of Commerce, 1911-1932
6         First Congregational Church, Fargo - 1906-1923
7         First Congregational Church, Fargo - 1924-1934
8         International Livestock Show, 1904-1933
9         Kiwanis, 1923-1934
10       Knife and Fork Club of Fargo, 1923-1926
11       Masonic Society, 1909-1915
12       Masonic Society, 1916-1925
13       Masonic Society, 1926-1938
14       Miscellaneous, 1905-1934
15       North Dakota State Fair Association, 1907-1929

BOX 15

Correspondence Series - Statistical Agent/USDA

1         1907
2         1908
3         1909
4         1910
5         1911
6         1911
7         1912
8         1913
9         1913
10       1913

Correspondence Series - Personal Finances

11       Financial/Legal, 1904-1923
12       Financial/Legal, 1924-1938
13       Insurance, 1905-1911
14       Taxes, 1930-1934
15       Real Estate, 1905-1929
16       Real Estate, 1930-1936

BOX 16

1         Personal Finances Notebook, 1892-1931

Correspondence Series - Dellwood/Harwood Farm

2         1909-1911
3         1911
4         1912-1914
5         1915-1916
6         1917-1919
7         1920-1934
8         miscellaneous

Correspondence Series - Sheridan County Farm

9         1904
10       1913-1914
11       1915-1916
12       1917-1918
13       1919-1920
14       1921-1922

BOX 17

1         1923-1924
2         1926-1927
3         1928-1934

Correspondence Series - Miscellaneous Personal Farming

4         1904-1915
5         1916-1928

Correspondence Series - Family Correspondence

6         1882-1906
7         1907
8         1908-1909
9         1910-1911
10       1912 - August 1913
11       September-October 1913
12       November-December 1913
13       January-September 1914
14       October-December 1914

BOX 18

1         January-March 1915
2         April-July 1915
3         August-October 1915
4         November-December 1915
5         January-April 1916
6         May-July 1916
7         August 1916 - January 1917
8         January-June 1917
9         July-December 1917
10       January-June 1918
11       July-December 1918
12       1919
13       February-May 1920
14       June-December 1920

BOX 19

1         1921
2         January-March 1922
3         April-June 1922
4         July-December 1922
5         1923
6         January-June 1924
7         July-December 1924
8         1925
9         1926
10       1927
11       January-April 1928
12       May-December 1928
13       January-August 1929
14       September-December 1929
15       January-June 1930
16       July-December 1930

BOX 20

1         1931
2         1932
3         1933
4         1934
5         miscellaneous

Correspondence Series - Bruce S. Shepperd

6         1918-1922
7         1923-1930
8         1932-1936
9         1937-1939

Correspondence Series - Mrs. Adele Shepperd

10         1878-1936
11         North Dakota Women's Club, 1910-1933

BOX 21

Correspondence Series - Letterpress

1         October 1902 - February 1902
2         February 1902 - August 1902
3         August 1902 - February 1903

BOX 22

1         February 1903 - September 1903
2         September 1903 - March 1904

BOX 23

1         March 1904 - October 1904
2         October 1904 - April 1905

BOX 24

1         April 1905 - December 1905
2         December 1905 - May 1906

BOX 25

1         May 1906 - December 1906

Class Record Book Series

2         1895-1897
3         1900
4         1908

Notebook Series

5         Dairying, 1891
6         Livestock Management & Breeding, 1898-1899

BOX 26

1         Grain Judging, 1904
2         Livestock Judging, 1904
3         Breeding, 1908
4         Advanced Breeding, 1910

BOX 27

Subject File Series

1         Animal Husbandry-Exams/Grades, 1914-1915
2         Animal Husbandry-Faculty/Course List, 1914-1915
3         Certificates, 1901-1922
4         Grain Reports, 1901-1903
5         NDAC-Department of Agriculture Catalog, 1915-1916
6         NSAC-Essay Contest Description, 1908-1909
7         Private Library listing, 1908-1921
8         Resolution of Wheat Supply, 1919
9         Social Events/Programs
10       Travel Notes - Correspondence, 1910-1933
11       Travel Notes - World Tour, 1924
12       Travel Notes - Columbo to Penang, 1925
13       Travel Notes - Java to Honolulu, 1925
14       Travel Notes - Maderia to Cairo, 1925
15       Travel Notes - Notebooks "My Trip Abroad"
16       Travel Notes - Passenger Lists (2), 1925

BOX 28

1          Travel Notes - Mrs. Shepperd's "Off the Reservation," 1925
2          Travel Notes - Maps of 1925 Trip
3         Writings - Cattle Ranching/Dairying
4          Writings - Cattle Ranching/Dairying
5          Writings - Crops
6          Writings - Crops
7          Writings - Experiment Station
8          Writings - North Dakota Agricultural College
9          Writings - Sheep
10        Writings - Sheep
11        Writings - Swine
12        Writings - "Tales of Old Three Toes"
13        Writings - Mrs. Shepperd
14        Writings - Mrs. Shepperd
15        Writings - Miscellaneous
16        Writings - Miscellaneous
 
 
 

revised 1/01
 

Michael.Robinson@ndsu.edu Michael J. Robinson, Archivist, 701-231-1017 Site Design, Dan Hamre Published by the University Archives, NDSU Last Updated: 4/2/04