The Henry and Dona Shepherd Family of David and Middle Creek, Kentucky: Connections to My Life

Henry & Dona Shepherd Family David, Kentucky
Photo originated with Larry Hardin, a descendant of Henry and Dona Shepherd.See Hardin's comments below.

Judy Nelson Calhoun, Daughter of Wiley Nelson, provides identification for those in the photo:

I will name this family for Paul in his time of grief of losing his sister Sally. The Family of Henry & Dona Stephens Shepherd: Henry, Dona (child on lap)Reubin, Ollie & Verba in between, Rome (next to Henry) Della (far left front) Peggy, Susan, Louellen, Kitty (behind left of Dona) Mae, Nana, Ashland (Pauls Father) Oliver, Richmond & Jacob. Paul can do better when he feel like it. My Mother was a Shepherd so I am related to all.


My Connection by Judy Bussey
Many of us grew up with the Shepherd families, East Kentucky pioneers. The Bussey children--and all children in the coal camp--always had Shepherd playmates and classmates.Shepherds, Slones, Hickses, Griffiths, Nelsons, Wrights, Webbs,Howards, and other families had settled and lived on Middle Creek since the Revolutionary War. As I stated in my profile at this site, I research my life's cultural, economic, political, and geographical influences in order to understand myself, my beliefs, my values, and my life in general. The Shepherds were part of the three distinct cultures that surrounded me during my formative years in the progressive coal camp of David.

The smart and resourceful people from the rural areas surrounding David have owned and farmed that land for more than 200 years. We merged into one community as the land owners sold or leased portions of their land to Princess Elkhorn Coal Company Organization (PECCO)and our community activities began to overlap. Our fathers worked for PECCO. One of my strong memories is of Ashland Shepherd, in the photo above, building and finishing the wood interiors of our coal camp homes. He built us a beautiful corner bookshelf, a prized addition to the standard coal camp home. Ashland was a smart man and a preacher. We all remember listening to him talk as he worked and the kindness with which he treated everyone.

His son, Paul, who comments below also worked for PECCO. Along with other David boys like my cousin Bill Bussey, brother Rodney Bussey, Brother in law Bruce Howard, and most of the DeBoard boys,they helped build and maintain the water system, the swimming pool, the grass and hedges planted all over by PECCO to beautify the area. The David boys cleaned Water tanks, cut hedges, and hauled trash. As Boy Scouts, they served as Air Rangers and reported airplane activity during the WWII era. Elsewhere on this blogspot, I talk about brother Rodney's adventures as a spotter and as a water tank cleaner. PECCO built a sound enterprise and built a well known group of employees from the greater community.

The work of the camp was nonstop, both on the surface where the women stoked the coal stoves for heat, cooked the meals, canned the food, washed the clothes, cared for the children and literally kept the home fires burning while the fathers, brothers, and sons labored in the deep mines around the clock. I love this line from an old coal mining song, "the women sigh and the babies cry,but the mines, they never stop".In fact, the little coal town was built to ensure there were always miners within walking distance from work so the mines never had to close. At times, the roads into the mines were made impassable by mud, snow or ice. Eventually the dirt roads were blacktopped, but until then, getting to the mines was a job in itself. Therefore, the camp was a practical, profitable enterprise in addition to being our home.

Farmers became coal miners, company carpenters, company plumbers, weigh-men, teachers, school staff, truck drivers, clerks, and otherwise key people in the development of the only childhood home I ever knew. The coal camp of David. It's difficult to describe the phenomenon that was David. One way is to share our stories.

The rural children became David children and we all grew up together on the Lick Fork of Middle Creek where PECCO decided to center their coal mining operation and build a community for the miners and their families. My father and his brothers had come to Kentucky from Alabama to work in the coal mines, Mother's home place was on Jones fork of Troublesome and in Stone Coal. David miners came from all over. From the mines of Harlan,Carr Creek, Wayland and beyond. They came into David from Auxier, West Prestonsburg, Van Lear and other coal mining communities to work for "real money" which was promised by the company. So, within the community of David, all these rich cultures mixed together.

Daddy took us up the "New Road" to Cumine Shepherd's home-place to pick strawberries and blackberries. And probably to get a "little brew" as the song says. We loved Cumine. Then there was Ora Lee "Red" Shepherd,an intriguing character who thrilled us by riding her horse across the hill into our hollow, goods and products hanging on her saddle. I know "Red" is an educated interesting woman, but to me, back in my childhood, it was like the wild west on the road right outside our house, 7th on the right up Official Hollow, or "Fisher Holler" as we called it. I'd love to know the name of the place where "Red" lived just over the hill from us where no road had been built before. Virgie and Darb were beloved, but down and out people from Ruff & Tuff. We loved them too. I went to their home a few times with Mother. Mother loved visiting in the rural homes since they reminded her of her own childhood home. The wonderful women up Caney and Brushy would make sure she had cow-butter and white half runners or whatever they had at the time--tomatoes, cabbage, eggs, and other wonderful groceries. I was always bewildered about what my home really was.We had "running water", a term I love to use, and indoor plumbing. In 1952, we even had television. At Granny and Pap's, there was another overlapping of history. Uncle Rob Hicks had wired their home with electricity, but we used the toilet outside and drank cold well water from the tin dipper always present in the water bucket.

Before I forget, the third circle of my cultural influence was "town"--Prestonsburg, the county seat. Town was something we wanted to "go to", but rarely did. Town was an enigma for me. It loomed far away from this child as a place of stores, clothes not from the company store, and two movie theaters. We all looked forward to our occasional forays into this exciting county seat. Maybe a trip to the dime store. During our high school, all the children from the left fork of Middle Creek were further united in daily school bus trips over winding, at times rough, roads--from David to "town". We always left before daylight; in winter, the bus returned at the edge of dark.

David natives, Ken DeBoard & sister Charlotte DeBoard Ratliff shared Hardin's photo of the Shepherd family with our Facebook friends who would see it as significant to our Middle Creek and David heritage.This post is designed to help us recognize and acknowledge a part of the families that were so pivotal to our lives in the coal camp. Below, Judy Nelson Calhoun and Paul Shepherd expand on this particular group. My hope is that some Shepherd descendants and other David natives will find this site in search of their ancestors and old friends. Judy Bussey

COMMENTS FROM DAVID FRIENDS

Kenneth DeBoard
The Heading at the Top was supposed to read "Great Families of David", My apologies. This photo is from my sister, Charlotte. Larry E. Hardin of Frankfort, Ky shares this photo with his readers. The photo was taken ca 1936 at David, Ky near what is now the Richmond Shepherd Cemetery. Hardin writes, "These are the children of Henry and Dona Shepherd, My Grandmother, Della Shepherd Hamilton is the first girl on the back row, starting from the left: Uncle Ashland is the first man standing, Great grandpa Shepherd is holding my Grandmother's youngest sister, Verba Shepherd Lester, Grandma Shepherd is holding my Grandmother's youngest brother, Reuben Shepherd".

Paul Shepherd
Ken I had the pleasure of knowing each and every one of them.What a great family, Grandpa and grandma had. Dad was the Oldest, Then aunt Kitty, from there I would have to check.Not very long after this grandpa died of kidney failure. What a... burden this must have been on grandma. All the kids pitched in and did what they could do to help.
Jim Hale was a Icon back then and he gave dad work to do. Pay was only like .75 a day but it went a very long way since most of the food was raised in the garden. Clothing was hard to come by so it was passed down until it wore out.Dad and mom lived in with them when they first got married & told many stories how the family coped with life.

One of the great Stories told: every Sunday morning dad and mom would get up and fix breakfast for the whole family. Even after dad and mom moved into their own place where I was born he still helped with the family. Then the WPA came along and very few people have even heard of it today.Those were hard times for families back then, If those times should ever return 75% of the population would die in today's world, God forbid this will ever take place.Yes there were evil times back then with a few. But family and LOVE was so strong it ruled. (Well said! I believe this so much Paul, Judy Bussey)
I remember how we would walk for miles across hills through the valleys to visit on Sundays, That was the day of rest and no one worked. Family time. Some of my aunts and uncles were not that much older than I so we played together, aunt Ollie, Verba, even the older ones would grab me and hug me and I thought they would never let me go. Uncle Rome and Ruben were young.

In time each started to marry off.Some stayed close by so we could still visit, like aunt Kitty and Jay,uncle Richmond and Rebecka who is my mom's sister, Aunt Louella and Langley Patton moved in David, aunt Peggy and Marcus Patton had the shower house for the miners.Aunt Della and Howard Hamilton moved in David. Aunt Ollie lived a few years down at the forks where Howard and Jinny Hill had their store.Some moved to Ohio, others moved to Michigan, even dad and mom went to Michigan at one time to live, but that was no place for dad so they went back to Ky where he felt his roots were.

Then that great company PECC came to David and gave that area new life and brought in new families from all over EKY.Then things started a change sons and daughters got to stay in EKY until the 50's then the move started again, This is how life is and we have to accept it or we can not make it.

Sad to report only two of the children are still living today, Rome and Reuben. Rome lives in Ohio, and I have not heard from Reuben over the last 20 years.
I have thousands of cousins, Double First, First, Second, Third, Fourth and many I have never met.These are just from two people.

These two people had brothers and sisters. Jacobs Shepherd's family
John Shepherd's family, John B. Shepherd's family, Another Jacob Shepherd's family, A John E. Shepherd all the way back before this country became a Nation, around the 1700's. This is just from grandpa Henry Shepherd's family. Now to follow grandma Donna you have to go through the Stephens family which could be large or larger.
Just from this one family a whole State could be named from it.

I just added "Kitty Shepherd Burchett" as a friend on Facebook. I Went through her photos and my heart broke. I had an idea who she may be, then when I saw her mom and dad, Want to say Gloria and Beecher I love you dearly.

Want to Thank Judy Nelson Calhoun for filling in for me.Yes we are family in more ways than one. Judy's Mom and My dad were cousins. Since the passing of my Sister Sally life just isn't the same.Sally and Jim was always there when they were needed and want to say Jim I love you buddy with all my heart.

Time waits on no one.Time is a killer that has no emotions and shows no mercy. In the last few years we have lost too many in our family: Russell,Paul D.--"Ralph's son", Mom,Rose Ann, Ralph's wife.. just a few weeks after mom. And now not even a year yet the loss Of our dear sister Sally. This is a part of living. Rise up and reach out while we can.
Blessings to all my readers.
Paul Shepherd



Home Place of Elizabeth Shepherd, wife of Ashland Shepherd, mother of Paul Shepherd.


Kenneth DeBoard
Great review Paul. I enjoyed your message, Its great to see how all the Shepherds are tied together. I know what you mean by getting to visit your relatives on the weekend. We made regular trips to Garrett, Hippo, Hueysville and other places to visit and they regularly visited us. If you took the Shepherds out of East Ky, there wouldn't be many left.

Kitty Shepherd Burchett
Thanks for the photo! Kittie was my grandmother. My dad is Beacher!

Judy Bussey
Kitty, I remember your parents from my childhood in the coal camp at David.

Please bear with me for posting a picture of my own Granny and Pap: Lizabeth Gunnels and John A. Hicks, originally from the Jones Fork of Troublesome, then into Stone Coal, near Garrett, as the agricultural economy began to fail in the early 1900s. I'll close this piece by saying it's hard to read this without a tug at my heart. The coal camp houses my family lived in no longer exist. Although Pattie Clark and David Burns Mollette and very few others still live there, most of our friends and family former playmates and classmates are scattered all over. I'm posting a photo of the Elizabeth Shepherd home-place to help us sense the earth, the beauty, and the eternal nature of those beautiful hills we all called home.


Lizabeth Gunnels and John A. Hicks, parents of Nova Hicks Bussey, grandparents of Judy Bussey siblings of David. At their Stone Coal home @ 1940.Pap's family had been land and timber owners before the Civil War, but as the economy became coal based, he also had to work a while in the Wayland coal mines.

I hope some of our readers will contribute to this discussion so others can read your comments at this site anytime.
I'd love to hear from you,
Peace,
Judy