Elizabeth Mary Sheppard

In 1882 Elizabeth Mary Sheppard wrote in longhand two enormous tomes of family history. There are paintings of her as a young girl and in the front of volume I a picture of her as a woman. She looks severe, very Victorian, and I am very grateful for the hours and hours she must have spent researching, collating and writing these amazing books.

Here is the Preface:

When our dear mother was taken from us in 1885 the idea suggested itself to me that I would compile a short family history from the diaries she had kept with much peseverance and faith. ... (unreadable) for upwards of half a century. When I began the work I found I had much interesting material in my posession referring to events anterior to the time when she began to write and I therefore thought it best to "begin from the beginning".

For the early records of our family I had to refer chiefly to family histories while old letters and papers furnished me with much that was intersting in the early life of our paents, which such time our dear mother took up the pen.

I wish some abler hand than mine could have undertaken the work, but I have done my best, and as the work to me has been one of love and duty, I hope my brothers and sisters will accept it as it is, that the ensuing generatsions with each with no ...... interested the simple record of the lives of those who have gone before, and with whom they are connected by the heir of blood and affection.

Mary - this is the first time I have read this Preface and for the first time ever, in the years I have treasured and shown these books proudly to others, the first time ever I have felt the strength of connection of one writer to another.

I think you would appreciate this blog, dear great, great, great auntie Elizabeth. Thank you for the paintings and drawings, photographs and lithographs, and the extremly complex and thorough family tree. Thank you.