Laura L. Shepard (1848-1916)

Laura L. Shepard was one of the children of Robert Shepard and Sarah M. Sutton. She married Joe J. Anderson after the Civil War. While I know little of her, her husband's biography includes this poem, which was popular at that time. It is a message from a mother to her children. "Do you know that your soul is of my soul such part That you seem to be fiber and core of my heart? None other can pain me as you can do; None other can please me or praise me as you. Remember, the world will be quick with its blame If shadow or stain ever darkens your name. Like Mother, like children, is a saying so true The world will judge of Mother by you." [What I can find about this poem is that it was written by Margaret Johnstone Grafflin (1849-1925) and dates at least to 1911. It is usually directed as a mother speaking to her son. This version changes that to include all the children and necessarily leaves off the final four-line verse: Be yours then the task, if task it shall be To force the proud world to do homage to me, Be sure it will say, when its verdict you've won, "She reaped as she sowed. Lo! This is her son."]

Children

 * colspan="5" bgcolor="#FFfce0" |Josiah Jordan Anderson and Laura L. Shepard
 * colspan="5" bgcolor="#FFfce0" |Josiah Jordan Anderson and Laura L. Shepard