Shepard, John, 1699 - 1781

Captain John Shepard was an early resident of Stoughton, Massachusetts.  He served as the town's selectman, moderator of the annual town meeting, justice of the peace, and guardian to the Ponkapoag Indians from 1727 to 1753.  He was elected to the Massachusetts General Court in 1753 but a controversy over his behavior in his guardianship duties made his further service in the legislature questionable.  A committee from the General Court had visited the Indian community at Ponkapoag and found that he had allowed several of his friends to cut wood on the Indians' lot.  Additionally, his record keeping had been kept merely in "chalks and memory" for fove years.  However, according to one local historian, Shephard was resoundingly reelected to his seat by town residents the next election.  In 1760, Pitt Ponham served in his household.  Huntoon, History of the Town of Canton, 24, 315-316, 604.  Schutz, Legislators of the Massachusetts General Court.