Curt sent me copy of orig 1850 Buncombe co census for Shepherds..only two listed.. John Shepherd 58 b NC HH#1586 Martha 55 b NC Adam F 19 b NC H. Shepherd 21 b NC HH# 451 *H and Elizabeth seem to be Elizabeth Chandler 35 chn of Johnadn Martha Martha 16 *assume Chandler John 13 & was told they were ******************** (*now this is like the 1850 census hh of William with the Edwards/ Edmunds girl(s)..it listed first Margaret Edmunds then listed Rebecca giving the impression she was also Edmunds) Have been told by other researchers that John and Martha also had the following children: (listed in census first three) Adam F, Elizabeth m/Chandler H. (either Henry or James McHenry LEWIS W. William possible Henry possible (James McHenry Shepherd is said to have married Nancy Carter, d/o a female Revis and male Carter..no doc) Little speculation, John and Martha old enough to have dau Fanny (whatever her name is) that married William N. accd to census records she seems to have been born ca1815-16; she was 34 on 1850 census. Now wonder if his son Lewis W. was father of Mary Shepherd who married Thomas H ca1862; since they named a son Milton Louis? "What we now need is Sheperds on the 1860 Buncombe Co census, to see if can locate Benjamin there", as well as other Shepherds of any spelling. Also Lynne has found batch of Shepherds in Macon Co;, most of these seem to be frm line of a Thomas one born 1761 and Jr born 1798..those are the oldest in the Shepherd cemetery there, had LOTS of daughters :-) they married Daltons, Gibson, Holbrook, Potts, Lanning, Payne, Just found another older Shepherd in the Shepherd cem in Macon, James b1823 married Nancy Aveline Shepherd ..they were first cousins; she was d/o Thomas Shepherd adn Narcissa Welch. *B