Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions

Preferred Citation

Edward C. Shepherd papers, 1851-1855. MS 0019. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

Edward Clarence Shepherd was born July 24, 1835 in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He matriculated at VMI on August 4, 1851 and graduated July 4, 1855. After completing his education, Shepherd became a teacher.

Shepherd enlisted in the Civil War on October 22, 1861 in Centreville, Virginia as a Private, Company B, 2nd Virginia Infantry Regiment. He married Amelia Adelaid Shock of Baltimore, Maryland on August 17, 1870 and the couple had four children: Anna Isabelle (1871-1877), Edward Clarence, Jr. (1876-?), Clinton Webb (1880-?), and George Randolph (1883-1903). Shepherd continued his career as an educator and was Professor of Math at Frederick College, Maryland. He died on August 19, 1907 in Frederick, Maryland.

Scope and Contents

The Edward C. Shepherd papers consist of three notebooks, two documents, and an annotated analytical geometry text that belonged to VMI cadet Edward C. Shepherd during his years at VMI (1851-1855).

The first notebook contains approximately 50 pen and ink, hand-tinted drawings by Shepherd that were completed as assignments for VMI courses. Some drawings bear the signature of Superintendent Francis H. Smith (e.g., "Examined correct, F.H. Smith"). This notebook also includes a pencil sketch of VMI barracks room number 14 and depicts roommates playing cards. The second notebook includes VMI class notes for mathematics. It also includes poetry, roommate lists, and other various notes. The third notebook is a VMI cadet account book listing school expenses between 1851 and 1855.

Other documents include a letter of appointment to VMI (1851) and a guard report (1853).

Related Material

A photograph of Edward C. Shepherd as a cadet is avaliable online .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Account Books
• Mathematics—Study and teaching
• Notebooks
• Poetry
• Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
• Virginia Military Institute—Academics—History—19th century
• Virginia Military Institute—Cadet compositions—Poetry
• Virginia Military Institute—Cadet drawings
• Virginia Military Institute—Cadet life—1850-1859
• Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1855
• Virginia Military Institute—Curricula