Robert B. Shepherd, a man of great industry and business acumen who has become recognized as one of the leading real estate men in Emporia, Kan., was born in Streator, Ill., March 15, 1853. His father, James S. Shepherd, was a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, and was reared and educated there, but when twenty-one years of age he removed to the State of Illinois and there engaged in farming and later was employed as a United States government land engineer, in which capacity he surveyed much of the land around Streator, Ill. When our great Republic was in grave peril of dissolution James S. Shepherd not only gave his services to the cause of the Union as a member of the One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Illinois infantry, which was a representative, self-raised regiment, but also donated a car load of provisions for this regiment, which was mustered into service Sept. 10, 1862, for three years. It participated in the siege of Vicksburg and was in the fearful charge there on May 22, 1863, when it gained the most advanced position obtained at any time during the whole siege. This regiment was ordered into the "slaughter pen"—the crater formed by the explosion of a mine—two companies at a time for half an hour, all day of May 26. It was during this siege that James Shepherd had his right eye shot out. After his return from the war he resumed his occupation of farming. He died April 10, 1892, at Sedalia, Mo., while on his way to visit his son, Robert. Moses Shepherd, the paternal grandfather of Robert B. Shepherd, was a native of Syracuse, N. Y., and a practicing lawyer at Elmira, in that state, for a number of years. He removed from Elmira to Cincinnati, Ohio, and was there a judge of the court for eighteen years; then finally became a resident of Illinois, where he died at the advanced age of one hundred and three years. The mother of Robert B. Shepherd, was Nancy Brown, born in Covington, Ky., the daughter of Robert Brown, who was born in Kentucky, but subsequently became a resident of Streator, Ill., where he was engaged in farming.

Robert B. Shepherd was reared in Streator, Ill., was educated in its public schools and graduated from the high school. He also attended Eureka College at Eureka, Ill. After having completed his education he became a railroad employee, first as a brakeman, and later as a passenger conductor. He then visited Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado, and returned to Streator, Ill., subsequently going to St. Louis, where he became a conductor on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. In March, 1877 he came to Greenwood county, Kansas, where he remained five years engaged in farming and then removed to Emporia, Kan., where he has since resided, engaged in the real estate business. He makes real estate sales throughout all of Texas, Colorado and Kansas and is now connected with the Colonial Land Company of Chicago.

Mr. Shepherd is an ardent Democrat and an influential worker in behalf of his party. He has been a delegate to the county, state and national conventions, and has served as a member of the school board, as a member of the town board, and was elected county commissioner, the first Democrat ever elected to office in the First district. He was a candidate for the state senate in 1908 but was defeated.

On Sept. 4, 1886, Mr. Shepherd married Miss Elizabeth Sandy, the daughter of John Sandy, who was a native of England but came to America and settled in Cook county, Illinois, where he engaged in farming and where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd have four children: Timothy R., who is a high school graduate and is now associated in the abstract business at Emporia with R. L. Jones; Florence E., who is the wife of R. E. Gasche and resides in Finney county, Kansas; Jesse L., who is a lecturer and is attending the Presbyterian college at Emporia, where he is superintendent of the Christian Sunday school; and Stella G., who is now the wife of Roy E. Davis and resides in Emporia. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are members of the Christian church.