Four years ago, as he was admiring a statue in the center of Westfield, John Leary ’62, M’67 wondered, “Who was Major-General William Shepard, and what did he do?”
This curiosity led him inside the Westfield Athenaeum Library, and much to his dismay, information about the war hero was scarce. “I only found one chapter relative to the general in a book about the history of Westfield,” Leary says.
Leary launched a rigorous quest for information about General Shepard, and now, after four years of research and writing, he has released General William Shepard: An American Patriot, published by AuthorHouse, LCC.
The best part of his research and writing journey was simple: “I was so happy to be done!” Leary exclaims.
Saying he is neither a historian nor a writer, Leary takes great pride in his book because of the meticulous research he conducted. Perhaps this strength came from his desire to find answers as he spent over 30 years teaching biology and earth science to students at Smith Academy in Deerfield and Holyoke High and Dean Technical High School in Holyoke.
The author’s background
Born and raised in Westfield, Leary attended St. Mary’s High School and traveled through Europe for three of his four years in the United States Air Force. When he came out of the service in June 1958, he was 21 years old and entering his freshman year at Westfield State College.
Leary studied education and was a member of the Student Government Association. “It was a small campus, and I knew everyone,” Leary recalls. “My fondest memories are serving on the Student Council and serving as the president of the Alumni Association for three or four years.”
After graduation, Leary began his teaching career, and he earned a master’s degree in education from Westfield in 1967 and a master’s of science in teaching from American International College in 1970.
Two of Leary’s four children also attended Westfield State.
Apart from teaching, Leary was also involved in politics, having served on a local school committee; he was a police commissioner and also served as president for the Council on Aging.
“Politics were my hobby,” he says.
When Leary became determined to write a book, he admits it was not easy to find a publisher. “The best part was completion,” he says. “It was tough, but I got into it. I felt good about the project.”
Discovering General Shepard
Some of the most interesting facts that Leary uncovered bring life to the monument that stands proud and tall at Elm and Broad streets in Westfield. It was assembled during the city’s 250th anniversary during a special dedication on Sept. 3, 1919.
According to his book, General Shepard began his adventures at age 17, when he joined Massachusetts’ militia to battle in the French and Indian War. When he came home, he married Sarah Dewey, farmed and started a family. They eventually had nine children.
General Shepard participated in many battles during the Revolutionary War, made treaties with American Indians and even served as a United States Congressman.
One of the most interesting stories that Leary uncovered was that of Deborah Sampson, a woman who disguised herself as a man, used the name Robert Shurtleff and fought in the Revolutionary War.
“Deborah Sampson was assigned to Shepard’s regime, and she was 5 feet, 7 inches, and back in those days, that was tall,” Leary adds. “Deborah Sampson was quick and clever in disguising her gender. Even when she was wounded, no one knew that Robert Shurtleff was really a woman.”
Leary says researching was not easy. “I did a lot of crisscrossing research because I saw many contradictions,” he says.
His many footnotes show the amount of research conducted that helped to create this factual biography.
Leary’s research also revealed that after General Shepard served in Congress, he came back to Westfield, served at his congregational church and passed away at the age of 80.
To find the book
Leary’s book is available for purchase on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. It is also available at a number of locations to borrow, including the Westfield Athenaeum, the First Congregational Church in Westfield, the Springfield Armory, Westfield State University and the Society of Cincinnati.
“The Society of Cincinnati is a brotherhood of Revolutionary War officers,” Leary says. “Shepard was one of them, and when I saw it still existed, I sent them a copy of my book, and it’s in their research department in Washington, D.C.”
Leary spoke about his book at the Westfield Athenaeum in the fall of 2014, and he’s eager to share it with others. On the cover, Leary says of General William Shepard, “A true Federalist who placed duty above personal interests.”
