Edward M. Shepard

Edward M. Shepard

Edward Morse Shepard (July 23, 1850, New York City – July 28, 1911, Lake George, Warren County, New York) was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Edward M. Shepard was the son of Lorenzo B. Shepard (1821–1856) and Lucy (Morse) Shepard (1821–1890). After the early death of his father, Abram S. Hewitt became his guardian, and the family removed to Brooklyn. There Shepard attended Public School Nr. 13. Afterwards he attended Oberlin College Preparatory School for one year (1860–61), and graduated from City College of New York in 1869. He then studied law with John Edward Parsons, was admitted to the bar in 1875, and formed a partnership with Albert Stickney. In 1890, he became a partner in the firm of Parsons, Shepard and Ogden.

From 1883 to 1885, he was Chairman of the Brooklyn Civil Service Board. In 1884, he was appointed a State Forestry Commissioner. He became a Democratic leader in Brooklyn, but disagreeing with the corrupt local boss Hugh McLaughlin, Shepard organized in 1894 a Democratic Reform faction which nominated Everett P. Wheeler for Governor. In the election, Democrat David B. Hill was defeated by Republican Levi P. Morton.

Shepard was a delegate to the National Convention of the "Gold Democrats" in Indianapolis which nominated the Palmer/Buckner ticket for the United States presidential election, 1896. In 1897, Shepard supported Seth Low who ran on the Citizens Union ticket for Mayor of New York City at the first election under the Consolidation Charter, and said that Tammany Hall was the "most burning and disgraceful blot upon the municipal history of this country."

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