Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Shepherd, John (1759-1805)
SHEPHERD, JOHN (1759–1805), divine, son of Richard Shepherd of Goderthwaite, Cumberland, was born in 1759 at Beckermet in Cumberland. He received his education at Arthuret, near Longtown, and in November 1777 matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford. He graduated B.A. in 1781 and M.A. in 1787. In 1782 he took deacon's orders, in 1783 was ordained priest, and early in 1785 obtained the curacy of Paddington, London. Through his exertions the church was rebuilt between 1788 and 1791. In 1797 he brought out the first volume of his ‘Critical and Practical Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer.’ The first edition was exhausted before the second volume was ready for the press. A second edition of the first volume was prepared and issued with the first edition of the second in 1798. In 1799 Bishop Beilby Porteus [q. v.] conferred on him the perpetual curacy of Pattiswick in Essex. He died at Stisted on 2 May 1805. In 1783 he married Frances, niece of his guardian, John Benson of Egremont, Cumberland. At the time of his death he was engaged on a third volume of his ‘Elucidation,’ but it was never published. A fifth edition of the first volume and a fourth of the second appeared in 1836.
[Memoir by Eliza Shepherd in the 3rd edition of vol. i. of the Elucidation; Foster's Alumni Oxon. (later series); Gent. Mag. 1860, i. 491.]