The Shepherdson StoryThe East-West Connection
about the Asian Shepherdsons
The Shepherdson Story, which is about the research done by Kevin and Percival Shepherdson on the Asian Shepherdsons, took more than 15 years of family history research where we traced our family roots to the 1600s.
The first Shepherdsons to plant the family seeds in the Far East were Captain Robert and Captain Matthew Shepherdson, brothers who arrived from Ramsgate, England in the late 1700s. They worked as country traders in the British East India Country Trade. The Shepherdsons today in Singapore and Malaysia are their descendants.
Our research led to the publication of the Family History Book "Journey to the Straits - the Shepherdson Story" and also brought together all the Shepherdsons in Singapore and Malaysia in a historic Family Reunion in 2003.
- The Shepherdson Family Reunion
This video gives you a quick overview of the research done by the Shepherdson Family which culminated in the publication of a family history book and a historic family reunion
- The Use of DNA Testing in the Shepherdson Family Research
In our family history research, both traditional and scientific methods were used. This video shows how we used DNA testing to verify links between two distinct families who are descendants of Capt Robert and Matthew respectively.
- Singapore's First Family History Exhibition co-organised by the Shepherdsons
To share the joys of discovering one's family history, the Shepherdson family co-organised Singapore's first family history exhibition with the National Library in Singapore. The 2005 exhibition drew 17000 visitors.
greetings from other shepherdsons worldwide
“Greetings to the members of the “Shepherdson Family” who are living in Singapore and Malaysia from John William Shepherdson, born 1942 in Yorkshire. Who, following in the footsteps of many other Shepherdsons who have emigrated from Yorkshire to various parts of the world; now lives in America. Descendants in my line now live in the United States, Canada, South Africa, and Australia. This book that Kevin is writing will hopefully inspire others to research their genealogical past to discover who their ancestors were.”
John Shepherdson, Michigan, USA
“A big Hello to all you Shepherdsons living in Malaysia and Singapore! I traced my own Shepherdson family back to George Shepherdson, born circa 1707, and his second wife, Mary Wharton. George and Mary lived in the village of Wintringham in North Yorkshire, England. ‘Shepherdson’ is not a common surname in the UK. It therefore came as a wonderful surprise to me to find this great big family of Shepherdsons living all over the world. Anyway, it’s wonderful to discover so many other Shepherdsons out there. My very best wishes to you all!”
Sally (Shepherdson) McCarthy, Bristol, England
“Hello from South Australia to the Shepherdsons of South-East Asia! My name is Eric Spehr and I live in Adelaide South Australia. I am descended from John Banks Shepherdson who emigrated from Yorkshire England to Adelaide when the city was 10 months old. I began researching my own Shepherdson ancestry in 1986 and since that time I have come across many people in Australia, England, Canada, New Zealand, USA, and most recently, Singapore, who have an interest in the Shepherdson name.”
Eric Spehr, Shepherdson Descendant, South Australia
“My name is Nancy Shepherdson Garascia and I want to say a warm hello to my Asian cousins. I am a writer of books and magazine articles who lives in the USA near Chicago. I am the granddaughter of a watchmaker who was born in Beverley, England in 1890. Christopher Shepherdson was brought to America by his parents when he was six months old. He had a great interest in genealogy and so I knew who my great-great grandparents and distant cousins were before I began my research. I have since traced the family to Huttons Ambo, a tiny village in North Yorkshire. I hope one day to meet some of you if I ever get back to Asia. Strangely enough, I studied the Chinese language and Asian history in college and have visited both China and Japan. Small world, isn’t it?”
Nancy Shepherdson, USA
read more about the asian SHEPHERDSONS
Read excerpts from the book "Journey to the Straits - The Shepherdson Story"