Notes for: Eli Taylor SHEPPARD

Eli Taylor Sheppard was raised in Ohio where he became a teacher, and studied law. He served during the Civil War with the 85th Ohio Volunteers and was later appointed U.S. Consul to China by President U.S. Grant (1869-1875). Later owned a 400 acre ranch and winery the 'Madrone Vineyards', near Sonoma which he sold to the Hearst family in 1889. His life unfolded with many adventures and 'close-calls'. He was in San Francisco during the Great Earthquake of 1906 living atop Russian Hill. His house was one of the few that survived. He had been a collector of many curios from China that filled his house on Russian Hill.

Sheppard started from Washington for China. Below Johnstown, the train in crossing the Conemaugh river, went off a bridge, and only Sheppard and the porter were saved out of a whole car full of passengers. Sheppard then took passage at San Francisco on the ill-fated "America" headed for China, and this vessel was burned in the harbor of Yedde with 400 passengers aboard. Only thirty five escaped, among them Consul Sheppard.

Eli was U.S. Consul to China for 9 years; later international Judge to Japan at Tokyo.