TRIAL SHEPARD (POWERS) 1641-1708

[Ancestral Link: Marguerite Anderson (Miller), daughter of Hannah Anderson (Anderson), daughter of Mary Margaret Edmiston (Anderson), daughter of Martha Jane Snow (Edmiston), daughter of Gardner Snow, son of Abigail Farr (Snow), daughter of Jonathan Farr, son of Elizabeth Powers (Farr), daughter of Thomas Powers, son of Trial Shepard (Powers).]


From An American Family History

Walter Powers and Trial Shepard married on January 11, 1660 in Malden, Middlesex County, Massachusetts or on November 1, 1660 or on March 11, 1661.
They “settled on a tract of land in or near Concord, now the town of Littleton, Mass.” Their home was on the north side of Quangany Hill on the Concord Road. It was about a half mile from the garrison house. The Powers saw mill and the graveyard were nearby. Their children were all born in Littleton.
Walter and Trial Powers were the parents of nine children. William Powers was born on March 16, 1661. Mary Powers Wheeler was born 1663. Cap tain Isaac Powers was born on April. 9, 1665.
On March 25, 1666 Trial's father, Ralph Shepard, deeded Walter 60 acres in Concord.
Thomas Powers was born on May 25, 1667. Da niel Powers was born on May 10, 1669. Incr ease Powers was born on July 16, 1671. Wa lter Powers, Jr. was born in 1674. Jacob Powers was born on December 15, 1679. S arah Powers Barron was born on February 8, 1683.
In 1694 Walter Powers bought a quarter of the Town of Nashobe from the Indians. It became Littleton.
Walter wrote his will in 1704. At that time he had already settled land on his son Jacob. Walter, Jr was given the land in consideration of taking care of his parents.
Walter, Sr. and Tryal both died in 1708. They were probably buried in the Powers cemetery near their home. Unfortunately the graveyard was plowed up in later years and the gravestones, most of which bore the name "Powers" were used to build a fence.

(I) Walter Power was born in 1639, probably in Essex, England, was married March 11, 1661, to Trial, daughter of Deacon Ralph and Thankes Sheppard, who was born February 10, 1641, and that Walter Power died February 22, 1708.
He probably had few educational advantages, but had strength and will to establish a home for himself and family. Trial (Sheppard) Power, his wife, was evidently the teacher of her sons, who took prominent place in the affairs of the town in which they lived.
Walter and Trial Power, when they became man and wife, settled on a tract of land at Concord Village, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, which subsequently became known as Littleton. It adjoined the Indian town of Nashobe, which his father-in-law, Deacon Ralph Sheppard, purchased of Lieutenant Joseph Wheeler...
Walter Power built a house on the north side of Quagany Hill, about half a mile from the garrison house and a little distance from Nazog Pond. In 1694 he added to his possessions by purchasing of Thomas Waban and other Indians, one-fourth of the town of Nashobe. Walter Power died February 22, 1708, and his widow survived him many years and both were buried in the older "Powers burying ground" on the Concord road where the site of the old Powers house and the raceway of the Powers saw mill were yet discernible in 1884.
http://www.anamericanfamilyhistory.com/Powers%20Family/PowersWalterTrialShepard.ht ml
found on ancestry.com

Trial Shepard
Trial Shepard, mother of 9 boys and 2 girls,not only cooked and spun for her family, but taught them to read and write. The fourth son was Daniel, father of Peter Powers.
When 32 years old, Daniel married Elizabeth Whitcomb and settled in Nashrobe, now a part of Littleton NH.
In 1707, the fourth son of this fourth son was born. This was Peter Powers. Two years later his mother died and after two difficult years, his father married again. The same problem of education faced Anna Bates Powers that had faced Trial Powers. Peter's grandmother and she met it in the same way.
-as told by Marion Powers McKenzie, Meriden CT (also from "Peter Powers Pioneer" book)
found on ancestry.com

Trial (Tryal) Shepard and Walter Powers
Walter Powers and Trial Shepard
Litt leton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Littleton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts was first settled in 1686 by English settlers and was the the location of the Native American village called Nashoba Plantation
Walt er Powers and Trial Shepard married on January 11, 1660 in Malden, Middlesex County, Massachusetts or on November 1, 1660 or on March 11, 1661.
They “settled on a tract of land in or near Concord, now the town of Littleton, Mass.” Their home was on the north side of Quangany Hill on the Concord Road. It was about a half mile from the garrison house. The Powers saw mill and the graveyard were nearby. Their children were all born in Littleton.
Walter and Trial Powers were the parents of nine children. William Powers was born on March 16, 1661. Mary Powers Wheeler was born 1663. Captain Isaac Powers was born on April. 9, 1665.
On March 25, 1666 Trial's father, Ralph Shepard, deeded Walter 60 acres in Concord.
Thomas Powers was born on May 25, 1667. Daniel Powers was born on May 10, 1669. Increase Powers was born on July 16, 1671. Walter Powers, Jr. was born in 1674. Jacob Powers was born on December 15, 1679. Sarah Powers Barron was born on February 8, 1683.
In 1694 Walter Powers bought a quarter of the Town of Nashobe from the Indians. It became Littleton.
Walter wrote his will in 1704. At that time he had already settled land on his son Jacob. Walter, Jr was given the land in consideration of taking care of his parents.
Walter, Sr. and Tryal both died in 1708. They were probably buried in the Powers cemetery near their home. Unfortunately the graveyard was plowed up in later years and the gravestones, most of which bore the name "Powers" were used to build a fence.
Before 1752 the year began on March 25th. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year, not the beginning.
found on ancestry.com