John Shepherd - An American Hero

John Shepherd - An American Hero. March 16, 1729 - January 3, 1847. , Side A: , John Shepherd is believed to be the longest lived veteran of the American Revolution. He died at the age of 117 years, 9 months, and 18 days. He entered military service the first time during the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The 26 year-old Shepherd, along with George Washington and others survived Braddock's Defeat at the Battle of Monongahela in 1755. In middle age, Shepherd enlisted in the army again and defended Pennsylvania and other colonies as they fought for freedom from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). , (Continued other side), Side B: , (Continued from other side) , Shepherd served in the 2nd Pennsylvania Battalion and then the 3rd Pennsylvania Regiment. In the 3rd Pennsylvania, he was a sergeant and his unit saw action at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, among others, in 1777. Sgt. Shepherd also survived the brutal winter at Valley Forge in 1777-'78 and was at the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse in 1778. At the age of 89, Shepherd witnessed the founding of Royalton Township in 1818 (later re-named North Royalton). His daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Robert Engle, were two of the community's original settlers.