History 21 The Podcast - 5.10 Hidden History: James Shepherd

James Shepherd and his family are part of Anoka County's Hidden History. He served in the 50th Colored Regiment during the Civil War before eventually moving to Burns Township by 1870. Intern Miller Krueger collaborated with the Anoka County Historical Society (ACHS) to piece together James's story and his connection to the previous name of Burns Lake.

Hosts Sara Given, ACHS Volunteer Coordinator, and Rebecca Desens, ACHS Executive Director.

Listen on Apple Podcast banner and link.

Listen on Audible banner and link.

Hidden History

The forgotten, ignored, or buried stories of those who lived before us

James Shepherd

b. 1850 - Virginia or Kentucky

d. 1913 - Minneapolis, buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Anoka

Research suggests James Shepherd enlisted in the 50th Colored Regiment (USCT) as an early teenager. According to his obituary (Anoka Union 12-24-13), this enlistment put him at risk for being executed.

Shepherd’s fate changed when Captain Lucien Martin of the 4th MN infantry intervened and brought him to Minnesota, where he finished his journey to Anoka with Mr. Cooper (Herald 12-23-13).

The 1870 census lists Shepherd as sharing a house with several other people in Anoka, but within five years, he married Mary and started a family. They moved to Township 33 and settled in the town of Burns, where they made a life for themselves. Shepherd died in 1913 in Minneapolis, survived only by Mary.

More Anoka County Hidden History

Library Minute

On the topic of race, Anoka County Library has many materials to learn more and explore. In fact, there’s an entire online database dedicated to the topic and related issues. The library's movie streaming service, Kanopy, also offers many documentary and educational films. Just a few of the many related to race are listed below.

Exploring Race in Society (EBSCO)

This online resource, available through the library’s website, offers articles, essays, interviews, and more on various race-related topics.

Kanopy –

Kanopy is a film and television series streaming service available to Anoka County Library cardholders. The titles listed below are just some of the documentaries on race and racism available on Kanopy.