Harry Thomas Shepler

Harry Thomas Shepler, son of Lewis Hamland Shepler Jr. and Keziah Chambers Horne, was born in Apollo, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania on December 18, 1910. He was the 5th child of 7—Bryon Reeves Shepler, Elizabeth Horne Shepler, Josephine Marie Shepler, Louise Margaret Shepler, Harry Thomas Shepler, Harold Lewis Shepler, and Howard Moses Shepler. Harry would have been my husband’s 1st cousin 2x removed. Their nearest common relatives are Moses Horne and his wife Elizabeth Larimer.

Harry's twin brother
Harold Shepler
(ca. 1929)

At just over a month old, baby Harry came down with catarrhal pneumonia, also known as bronchopneumonia. He was seen by a doctor on January 23 and 24 but died in Apollo at 3:30 a.m. on January 25, 1911. According to Harry’s death certificate (his father was the informant), he was buried at Apollo Cemetery on January 26. I submitted a request for a photo of Harry’s tombstone through Find-A-Grave but unfortunately, the person who attempted to fulfill my request discovered that the cemetery has no record of Harry’s burial.

Harry was a twin—his brother Harold shared the same birthday—December 18, 1910. Were they identical or fraternal twins? I don't know but I found a photo of Harold in the 1929 Vandergrift High School yearbook which gives us an idea of what Harry might have looked like had he lived.

Harry's death certificate