Shepherd Hall
A historic house in Wheeling, West Virginia, built in 1798 and later known as Stone Mansion and Monument Place.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Shepherd Hall is a historic house in the Elm Grove area of Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. Built in 1798 by Moses Shepherd, it stands on land that had previously been associated with Fort Shepherd, a frontier fort established by his father, David Shepherd. The house was the principal residence of Moses Shepherd and his wife, Lydia Boggs Shepherd, who became prominent and affluent figures in the early history of the Wheeling area through plantation operations, milling, bridge construction, and political connections. The property’s history is closely linked to the development of transportation through the Ohio Valley. Moses Shepherd operated a plantation and grist mill and constructed bridges over Wheeling Creek, including the stone arch bridge at Elm Grove completed in 1817. The National Road was routed through Wheeling in 1818, an outcome associated with the influence of the Shepherds and their relationship with Henry Clay. The road passed directly by the property, increasing the importance of the house as a stopping point and local landmark. The Shepherds received notable visitors during their regular trips to Washington, D.C., and prominent political and public figures, including Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, Henry Clay, and reportedly the Marquis de Lafayette, were associated with visits to the house. Moses Shepherd died at the property in 1832 during a cholera epidemic that followed a major flood in Wheeling. The following year, Lydia married Daniel Cruger, a former United States congressman from New York. During their marriage, she renamed the residence Stone Mansion. After Cruger’s sudden death in 1843, Lydia remained at the house for the rest of her life. She died there in 1867 at the age of 101, having spent nearly seven decades at the property. In 1849, she attracted public controversy by challenging the traditional account of Betty Zane’s role during the 1782 siege of Fort Henry, claiming that her own eyewitness testimony contradicted the popular version. After Lydia’s death, the large Shepherd plantation was subdivided and sold, contributing to the development of the Elm Grove neighborhood. Alonzo Loring and Mary Caldwell Chapline Patterson Loring acquired the house in 1870 and renamed it Monument Place. The name referred to a monument erected by Moses and Lydia Shepherd in 1820 to honor Henry Clay for his role in supporting the National Road’s route through Wheeling. That monument no longer survives. Ownership later passed to the Lorings’ daughter, Lucy Loring Milton, who made structural additions in 1907. Following Lucy Loring Milton’s death in 1926, the Osiris Shrine Temple purchased Monument Place and retained ownership according to the principal historical account. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized as an important surviving house associated with frontier settlement, early transportation infrastructure, political networks, and the growth of Wheeling. It is not a conventional commercial brand, but rather a historic-property name used to identify a significant architectural and cultural site.
History
Shepherd Hall was completed in 1798 on the former site of Fort Shepherd in what is now Elm Grove, Wheeling. David Shepherd, the father of Moses Shepherd, had established the fort and operated a plantation and grist mill in the area. After David’s death in 1795, Moses inherited the land and built the substantial residence that became Shepherd Hall. Moses and Lydia Boggs had married around 1783 after meeting while both families were sheltering during the 1782 siege of Fort Henry. They moved into the new house after its completion and lived there for most of their married life. The Shepherd household became influential through agriculture, milling, bridge construction, and regional political connections. Moses built the Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge over Little Wheeling Creek in 1817, a structure that remained in use. The Shepherds also cultivated relationships with national politicians, especially Henry Clay. Their influence contributed to the National Road being directed through Wheeling rather than Wellsburg in 1818. The road passed by the residence, helping make the property a visible landmark and a setting where prominent travelers and visitors could call on the family. Historical accounts connect the house with visits by Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, Henry Clay, and, reportedly, the Marquis de Lafayette during his 1825 visit to Wheeling. Moses Shepherd died at the house on April 29, 1832, during a cholera outbreak following a destructive flood. Lydia married Daniel Cruger on July 16, 1833. Cruger had served as a congressman from Steuben County, New York, and had met Lydia during her travels to Washington with Moses. During the decade of their marriage, Lydia changed the property’s name from Shepherd Hall to Stone Mansion. Cruger died suddenly in 1843, after which Lydia lived alone at the residence for approximately twenty-four years. She continued to receive occasional visitors and relatives who sought her recollections of early Wheeling history. Her 1849 affidavit disputing the celebrated Betty Zane gunpowder story became one of the better-known controversies associated with her later life. Lydia died at the house on September 29, 1867, aged 101. The plantation was then divided and sold as residential lots, helping form the Elm Grove community. Alonzo Loring and Mary Caldwell Chapline Patterson Loring purchased the mansion in 1870 and renamed it Monument Place. The new name recalled the Henry Clay monument that Moses and Lydia had erected near the National Road in 1820. The monument itself has disappeared, but the name survived through the property’s later history. Ownership eventually passed to Lucy Loring Milton, the Lorings’ daughter. She commissioned structural additions in 1907. After her death in 1926, the Osiris Shrine Temple acquired Monument Place and, according to the historical account, continued to own it. The surrounding street was named for Daniel Cruger, although the name was recorded with the spelling “Kruger Street,” an error that was never corrected. Moses Shepherd, Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger, and Daniel Cruger are buried in nearby Stone Church Cemetery, which includes land once belonging to the Shepherd property. The cemetery also contains members of the Chapline, Patterson, Loring, and Milton families. Shepherd Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is documented in the Historic American Buildings Survey.
- 1926
Osiris Shrine Temple acquires the property
[1]Following Lucy Loring Milton’s death, the Osiris Shrine Temple purchases Monument Place.
- 1907
Structural additions are made
[1]Lucy Loring Milton makes additions to the historic residence.
- 1870
Property becomes Monument Place
[1]Alonzo and Mary Loring purchase the mansion and rename it Monument Place.
- 1833
Residence is renamed Stone Mansion
[1]After marrying Daniel Cruger, Lydia Boggs Shepherd changes the property’s name to Stone Mansion.
- 1832
Moses Shepherd dies
[1]Moses Shepherd dies at the house during a cholera epidemic following a major flood in Wheeling.
- 1820
Henry Clay monument is erected
[1]Moses and Lydia Shepherd erect a monument near the National Road recognizing Henry Clay’s support for the route through Wheeling.
- 1818
National Road is routed through Wheeling
[1]The National Road is directed through Wheeling, passing directly by the Shepherd property; Henry Clay is identified as an important political ally in the effort.
- 1817
Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge is built
[1]Moses Shepherd constructs a stone bridge over Little Wheeling Creek, linking the property’s history with regional transportation infrastructure.
- 1798
Shepherd Hall is completed
[1]Moses Shepherd completes the residence on land inherited from his father and associated with the former Fort Shepherd.
Products and positioning
Historic property and architectural landmark associated with early Wheeling, the Shepherd family, the National Road, and the political history of the Ohio Valley.
Sources2 sources
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