Theodosia Burr Shepherd
American botanist, horticulturist (1845–1906)
Theodosia Burr Shepherd (October 14, 1845, Keosauqua, Iowa – September 6, 1906, Ventura, California) was an American botanist, horticulturist and pioneer in plant breeding. Called the "Flower Wizard of California," and "The Pioneer Seed-grower," Shepherd was the first woman in California, and possibly the first woman in the United States, to hybridize flowers.
The Theodosia B. Shepherd Company, her seed and bulb business, is considered to be the foundation of California's seed industry. She was compared favorably to Luther Burbank. The location of her former garden is listed as number 34 in the City of Ventura Historic Landmarks and Districts.
Early life
Theodosia Burr Hall was born in Keosauqua, a settlement in the Iowa Territory, on October 14, 1845.
Her parents were Augustus Hall and Ellen P. (Lee) Hall.
In 1854, Augustus Hall was elected as the Democratic candidate to Congress in the First District. In 1857, he became a Chief Justice of the Nebraska Territory.
Theodosia grew up in Iowa, where she went to school.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Theodosia Burr Shepherd” as american botanist, horticulturist (1845–1906). Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as american botanist, horticulturist (1845–1906). Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Mar 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q47087108. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1845, 1906, 1854 and 1857.
The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Theodosia Burr Shepherd”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Theodosia Burr Shepherd primary sources, Theodosia Burr Shepherd archive and Theodosia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Theodosia Burr Shepherd”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Theodosia Burr Shepherd” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.