Series II. Civic and Religious Papers document Shepard's financial assistance on behalf of Salem area citizens. Shepard made himself available as an executor to a number of families who could not afford professional assistance in managing a deceased relative's estate. As a result the papers of the estates of various individuals not related to Shepard are found in his papers. Assignments were legal agreements whereby an individual in financial difficulty could assign legal title of his assets to an unbiased financial manager. Shepard accepted assignments from some local individuals in danger of bankruptcy.