James Shepherd (missionary)

James Shepherd (1796–1882) was an Australian-born Wesleyan Christian missionary and settler in Northland, New Zealand.

[8] There, he was asked to take charge of the existing store until the new building was completed, planting the gardens at Kemp House.

missionaries in New Zealand (William Hall, John King, Thomas Kendall, Francis Hall, John Butler, James Kemp and James Shepherd) met criticisms stating: "they did not convert one single Maori; their survival is attributed to Maoris' tolerance rather than missionary proselytizing".

A printed copy of Shepherd's translation of the “Book of Ruth” is currently displayed at Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand.

In 1836, Shepherd purchased a block of land at Tauranga, Whangaroa from James Kemp Tupe,[13] From 1838, he settled permanently at his home named 'Waitangi' near the St James Anglican Church, Matangirau.

Opening page of 'Kenehihi. Ko te tahi o nga upoko', the first Maori-language version of the Bible, published 1870, editor James Shepherd CMS