I love history and one thing I love about researching and writing about the characters on Bravo’s Southern Charm is that they are steeped in U.S. history. Shep Rose’ family has seriously deep roots in this country and connections to historical events and people.
On this season of the show we have been watching Shep be a bit of a Mother Hen with pal Craig Conover because Craig has been procrastinating taking his BAR exams and is having problems getting his life together.
This is funny for many reasons. And this is why we need to dive in to the Shep Rose family situation.
All we can gather from the show is that Shep has money…he has cruise-control money…as in money just flowing in at regular intervals from funds. We also know his family is a significant part of South Carolina’s history.
Of course Shep is no dummy. He attended the University of Georgia and the Vanderbilt University School of Management.
And yet lovable Shep is in NO hurry to dive in to a significant political career, business career or even a job of any sort.
Ok so Shep aka William Shepard Rose III has 2 siblings, a brother and a sister. BOTH are practicing attorneys.
His brother Whitaker B. Rose graduated from the University of South Carolina, School of Law and works at Hamilton Stephens Steele + Martin, PLLC in construction litigation in both South Carolina and North Carolina.
His sister Katherine Rose Trotter graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, in 1999 and Emory University in 2005 and works in Bankruptcy and Foreclosure law.
And as far as the family’s connection to U.S. history, his father William Shepard Rose, Jr., was appointed Assistant Attorney General (Tax Division), at the Department of Justice by none other than President Ronald Reagan!
Even more interesting since Shep is such a die hard Liberal….(I’ve always wondered about Reagan as in if he was just pretending to be a Republican…for lots of reasons–more on that later, but I digress).
Anyhow, ironic that Shep is badgering Craig Conover about the BAR exam — well ironic since Shep is not qualified to take the BAR and since he comes from a family of attorneys.
I’m just guessing that expectations are very high in the Rose family and I wonder if he feels like a disappointment because he did not get in to law.
So his dad was not just any attorney, he was an attorney with the Office of Chief Counsel, Tax Court Litigation Division, Internal Revenue Service appointed by THE PRESIDENT!
That is a lot to live up to. Maybe this is why Shep’s mom Frances is on his tail to get a plan.
In this family of super-achievers everyone has a “plan”.
Dad, William Rose II graduated from the University of the South in 1970, the University of South Carolina Law School with his JD in 1973, and Georgetown University Law Center in 1976 with his LL.M. And began practicing law when Shep was 1.
And I assume that part of his father’s success was the result of his grandfather’s success and his grandfather’s connections.
His grandfather had a serious plan.
The original William Shepard Rose was born in 1923 in Perry, Florida to father Albert W. Rose and mother Leslie S. Rose and served in the United States Army in the 696 Armored Field Artillery Battalion under none other than General Patton in Western Europe during World War II.
Rose Senior made his fortune in steel as President of Armco Steel.
He graduated from Philips Exeter Academy and Cornell University with a B. A. in Economics.
He was married to Shep’s grandmother, Meta Cantey Boykin Rose, born December 18, 1924 in Boykin, South Carolina, to mother Meta Cantey Boykin and Bolivar De Saussure Boykin.
She grew up in Camden, South Carolina and has deep roots in South Carolina’s history. She graduated from St. Mary’s School, Raleigh, North Carolina and attended The University of South Carolina and believe it or not was a licensed pilot.
It was her uncle (I believe) that discovered the Boykin Spaniel. Lemuel Whitaker Boykin “Whit” Boykin (1861–1932) experimented with crossbreeding different breeds resulting in South Carolina’s state dog.
Talk about a family of achievers. So Shep’s pedigree makes his decision to be a reality star even more amazing.
I’m still looking for info on his mother Frances’ side of the family. I’m still working on the Shep Rose family flow chart. Email me if you have any details on Fran Rose. More to come!
My son, a Linville by blood and descendant of Thomas Linville who’s brother William and he were residents of what is now Linville, NC. I understand the place was named Linville after William and his son were killed by the natives. I have never heard about you show but my son told me about seeing “mom Linville” on Sheps phone. We are wondering who that is and her connection. I live in upstate NY but visiting sons and their families in GA.
Does anyone remember the town where the family mountain home is?
Linville, NC