William Biddle Shepard (May 14, 1799 – June 20, 1852) was a congressional representative from North Carolina; born in New Bern, North Carolina, May 14, 1799; completed preparatory studies; attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1813; was graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia; studied law; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Camden County, North Carolina, later removing to Elizabeth City, North Carolina; also engaged in banking; elected to the Twenty-first through Twenty-third Congresses and elected as a Whig to the Twenty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1837); chairman, Committee on District of Columbia (Twenty-fourth Congress); was not a candidate for renomination in 1836; member of the state senate 1838-1840 and 1848–1850; member of the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina 1838–1852; died in Elizabeth City, N.C., June 20, 1852; interment in St. Paul's Churchyard, Edenton, North Carolina.