My Genealogy Hound

COL. J. R. SHIELDS, attorney and counselor at law, was born in Missouri in 1834. His parents were natives of Tennessee, and came to Missouri in 1820, settling in Boone county. His father, William Shields, was United States deputy surveyor for more than thirty years; a man of fine intelligence, great energy, and noted for his elevated character, living to the advanced age of eighty-four. The mother of Colonel Shields was a Miss Conway, sister to ex Governor James Conway, of Arkansas, and also a sister of Elias M. Conway, State Auditor, a resident of Little Rock, who filled this position twelve years, and also that of Governor eight years, H. M. Rector, his cousin, succeeding him in office in 1860. The subject of this sketch is a graduate of the State University at Columbia and the law school at Louisville, Kentucky, where he took the first honors of his class, delivering the valedictory. He began practice in Missouri in 1855 in Columbia and St. Louis, until the last few years, which have been spent in Carthage. He is one of the most finished scholars and lawyers in this part of the Southwest. In the past year he took an active part in politics, being a firm and consistent Democrat, always conservative and liberal, but uncompromising in his adherence to principle. He has rather preferred to assist his friends to office than to seek office for himself. He occasionally makes a political speech and attends Democratic conventions, not so much because he likes politics, but at the request of his political friends; and prefers a quiet domestic life to the eclat of men. Colonel Shields was married to Miss Mattie Dorsey, of Louisville, Kentucky, January 25, 1858, she being his junior by four years. The two children are Julia P. and Elias D. His wife and daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church. We would not speak our own convictions, or give credit to Colonel Shields, should we omit that he is one of the finest looking gentleman, of large physique and tall, as well as of generous impulse and courteous mien.