My Genealogy Hound

CHARLES SHIELDS, an honored and respected citizen of Hildreth, Franklin county, Nebr., was born in Portage county, Ill., August 19, 1844. His father, George H. Shields, was born in Susquehanna county, Pa., January 17, 1809, where he resided until twenty-one years of age and then moved to Illinois. During the early part of his life he worked in a large factory and for fifteen years managed a carding machine. Later he purchased a farm and during the remainder of his life was engaged in farming. He lived a long and useful life, being an honored and influential citizen of his community until his death, which occurred December 1, 1883. The mother of our subject, Susan (Butchal) Shields, is a native of Ohio, born December 12, 1814, and is a woman noted for her kind disposition and benevolent acts. She is still living in Brown county, Ill., and is the mother of eight children, four boys and four girls, as follows — Cyrus, born January 15, 1835, is now living on a farm in Brown county, Ill.; William F., born July 2, 1837, is now a farmer in this (Franklin) county; Electa A., born March 29, 1840, is married to a Mr. Wright and resides in this county; Sarah E. (widow Engles), living in Brown county, Ill.; Mary (deceased); James F., born December 15, 1850, died at the age of twenty-one years; Amanda, born October 7, 1853, is married to a Mr. Stofer and now living in Brown county, Ill.

The paternal grandfather of our subject came from Ireland and the paternal grandmother from Germany. Charles, the subject proper of this sketch, resided in Portage county, Ill., until about eight years of age, when he moved with his parents to Brown country. Ill., where he was reared on a farm and lived until 1875, being engaged in many and varied pursuits of life. His early life was occupied with attending school, working on the farm and serving an apprenticeship at the potter’s trade. He enlisted in the war of the rebellion August 22, 1862, and was in Company E, Sixteenth Illinois infantry, 2d brigade, 1st division and 14th corps, he served his country faithfully for a period of nearly three years and was discharged June 12, 1865. The war being over, be returned to Brown county and worked for five years at the potter’s trade, finally purchasing a half interest in the factory and a year later the entire plant. After running the factory one year he sold a half interest to a man by the name of McNeal. Under the management of the new firm a steam clay crusher costing $5,500 was placed in the factory. Two years later he disposed of his interest and that fall, September, 1874, came West to Franklin county, Nebr., and homesteaded a claim in section 6, township 4, range 15 west, and the following spring returned, and, March 20, 1875, moved his family out. The nearest settler to his claim at that time was on what was known as Walker’s Ranch, which was four and a half miles distant. He hurriedly constructed a sod house, twelve by sixteen feet in dimensions, which, when completed, cost but seventy-five cents in actual money. In this he lived a year and a half and then built a new one, twelve by twenty-six feet, and made use of the old one for a stable. Crops, on account of severe drought and the grasshoppers, were practically a failure for the first few years and everything tended to discourage the pioneer settlers. He experienced all the hardships and privations characteristic of the time and was barely able to make a living for himself and family during the first two years. He took a timber claim across the line in Kearney county and afterwards purchased eighty acres of railroad land. He made a marked success at farming and three years ago moved into Hildreth, where he now owns two residences, one hotel, one store building, an office building and numerous lots, from all which he receives a monthly rental of $40 and at present manages the hotel himself.

Mr. Shields was married to the lady of his choice, Miss Geneva Alice Anderson, December 31, 1870. She was born in Quincy, Ill., June 12, 1855. Of this congenial union seven children have been born (five of whom are living), as follows — George S., born January 19, 1872; Otie S., born September 6, 1874, died February 6, 1876; Maud, born July 20, 1877; Chester D., born January 27, 1880, died July 9, 1888; Lydia M., born November 16, 1884; Charles L., born July 20, 1881; Earl, born March 20, 1887.

Politically Mr. Shields affiliates with the republican party. He served in the capacity of justice of the peace four years, that of constable two years and a like period as member of the town board. He is a member of the G. A. R. order and also of the order of Odd Fellows for twenty years.