(1)  John Shields was born about 1815 in England, a son of Michael & Dorothy Shields, both of England, according to his death certificate Two similar traditions from separate branches of his family shed light on his early life:  John was originally from London, England, but at an early age fell into the occupation of seaman, more specifically "cabin boy" aboard an English merchant vessel that used to sail the St. Lawrence River trading with villagers on both the American and Canadian shores.  One day, the ship docked at a Canadian port to obtain drinking water and to do some fishing.  They sent the cabin boy out ahead of them into the village, but instead of returning, John kept walking and never returned to the ship.  His fellow shipmates searched for him for days to no avail and finally left harbor, making John a free man at age 18 or 19.  John probably crossed the river from Canada by ferry once he was sure no one was chasing him anymore.  About the time that civil revolt against the British broke out in Canada, John crossed the great St. Lawrence to the village of Cape Vincent, Jefferson County, New York. According to John's declaration of intent, dated 20 December 1855, he arrived in the United States at Cape Vincent on 20 December 1837; he was naturalized on 19 April 1858.
        He married in or before 1842 Sarah "Sally" Arnold, born about 1822 in Jefferson County, died between 21 July and 31 December 1898.  According to newspaper accounts, early in their marriage John and Sally lived at Stone Mills in the town of Orleans.
        Sally has been identified as a daughter of Edward Arnold and Judith Ellis through investigation of a variety of records. No birth record has been located for Sally, no death certificate exists in Albany, New York, she was not named in any known wills, nor was an obituary published for her.  However, Edward's houshold was known to have increased by one infant girl between the 1820 and 1825 censuses. Additonally, in the 1880 census Sally reported that her father was born in Rhode Island and her mother was born in Massachusetts; that profile fits no other Arnold family in Jefferson County at the time of her birth, and with little variation all of Edward & Judith's other children reported the same facts in 1880, (Asa reported Edward as born in MA, and Clinton reported mother born in NY). Sally's choice of the names Edward and Hiram for two of her sons also indicates linkage to Edward Arnold's family.
        John Shields and Sally Arnold were pioneer settlers of the town of Alexandria, purchasing a farm at Collins Landing early on.  It is not clear whether John built the home on the farm, or if it was already there when he arrived.  In the 1850 federal census they were living on the farm in Alexandria at Collins Landing with sons Hiram, age 7, and William, age 5.  According to the 1860 federal census, John and Sarah were farmers.  John reported his age as 41, setting birth year in 1819, but his tombstone from his death in 1888 records his birth year as 1815.  Their real estate was valued at $1,250 and personal estate at $300.  Land ownership maps of Jefferson County for 1864 show John owning property in Lot 20 in the town of Alexandria.  The farm is within a mile of the residence of Sally's relatives, the Arnolds, who lived just across the border in the town of Orleans on lots 9 and 13.
        John died in 12 May 1888 due to a chronic stomach ailment and he was buried in Omar Cemetery, Town of Orleans.  His death certificate indicates that he had been a resident of the town of Alexandria for 50 years.  His age was listed as 72 years, 10 months, and 23 days, suggesting a birthdate of approximately 19 June 1815.
        Family letters indicate that during the last summer of her life in 1898, widow Sally was in the care of her son Eugene "Alt" Alton  Shields, who occupied the house until he died in 1933.  Today the home still stands, across the road from the entrance to Bonnie Castle Resorts on Rte. 12, near the Thousand Islands Bridge.

Children (reconstructed from family narratives, cemetery records, and the federal census):

1. Hiram, born in 1843, in Jefferson Co., New York, died in 1896 and is buried in Walton St. Cemetery, Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York, near his brother, John, Jr.  His first wife, Jane, died in 1876 and his second wife, Idell, died in 1895.  They are both buried in the same cemetery with Hiram.  He was listed as a farmer and breeder of Hinsdale horses in Child's 1890 Buisness Directory of the Town of Alexandria.
1. Grace S., born in 1879, died in 1957; married Daniel Duclon.  From her birth year, it appears that she must have been from his second marriage to Idell. Parents of:
   1. Hiram Daniel Duclon, born about 1899, died 15 February 1961, buried at Highland Cemetery, Alexandria; married 4 September 1924 at Alexandria Bay, Doris Ella Patience, born 19 June 1910, died 13 May 1989, daughter of Alphus Patience of Alexandria Bay. Hiram was a well-known river pilot, like his father.
2. William, born about 1845 in Jefferson Co., New York.  He had not attended school in the year prior to the 1860 census.
3. Sarah Jennifer, born 12 August 1850 in Stone Mills, Jefferson Co., New York, died January 1933 in Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York; married 7 November 1877 in the Methodist Episcopal Church of LaFargeville, Jefferson Co., New York, Charles H. June.  She attended school with her brother John in the year prior to the 1860 census.  They are buried in Plessis Cemetery, town of Theresa, Jefferson Co., New York.
4. John W., born 1854 in Jefferson Co., New York, died 1876, buried in Walton St. Cemetery, Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York, where he probably lived.
5. Mary Ida, born 7 February 1857 in Alexandria Bay, Jefferson Co., New York, died 29 August 1951 in Jefferson Co., New York; married in 1879 Frederick Wiley, born 1851 in Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York, died 1928 in Jefferson Co., New York.  (For more information on their descendants contact Dick Hines and Chuck Simons).  Parents of:
1. Lottie Wiley; married 16 January 1907, Merrick Shaw, son of Edward Shaw and Almeda M. Fish.
2. Edith Mae Wiley, born 12 June 1880 in Fisher's Landing, town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York, died 19 December 1945 in Jefferson Co., New York; married 30 December 1908 in Three Mile Bay, New York, Bert A. Lingenfelter, born 31 October 1881 in Canada, died 11 April 1940 in Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York
3. Leland, died 11 November 1966 at sea aboard the S.S. Santa Barbara,near Aruba Island.  He first married Leta and had four children.  On 9 November 1951 in Clayton, Jefferson Co., New York, he married Mildred Walter, born 7 August 1909 in Buffalo, New York, died 4 October 1998 in Clayton, Jefferson Co., New York
6. Edward, born about 1857 in Jefferson Co., New York, died 21 June 1933, buried in Omar Cemetery, town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York.
7. Eugene Alton "Alt," born 1863 in Jefferson Co., New York, died 1933 and buried in Omar Cemetery, town of Orleans.  Since his parents were dead by that time, Eugene issued invitations to his sister Chloe's 1904 wedding which read: "Mr. E.A. Shields request the honor of your presence at the marriage of his sister Chloe Shields Van Brocklin."  He took over the homestead after his father died and his mother was living with him in the summer of 1898 and she presumably died there.  He was listed as Alton Shields "farmer on Shields estate" in Child's 1890 business Directory of the Town of Alexandria.
8. Chloe A. (below), born 1866 probably in Alexandria Bay, Jefferson Co., New York, died 1952 in Jefferson Co., buried in Omar Cemetery, town of Orleans, Jefferson Co., New York; married first at age 27 on 19 January 1893, Fred Van Brocklin, age 26, farmer at Evans Mills, born in the Town of LeRay to Abram Van Brocklin and Mariah McNeill.  Fred died about a week after their marriage.  Chloe married second on 28 June 1904 at the Shields homestead in Alexandria Bay, Willis G. Walrath.  She was a housekeeper for the Woolworth family -- owners of the nation-wide five-and-dime stores -- in their mansion on Washington St., Watertown, Jefferson Co., New York, for over 30 years.  Family members who visited her there relate that she was treated very well by the Woolworths and lived in the home with them.  She also worked at the Thousand Islands Park Hotel.  When she died, she had over $35,000 in personal estate, which she willed to her nieces, nephews and friends, having no children of her own from either marriage.

The Shields Family

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John Shields?  In 2001, this picture was found in an antique frame behind another photograph which was taken in the John & Sally (Arnold) Shields home at Collins Landing, Alexandria, Jefferson Co., New York, that depicted their daughter Chloe Shields and Willis Walrath on the occasion of their wedding at the home on 28 June 1904. The physical qualities of the photograph and clothing shown in it date it to approximately 1870. The man shown appears to be in the 50's, fitting the timeframe of John's birth.

Sally Arnold? The age of the photo (about 1870's) and the woman in it (about 40's) and her strong resemblance to Shields children suggest it is.

 

 
Late Civil War-era tintype showing Mary Ida and Sarah Jennifer, included in
the hand-painted frame below, inscribed "C.H. June" in pencil on back.

 

One of the Shields sons?	Sarah Jennifer Shields
Ida Shields & Fred Wiley	Chloe A. Shields, 1866-1952

Chloe Shields & Willis G. Walrath on the occasion of their 1904 wedding at the Shields Homestead, Alex Bay, NY