Charles Thomas Shields 1838-1872

SHIELDS, HILL, ROGERS, GOURSCH, GILLIAM STEWART

Posted By: cheryl moonen (email)
Date: 4/29/2016 at 14:30:31

Dubuque Herald, July 6, 1872

DEATH OF C. T. SHIELDS
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Our citizens were surprises in the afternoon of the Fourth to hear of the sudden death of Charles Thomas Shields, at two o’clock that day. So many of our people were out of town and no papers published yesterday, many people did not learn the sad fact until last evening. He had been seen in unusual health the day before and on the morning preceding his death. There were no premonitory symptoms of a sudden decease, and while in his own house death came so unexpected that it was evident, in a few minutes, that no medical aid could avail to save the hand of the dread messenger that comes to all. After dinner he had laid down to read a newspaper and a short time after was in deaths struggle from an unsuspected heart disease.

Mr. Shields was a son of Gen. John G. Shields, who resided in Dubuque from 1814 until the time of his death a few years ago; he was once or twice the mayor of Dubuque and subsequently a member of the state senate of Iowa, and was also a mercantile man most of his life in Iowa. The example thus set, perhaps, led the subject of this sketch to be a partner in the firm of Stewart, Shields and Co., for several years. But the late Mr. Shields – “Tom Shields” as his friends called him has less admiration for the details of a business of wholesale trade than for the exercise of mathematical abilities requisite to the work in the offices where a skill was required in a fiduciary capacity in managing, as a clerk of deputy officer the tax books and money affairs between the county government and the citizens. He was, accordingly, for several years, efficient aid to Mr. Stewart, our present County Treasurer. He was also for a time engaged in the office Governor Hempstead now filling the office of County Auditor.

Charles Thomas Shields was born in Frankfort, Missouri, October 5th, 1838 and was in his thirty-third year. As a boy he came to Dubuque, with his father’s family, and at the age of six, in 1844, and except when aboard to be educated he has lived here ever since. As he grew to manhood he was known as a youth with an active mind. Yet with quite manner which marked his later life. His father had the means and enjoyed the pleasure of educating his children. After sufficient preparation he was sent to Alfred University, Alleghany Co., where he graduated, after a full course of study, and soon engaged upon active work, in the various ways in which his education made him useful to himself and to the world. But not twenty years more of profitable work was left for him. He died in the prime of middle life, just at the period when the best hopes are brightest his lamp of life went out and desolation in the home circle commenced.

Several years ago he married Mrs. Alice Goursch, a widow. She was a daughter of Mark, well known to hundreds of the early settlers of Dubuque.

The surviving relatives of the Shield’s family are Mrs. J. N. Hill, Mrs. Thomas F. Gilliam, both of this city; and Mrs. J. V. Rogers expected today by railroad, to join the sad throng of bereaved relatives tomorrow.

As a man Mr. Shields was very upright and honest; as a partner in a business, we never heard a reproach against him, and as the clerk of the offices who employed him, we have heard of no complaint.

He was generous almost to a fault, but there was in his quiet nature a discriminating mental reserve as to whom, where and when his liberality should be exercised.

He was not, perhaps, entirely regular all his later life. Sometimes his overworking and his occasionally giving up to thoughts that he was not accomplishing what he ought, made him despondent.

But all that is gone now. His hopes and aspirations; his schemes of progress and his ambition for promotion, are ended.

He emulated the virtues of his father and through his life remembered and acted upon, as far as he could, the precepts of his departed mother.

The funeral obsequies will be held at the family residence, on Iowa Street, between 13th and 14th Streets, tomorrow, Sunday at 2 p.m.

The early settlers will meet in the council room at 1 o’clock, for their usual meeting on such occasions, and to attend the funeral.