"The subject of this review was for many years prominently identified with the agricultural interests of Van Buren township, and was one of its honored and highly respected citizens. He was born on the old Shields homestead in that township, July 14, 1829, and there grew to manhood, early becoming familiar with all the duties which fall to the lot of the agriculturalist. He was industrious, far-sighted and progressive, and was a man of far more than ordinary business ability and accordingly he acquired a handsome property, owning six hundred and eighty acres of land at the time of his death, which occurred October 14, 1887. By his ballot he supported the men and measures of the Republican party and he was called upon to fill several township offices. In all the relations of life he was found true to every trust reposed in him and well merited the high regard in which he was uniformly held.

On the 1st of January, 1852, Mr. Shields married Miss Salina Smith, who was born in Van Buren township, April 18, 1833, and began her education under the instruction of Mr. Diler, of Covington, a heavy-set man of great strength, who used often to whip the young men attending his school. To Mr. and Mrs. Shields were born the following children: Isaac W., born February 4, 1853, wedded Mary Ann Snyder and lives in Greenville township, this county; Mary J., born January 4, 1855, is the wife of Isaac Marker, whose sketch appears on another page of this volume; George, born February 6, 1856, died June 13, 1856; John, born January 12, 1857, married Jane Kendall and lives in Van Buren township; James Samuel, born February 11, 1860, died Mary 12, 1891; Sarah E. born September 12, 1864, is the wife of Elman Townsend, of Van Buren township; Minerva Ellen, born July 28, 1867, is the wife of Chesley Yount, of Preble county, Ohio; Abbie Keziah, born July 1, 1870, died August 28, 1871; Marion Wiley, born December 17, 1872, died October 22, 1892; Rhoda, born March 28, 1875, is the wife of Clarence Galbreath; and Amanda, born September 29, 1878, married Wilson Goodman Rogers, who was born September 24, 1880, a son of Martin and Martha (Hutton) Rogers, of Arcanum.

Mrs. Shields' paternal grandfather was Michael Smith, who spent his entire life in Pennsylvania, and had three sons -- Michael, John, & Frederick -- who all came to Darke county, Ohio, but his daughters remained in the Keystone state. Frederick Smith, the father of Mrs. Shields, was born in 1793, in Pennsylvania, where he was reared, and when a young man came with his two brothers to Darke county, Ohio. Here he married Nancy Ann Freeman, a native of Ireland, who came to America when a young girl. She was twice married, her first husband being Benjamin Shrives, and by that union had five children: Benjamin, who died in infancy; John, also deceased; Polly, the wife of O. M. Eiler; Phoebe, the wife of William Westfall; and Libbie, the wife of William Thompson. After his marriage, Mr. Smith located in Van Buren township, where he engaged in farming for many years. He died in Union City, Darke county, in 1865, and his wife departed this life in 1854. To them were born five children namely: Aaron, who married Amy Riley and lives in Van Wert county, Ohio; Amos, who married Mary Jane Hershaw and lives in Starke county, Indiana; Celina [sic], the widow of our subject; George W., who died in Tennessee while a soldier of the Union army during the Civil war; and Susannah, who died in infancy."

(Source: "A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography," Illustrated, Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1900, pp. 429-430: Abraham SHIELDS)