HISTORIC SHIELDS HOMESTEADS
of
Darke County, Ohio
of
Darke County, Ohio
Audrey8 (Shields) Hancock
Daniel1 Shields and wife Mary [--?--] and children (said Daniel2, said Samuel, said John, Isaac, James, Patrick, & Mary) immigrated from Ireland abt. 1790. Said Daniel2, said Samuel, said John are believed to have gone into Virginia and were lost to the family. After sojourning in Maryland for a few years, Daniel1 & Mary and part of the family [Isaac2, James, Patrick, & Mary] made their way into the Ohio Valley and settled in Hamilton County, Ohio where Isaac is believed to have married; then they all resided for a time in Butler County, Ohio where James2, Patrick, and Mary eventually married. Next Daniel1 and Mary and the three sons (Isaac2, James, Patrick and their families) packed their belongings once again and made their trek to Preble County, Ohio leaving Mary2 and her family behind. Of the ones going into Preble County, most resided the rest of their lives in that county.
Patrick2 Shields of Preble County, Ohio appears to have followed his eldest son Isaac3 into Darke County, Ohio. Patrick2 having married (1) Mary Fogle when he was residing in Butler County, Ohio, came with his parents and family to Preble County, Ohio. Patrick2 and (1) Mary Fogle were parents of Isaac3, Rachel, William, David, Abraham, Patrick F., Sarah, George, Mary Jane, and Samuel. Some of these children remained in Preble County, Ohio the rest of their lives. Others left for Darke County, Ohio. Patrick had remarried in Preble County, Ohio after Mary's death to Mrs. Selina (Freeman) Boyd and had more children: Nelson3, James, Joseph, Jacob, Benjamin, Ann, Beniah/Beninah/Beniriah, and Albert. Sometime between 1845 and 1850 Patrick2 appears to have moved his family to Darke County, Ohio. Patrick & (2) Selina are found at the time of the 1850 Census as residing first in Jackson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio and working as a carpenter, and then later that same year in Delisle, Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio. Yet on an 1857 Wall Map of Adams Township, Darke County, Ohio and its Index. The "P. Shields" on this map as owning property in Section 6 (SW¼ 33 acres) is Patrick F.3 Shields, s/o Patrick2 Shields (Daniel1) and (1) Mary Fogle. It was in Delisle of Darke County, Ohio where Patrick2 Shields died in 1877 at 92y 6m.
It is Patrick's daughter, Rachel3, as wife of William Nealeigh, who first appears in Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio by 1834. Then by 1836 she apparently is joined by her oldest brother, Isaac3. Isaac had married 1828 in Preble County, Ohio to Elizabeth Rust, dau/o George Rust and Anna nee Rust. Three known children (Abraham4, Patrick, Mary Ann) were born in Preble County, Ohio. Eight other known children (Matilda4, George, William, Isaac M., Sarah Jane, Elizabeth, Isabella, & Alfred) were born in Darke County, Ohio. In 1850, Patrick and Selina were enumerated as residing in Montgomery County, Ohio early in the year and Darke County, Ohio later in the year. It appears that Patrick & Selina made the move from Preble County to Montgomery County, then Darke County, Ohio in or about 1850. By 1857 3 Isaac appears to have been a large landowner in Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio. It is likely before his death and after his death that his lands passed into the hands of his children.
"On coming to Darke County from Preble County, Patrick settled near the village of Sampson. Sampson, no longer an existing village, was located primarily in Neave Township. Located at the intersection of the Hollansburg-Sampson Road and the Jaysville-St. John's Road, which intersection is the converging line of four townships--Neave, Van Buren, Twin and Butler. Here Patrick ran a tavern for a few years until settling in Delisle in about 1857 where he ran a grocery until he retired, living in that village for the remainder of his life." (ALBS)
(now defunct)
in Neave Township, Darke County, Ohio
(now defunct)
in Neave Township, Darke County, Ohio
In 1870 there were the Franklin Shields family and two Patrick Shields' families in that area of Delisle. Patrick2 Shields abt. 86 years old and his namesake grandson, Patrick4 Shields 39 years old. Patrick2 Shields was residing at Lot 6. Patrick4 was son of Isaac3 Shields and Elizabeth Rust. Isaac was s/o Patrick2 Shields & (1) Mary Fogle. Franklin was Benjamin Franklin "Frank"3 Shields, s/o Patrick2 Shields & (2) Selina Freeman, who was residing next to his father. [Dgjr23] The 1875 Plat Map of Van Buren Township with inset of the Delisle map with its Delisle INDEX shows Section 32, Lots 6, 13, & 14: P. Shields. The larger map bears these SHIELDS names (some several times): Abraham, Alfred, Elizabeth, George, Heirs of Isaac, Isaac M., Pat., William, and perhaps others not noticed. There were not found any SHIELDS surnames on the 1875 Map of Twin Township although some SHIELDS lived in the area and the names of connecting family members are noticeable. P. Shields (Sec. 25 & Sec. 26) appears on this 1875 Map of Neave Township
Here in Darke County is where many of Isaac's descendants and other Shields transplants from Preble County are found yet today. Here these descendants of Isaac and other relatives appear in the area of Arcanum and around the Greenville area of the Shields Road in Darke County, Ohio near Abbottsville Cemetery. [No known homesteads are found on the Shelds Road.] Here in these places many established their family farm homesteads and nearby numerous descendants and relatives are buried at the Abbottsville Cemetery.
Two of the homesteads have been identified as they passed from generation to generation. Are their other SHIELDS homesteads that are not known at this time?
It is not known where their homestead might have been or perhaps numerous homesteads, or even if any still exist in this day. One might suspect that a homestead could even have been a log home for a time and eventually replaced with a frame home. Isaac died 5 July 1875 in Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio. Here it is found that at his death "Heirs of Isaac Shields" owned 100 acres in Section 10 of Van Buren Township. Before or at his death, Elizabeth Shields' name appears on a map as owning 7 acres of land in Section 26 very near the town of New Harrison, Adams Township, Darke County, Ohio. Her name appears on the New Harrison Map and in this Darke County, Ohio Adams Township Map and in this Index. Elizabeth died 1880 in Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio.
Homestead of Alfred Townsend and Mary Ann Shields
5717 Delisle-Fourman Rd.
Arcanum, Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio
Florence Magoto states that in the picture are Alfred and Mary Ann, and their son George in the buggy and friend Ed Weist. This was the original homestead of Alfred Townsend and Mary Ann Shields. As was reported in the Greenville Journal of December 1896, "Alfred Townsend's fine dwelling destroyed by fire on morning last week [last week in November]."
After their first home was destroyed, Alfred and Mary Ann built a second home, which was erected about 1897. This home sat immediately south of Abbottsville Cemetery and was used at one time by the Brown Monument Sales Company. The Monument Company built a new office building, which now adjoins Abbottsville Cemetery. After the new office was erected, their second house was burned in a "controlled burn" (practice by the fire department) in 1988. (2008, Information: Florence Magoto and ALBS)2008, Courtesy of: Florence (Hoblit) Magoto via ALBS
This homestead and their second house were in the area adjoining Abbottsville Cemetery on its south side. Florence Magoto, a descendant, tells that the land behind these houses and the present Abbottsville Cemetery was all prairie and that if Mary Ann heard a strange noise, she would take her lantern and go out and look around the prairie to see if anything strange was going on. Anita (Bowers) Short reports, "This prairie was later, around the first part of the 1900s dug up for gravel, but has now (2008) been filled in again and is being used as a new part of the Abottsville Cemetery."
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Patrick S.4 Shields Homestead (Isaac3, Patrick2, Daniel1 Shields)
Homestead of Patrick Shields and Mary Jane Brown
5717 Delisle-Fourman Rd.
Arcanum, Van Buren Township, Darke County, Ohio
Patrick4 Shields, s/o Isaac3 Shields and Elizabeth Rust (dau/o George Rust and Anna nee Rust), was born 1831. Patrick4 married 1853 to Mary Jane Brown, dau/o Caleb Brown and Mary Miller.
It was here on this land near Delisle in Van Buren Township that Patrick S.4 Shields resided in this stately home, perhaps on property owned by his father Isaac Shields or grandfather Patrick Shields.Courtesy of: Joan (Hartley) Reynolds Family
Unknown man; Mary Jane (Brown) Shields, Patrick S. Shields, & Unknown boy "Patrick Shields Farm House near Delisle."
Then it is said in the eldest son's [Caleb5 Shields] obituary that he [Caleb5] moved to the homestead with his parents (Patrick S. & Mary Jane) when he (Caleb) was four years old, which would have been in 1861. An 1875 Plat Book indicates a structure stood where now stands (2008) the renovated Patrick4 Shields homestead, now the home of Keith & Carolyn8 (Patterson) Furlong. This Plat Book indicates that Caleb owned 60 acres and P. Shields owned a connecting 40 acres. [Caleb would have been only 18 years old in 1875.] Here, Patrick4 and Mary Jane (1836-1914) reared eight children: Nancy5, Mary Alice, Caleb, Elizabeth, William L., Laura, Ada, & Donovan Shields.
From Patrick4 the homestead then passed in some manner to their eldest son, Caleb5 Shields (1857-1941) and his wife, Hannah Myers (1864-1900). They were the parents of: Raymond6, Ethel, Clifford, & Edith. Edith6 Shields married Charles Patterson and they resided with and cared for the aging, blind, tobacco chewing Caleb5 until his death at 84 years. Caleb5 had remained a widower for 41 years, so at his death the homestead passed in some way to his daughter, Edith6 (Shields) Patterson and son-in-law, Charles Patterson. The Pattersons had one child, Richard7 Patterson who married Mary Lou Gilbert and with time they became the homestead owners. The homestead is now owned by their daughter, Carolyn8 (Patterson) Furlong and her husband, Keith Furlong, who have renovated this historic homestead of Darke County, Ohio.
According to Shields family lore, Annie Oakley (aka Phoebe Ann Mosey) (1860-1926) was a frequent visitor at this homestead where she would hunt with Shields family members in her early years in Darke County. Annie Oakley first became a trapper, hunter, and sharpshooter simply to put food on the table for her widowed mother and six siblings. However, her exceptional abilities with the gun and rifle led to her fame with the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Shows.
It was from this backporch that the young Annie Oakley is said to have stood and with rifle in hand aimed at a hornet's nest far toward a woodsy area and knocked it from the bough that held it. It is at this house that the toddler Raymond Dale6 Shields (b 1883), s/o Caleb5 Shields, is said to have sat on Annie's lap as she held him.
Research of Audrey (Shields) Hancock & Carolyn (Patterson) Furlong
Photos by Darrell S. Richey & David E. HancockBowers, Ruth and Anita Short, Editors, SHIELDS Family Lineages Manuscript, ca 1970 Anita (Bowers) Short, July 2008: Sampson, now a crossroads. Maps and Indices as linked
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William4 Shields Homestead (Isaac3, Patrick2, Daniel1 Shields)
Homestead of William Shields & Anna / Ann Maria Hathaway 6566 St. Rte. #571, E
Greenville, Darke County, Ohio
The next homestead is believed to have been the farm home of William4 Shields, s/o Isaac3 Shields and Elizabeth Rust (dau/o George Rust and Anna nee Rust). William4 was born 1840 and was the a younger brother of the above mentioned Patrick4 (b 1831). William married 1867 to Anna "Ann" Maria Hathaway, dau/o William Hathaway and Lena/Lenah Amole. They had 12 children: Edward D.5, Della, Wiley, William, Deo, Lucy, Lewis, Lena, Orpha, Jane, Treva, & Lavina.
William and Ann Marie's son, Edward D.5 Shields, married Laura Belle Wion (aka Laura Belle Eyler). They were the parents of seven children; namely: William5, Carl, Kenneth, Helen, Chalmer, Edward, & Vergia.
Edward's son, Carl D.6 Shields, married 1928 Flora "Augusta" SCHULZ. They were the parents of Doris7, Richard, William, Duane and Kay. Today, Duane7 Shields and his wife, Ellen Dietrich, make this SHIELDS homestead their home.
There is a lane or driveway on the east side of the house and in front sets the homestead sign on St. Rt. #571.
Information from Bill & Phyllis (Fourman) Shields
Photos by Bill & Phyllis (Fourman) ShieldsBowers, Ruth and Anita Short, Editors, SHIELDS Family Lineages Manuscript, ca 1970
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Isaac M.4 Shields Homestead (Isaac3, Patrick2, Daniel1 Shields)
Homestead of Isaac M. Shields & Ellen Weaver near Arcanum, Darke County, Ohio
This was the farm and home of Isaac M.4 Shields and Ellen Weaver. Isaac (1844-1923) was the son of Isaac3 Shields and Elizabeth Rust. This homestead was sold out of the family after Isaac M.'s death.
Eventually the homestead passed into the hands of Chester Baker, who owned it when this photo was taken. It was possibly brick originally with stucco applied later. The home faces west and this view is of the north side.2008, Courtesy of: Anita (Bowers) Short Photo perhaps taken early to mid-1960s
The home faces west. This view is of the north side.
It is said by people in the area and in newspaper reports that one day Chester Baker pulled a wagon into the barn and the floor gave way. Upon investigation, a complete still* was found hidden in a cavity under the barn floor. It was during Prohibition (1920 to 1933 in the United States) that Isaac M. Shields and members of his family resided in this home and on this farmland.
2008, Courtesy of: Anita (Bowers) Short
South side of the home
Since Isaac was the owner of the home & barn at that time period, he or one or more of his sons (Isaac Mathias, William & George) were probably the ones who evidently had the hidden still. Isaac's son, George, was arrested several times by the local authorities for selling "moonshine" or just "shine" as many called it. George never seemed to get the penalty that others received for the same infraction. Ah, there may be more untold tales to tell!
*still = An apparatus for distilling alcohol, consisting of a vessel in which the substance is vaporized by heat. The vapor is then condensed using a cooling device.
Bowers, Ruth and Anita Short, Editors, SHIELDS Family Lineages Manuscript, ca 1970 Internet, July 2008, E-mail to ASH: Anita (Bowers) Short
Webpage by: Audrey (Shields) Hancock of Portage, Michigan
Created: 18 July 2008 Revised: 09 June 2010
Webpage by: Audrey (Shields) Hancock
Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/66v7o8
