Senator James Hannibal Shields View All Years

JAMES HANNIBAL SHIELDS.

James Hannibal Shields was born on his grandfather’s plantation, near Bowling Green, Missouri, May 8, 1842, and died at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Wm. Lawther, Jr., at Dubuque, September 30, 1914. He was a son of General John G. Shields and Elizabeth Emerson Shields. At the time of his birth, his parents were paying a visit at their old home in Bowling Green, having located in Dubuque several years before.

His father, General Shields, came to Dubuque from Kentucky in 1835 and founded the firm of Emerson & Shields, one of the best known law firms in northern Iowa. General Shields organized the troops that withstood the last Indian attack in Iowa—the Spirit Lake Massacre, in 1854. He served in the Iowa State Senate from 1848 to 1856, was also Mayor of Dubuque and took a keen interest in all public and political affairs.

The grandfather of the subject of this sketch, James Shields, came with the earliest settlers of Kentucky and was a close friend of Daniel Boone. He was associated with Boone in the early frontier battles and participated in the War of 1812.

James H. Shields was one of the leading citizens of Dubuque and on all public questions, stood for the best interest of the community. He was of a kind and congenial disposition and bore the esteem of all classes. His life and conduct shed an influence for the uplift of, and betterment of society. His allotted time on earth was well spent.

He was educated at Union College, Schenectady, New York, from which he graduated in 1862. His legal training was obtained in the law offices of ex-Senator John B. Henderson of Missouri and Honorable Benjamin M. Samuels of Dubuque. He was admitted to the bar in Dubuque County. One year after which he was elected City Attorney, serving one term, and ten years later was again elected to the same position. In 1882, he was elected District Attorney of the Tenth Judicial District and served for four years with distinction. In 1889, Mr. Shields was elected to the State Senate from the Dubuque District by the largest majority ever given any man on a local ticket. He served in the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth General Assemblies. In 1892, he was elected by the Democratic State Convention as Delgate-at-Large to the National Convention at Chicago and served as chairman of the Iowa delegation. At the convention, he managed the campaign of Governor Boies for the Presidential nomination with great credit to himself and the governor.

In August, 1892, he was nominated by the Democrats of the Third District as their candidate for congressman. He pursued a vigorous, personal campaign and, although defeated, ran ahead of his ticket.

In 1874 Mr. Shields was married to Miss Mary Tomlin of Galena, Illinois. She died in 1879. He is survived by his only daughter, Elinor. In his death, the daughter lost a kind and loving father who for years had been to her not only a father but a companion and friend. During the sunset of his life, he spent his last days in the home of the daughter, where he received all the attention that love, affection and wealth could bestow. His daughter has the consolation to accompany her through life that she did all that a loving daughter could do for the comfort and care of a kind father in the last of his life.

Resolved, That this resolution be spread on the Journal of this body, and that an engrossed copy hereof be transmitted to his bereaved daughter, Mrs. Wm. Lawther, Jr., with the assurance of the high appreciation of the Senate, of one of the sturdy pioneers of Iowa legislation and one so worthy of honor, who was one of its members, even though in the long ago.

N. J. SCHRUP,

E. C. PERKINS,

ROBERT QUIGLEY,

Committee.

The resolutions were adopted unanimously by a rising vote.