Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-04
GENERAL WILLIAM SHIELDS.

u Wl11lAM Sal6IUSs
1t is with feelings of unusual regr
and pain that we record the death, la
Monday night, at his residence in S
Louis, of the sterling old man who:
name heads this article. From the S
Louis Republican we make the follow
ing extract:
1.-THE intelligence of the death of Gen. VILLA
Shields will be sad news to many citizens of S
Louis and to . large number of the residents
central Missouri, where he has been known
friend, neIghbor and public officer for mo
than forty years. Gen. Shields died at ten mi
utes before eleven O'Clock last night, at his re
fdence. No 2l25 Walnut street, after an illne
of about ten days, from Inflammation of the stoI
ach. He was conscious up to the moment of /
dissolution. and recognized the members of h
family who were ut his bedside watching du
ing his last hours of life. Gen. u. NJ. Frost oil
Of his Oldest friends In st. Louis. and Rev. /
A.. Holland of st. Georges church, were pre-
ent at the death scene. and while the clergyms
was engaged in prayer Gen. Shields died.
The life and history of Gen. Shields has bee
full Of interesting. stirring and important inc
dents, q few of which are here given. He w
born February Is, 1908 in Alexandra, Va, al
November6. 1881, married Mics Ann OBJ. NJ
Intyre In Virginia. and in 1896 moved west
Missouri, and settled in Boonville. Cooper coul
ty. He was elected q member of the lowe
house of the legislature from that county in ISL
and afterward represented the district in IL
state senate from 1874 to ls4s. In lS45 he was
member of the state convention, and took
prominent part in framing the constitution
the state. He continued active in politics on Il
democratic side. and was in the banking bus
ness at Lexington, Mo-, where he remained III
til 1850.
In 1855 he was a delegate to the national din
ocratlc convention at Cincinnati, which nom
mated Buchanan. On the breaking OUT OF til
war, Gov. Jackson appointed HIM as fun.
commissioner, with the rank of paymaste, ghn-
eral of militia. After the war Gen. Shields
moved to st. Louis. and went into the Atl.s FIR
Insurance Company. as its secretary. H wa
next the cashier of the Western Saving- Bank
and afterward was the cashier and finally III
receiver of the Union National Bank, of S.
Louie. In 1874 he was elected on the democr,ic
ticket as City Auditor of st. Louis, whichpc-
sition he held for two years.
When tie city departments were org.lzed
under the new charter. Gen. Shields VS. APP
pointed by Mayor Overstolz in 1877 as II asses
sor and collector of water rates. which position
he held up to tie time of his death. re had the
reputation Of being an honest, fsithf. and COM
petent public officer. and was higry respected
by his associates.
The deceleed leaves q widow. four children
and nineteen grandchildren rs rs family. The
children are: Capt. Thes. W Shields, of st.
Louis; Mrs. H. E. O'Bannon. fist. Louisi Mrs.
A. III. Elliott, of Pettis COUNT, Mo ; Mrs. H.
NJ. Hatch. Of Galveston. Teas"
To many persons j this city this IS
sad news indeed. His title grand-daugh-
ter, Lizzie, the child OF Thomas w.
and Lizzie Shields. 8 scholar at the
Elizabeth Aull institute. His own and
the Trigg family wore united by very
close ties. Thomas WShields having mar
ried Lizzie Trigg, now deceased, and
Daniel Trigg. VIII was killed during
the war. having married. Anna. Shields.
now Mrs. Jno. Eliot, of Pettis county.
For many years Cen. Shields was a res
idsnt Of this cit,, where his great ener-
gy and clearnes OF perception made
him one of the leading business men of
the place. An ardent southern
man. his vice was ever eloquent
ly raised in behalf Of state rights
A positive ant intelligent democrat, few
state since he has lived in it in which
he has not ilbd a prominent part. Hon
est and outspoken, he freely expressed
his opinions Of men and measures, and
was not often deceived in either. Above
all things he hated hypocrisy and cant,
and the state owes him much, during
his long public career. for exposing
humbugs and pretenders. The writer's
associations with him were principally
at his own Preside, where he aver dis
pensed a noble hospitality. Filled witt
rare humor. he vas one of the most com.
panionapls of men, and his seemingly
insxhaustible memory rendered his con.
v~.rsation not only interesting but in
structive, and he numbered among his
intimate friends the best thinkers of
this section, when here, and, in later
years, of st. Louis. His heart was filled
with the milk of human kindness.
life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him. that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, This was q man,
"
A special dispatch to the Sedalia
Democrat, from Jefferson City, dated
January !. says; The state treasurer
has in the past year paid every claim
and demand against the state. either as
interest on the state debt. bonds due, OF
warrants. The floating debt OF the
state is less to-day than it has been al
the same time since 1861. The treasurer
is prepared and ready to pay all war.
rants outstanding, so that when the leg.
islaturs meets the state will not have
nj cent Of floating Indebtedness out.
standing. This neve happened before
in the history of the state. Alter the
legislature adjourns the state treasurer
will be prepared to pay every warrant
as fast as it is drawn and presented.
A number of young ladies of Boon.
Vile had a narrow escape rom a watery
grave Wednesday. They persisted il
making an attempt to cross the river or
the ice, in a sleigh, to visit Capt. Kin.
ney's family. At the last moment they
were persuaded to walk, and the negro