The Irish standard., 1910-11-12
Memory of the Renowned Irish
Soldier and Statesman
Honored at Last.
General Shields Was First United
States Senator From
Minnesota.
Served in Mexican and Civil Wars.
Was Territorial Governor
of Oregon.

Belated tribute to the memory Of
General James Shields, one of the
most romantic characters In Amer.
lean history, will be paid by his
adopted country today, when
monument erected by the federal
government over his grave will BE-
unveiled in St. Mary's cemetery, Car
rollton, Mo. A brilliant soldier in
three wars, United States senator
from three states of the union and
governor Of a fourth, his life was one
Of the most adventurous and varied
OF the public mon of the United
States.
| Minnesota is particularly interested
in the ceremony in St. Mary's GENE
terry. as General Shields was the
first United States senator from this
state, and In recognition thereof one
of the sides of the base of the monu-
ment will bear the coat of arms of
this state. On the three other sides
/
state he was territorial governor, and
Of Illinois and Missouri, which states
he represented in the federal senate.
Built Of White Marble.
The monument was designed by
Jerome Connor of Washirxton. II is
of white marble, nine feet high and
surmounted by bronze bust of the
old warrior and statesman. The cere
monies OF its unveiling will be at
tended by federal officials and repre-
sentatives from Minnesota, Illinois,
Oregon, Missouri and South Caro-.
lima, and civil war veterans. The
national guard of Missouri and state
officials will be present and the af.
fair will be great event for the
little town of Carrollton.
General Shields came to Minnesota
In the middle of the fifties. He found.
ed the town of Shieldsville, in Rice
county, about ten miles northwest of
T7arbnult and when the state was
y
were elected as United States sena-
tors. both as democrats. General
Shields was elected for the short
term and served from May IL, 1858,
to March g. 1859. After that Mime.
sofa knew him no more, as he moved
to California, later served in the civ.
il war with distinction and upon his
retirement located in Carrollton. He
died June 1, 1879, in Ottumwa, Iowa,
while on a lecture tour.
Born in ireland.
James Shields was born in 1910 in
Dungannon, Ireland, and came to
America in 1926. Even at that time
he was an expert swordsman and ath-
lete.
The accounts OF the first years of
his life in America are vague and
shadowy. 1t is generally believed
that he shipped as a sailor on a coast
ing vessel plying along the Atlantic
seaboard between the New England
ports and the West Indies The YES
sci was wrecked somewhere along
the Carolina reefs and young Shields
was thrown from the rigging to the
deck and both his legs were broken.
While lying ashore waiting for the
bones to knit he heard rumors of the
outbreak Of the Seminole war down
in the Florida everglades. AS soon
as he was on his feet again he vol.
unteered and became a member of a
punitive expedition against the red
men, During the campaign he re-
ceived his first commission as an
army officer. He was made lieu
tenant. He served with distinction,
was wounded twice, and when the
Indians surrendered, sought new
outlet for his energies. :
He had begun to find. himself, and
the new west began to beckon to him.
!as it was in that part of the world
that young men were making names
for themselves. At that time Kaskas-
kia was the seat of much Of the cui.
ture Of the Upper Mississippi valley.
{, He had received something more than
the rudiments of an education. He