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EARLY SETTLERS OF SANGAMON COUNTY - 1876
By John Carroll Power

These biographies were submitted by a researcher and evidently abstracted from the 1876 History of Sangamon County, IL. Errors could occur, so one should always verify the correctness by obtaining copies of vitals and performing all necessary research to document what is contained herein.



SHIELDS, ALEXANDER , born in 1797 in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. After three years spent in the Western University of Pennsylvania, at Pittsburgh, he graduated there in 1824 or 1825. In 1832 he graduated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia. He practiced medicine in his native county, and in April, 1835, started west, visiting St. Louis and Palmyra, in Missouri; Alton, Beardstown, Jacksonville, and lastly Springfield in Illinois, arriving May 15, 1835. He intended stopping in Springfield, but he said it rained forty days and nights, and in hopes to escape so much water he went to Tremont to wait until the shower was over. He returned to Springfield in about two weeks and engaged in the practice of his profession. He was married in Springfield in 1837 to Mrs. Ann Salisch, whose maiden name was Capps. See Capps family. Dr. Shields moved to what is now Ball township, south of Sugar Creek, near Crow's Mill, in 1845. They had four children.

THOMAS A. died unmarried Sept. 29, 1862, aged twenty-four years.

MANY J., born in Springfield, Ill., was married Nov. 27, 1867, to Henry Sanders. She died March, 1868. Mr. Sanders married Miss Riddle, and lives in Springfield.

SUSAN A., was married Oct. 22, 1873, to Virgil Downing. They have one child, GERALDINE, and live near Cotton Hill P. O.

BENJAMIN F. lives with his parents.

Dr. Shields and family live near Cotton Hill P. O., Sangamon county, Illinois.



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