County of memorial: Carroll County
Location of memorial: Main St., courthouse lawn, Carrollton
Erected by: State of Missouri; Act Missouri General Assembly 1913; Senator William P. Busby, Author; Commission: Edward A. Dickson, Harry C. Brown, Hiram J. Wilcoxson
Date of erected: 1913 commissioned
Artist: Frederick Cleveland Hibbard, 1881-1950, sculptor
Material: Sculpture: bronze; Base: Missouri pink granite.
Dimensions: General Shields: approx. 7 ft. 6 in. x 3 ft. 3 in. x 3 ft. 3 in.;
Base: approx. 8 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. 5 in. x 5 ft.
Side figures, each: approx. 4 x 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 ft.;
Base: approx. 3 x 2 ft. 8 in. x 2 ft. 8 in.
Memorial text:
(Front base):
GENERAL JAMES SHIELDS
Born in County Tyrone, Ireland May 10, 1810
Died June 1, 1879
Rests in St. Mary's Cemetery near Carrollton, Missouri
-------------------
Erected by the State of Missouri
In recognition of his distinguished public
services and exemplary private virtues
(rear base):
Soldier ... Statesman
Jurist ..... Patriot
Brigadier General
Mexican War Civil War
Cerro Gordo Winchester
Chapultepec Port Republic
United States Senator
Illinois - Missouri - Minnesota
Governor Oregon Territory
Commissioner U.S. Land Office
Justice Supreme Court of Illinois
(lower left base):
Act Mo. Genl. Assembly 1913
Senator Wm. G. Busby. Author
Commission
Edward A. Dickson
Harry G. Brown
Hiram J. Wilcoxson
Prpoer Description:
"Full-length portrait of General Shields, seen in full dress uniform, with his proper left hand on his hip; his proper right hand holding a cavalry hat at his side. He stands atop a base, flanked by two side figures and a fountain basin. The proper right figure is a young boy kneeling with a flagstaff resting on his proper left shoulder and flag draped behind his shoulder. The proper left figure is of a young boy with oak or acanthus plant growing behind him and extending over his lap. He holds a torch in his proper left hand; a scroll in his proper right hand." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
"James Shields was born in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Ireland, Dec.12, 1810. He was well educated and was fluent in four languages. Shields had numerous adventures as a sailor; he decided to settle in America after his legs were broken in a rigging accident in New York City. He emigrated to the United States in 1826, studied law and was admitted to the bar at Kaskaskia, Ill., when he was but twenty-one years old. He subsequently turned his attention to politics; Shields took part in the Black Hawk War and in 1836 was elected to the state legislature and in 1839 was made state auditor. While serving in the Illinois House, Shields met Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Lincoln was a Whig and Shields was a Democrat; the two clashed rhetorically and once even scheduled a duel. Initially in conflict with Abraham Lincoln, the two men eventually became good friends. In 1843 he was appointed judge of the Supreme Court and in 1845 was appointed commissioner of the U. S. land office.
"James Shields served during the Mexican war, being severely wounded both at Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec, and for meritorious and gallant services on the former occasion was commissioned brigadier-general by President Polk, 1 July 1846, and brevet major-general He served under Gen. Taylor on the Rio Grande and under Gen. Wood at Chihuahua. After resigning from the army he was appointed governor of Oregon in 1848, which office he soon resigned to represent Illinois in the United States Senate as a democrat. After the expiration of his term he removed to Minnesota and was United States senator from that state from 1858 to 1860, when he removed to California.
"Shields was in Mexico at the outbreak of the Civil war, engaged in superintending a mine, but at once went to Washington and offered his services for the cause of the Union. He was appointed brigadier-general of volunteers on Aug. 19, 1861 assigned to the command of Gen. Lander's brigade after the latter's death, and was placed at the head of a division of Gen. N. P. Banks' Army of the Shenandoah, March 29, 1862. He took a leading part in the battles of Winchester, though severely wounded the preceding day in a preliminary engagement, and Port Republic, where he was decisively beaten by General Jackson and resigned his commission, 28 March, 1863.
"Gen. Shields then settled in Wisconsin, whence he removed to Carrollton, Mo., where he practiced law and served as a railroad commissioner. In 1874 he was elected to the Missouri legislature and in 1879 was appointed to the U. S. senate to serve out the unexpired term of Senator Bogg, thus becoming the only senator to have represented three states. He died at Ottumwa, Ia., June 1,1879. A monument was erected to him in St. Mary's Cemetery at Carrollton, which was unveiled by Archbishop Glennon on 12 Nov., 1910." ~ stonewall.hut.ru