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Home
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Thomas
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BARBARA (SHIELS) GILPIN 1859-1902
Barbara, the first child of George and Susannah (Wortley) Shiels, was born Mar. 24, 1859. At age 18, she married Thomas Gilpin Jr and they farmed in Hullet Township, Ontario. In 1880 they moved to a rented farm in Turnberry Township. They later moved to Oceana County, Michigan where their oldest sons worked in the lumbering industry. They had six children, Caroline Ellen , Thomas, Anna Jane, Marion, Matthew and Alice.
  • Caroline Ellen was born in 1878 and married Henry Gulker in Hart Michigan, raising 6 children in Detroit, Mich.
  • Thomas was born in 1880 and married Lois Rowe. He worked as a millman in the lumber industry and later as a carpenter in Detroit, Mich. They raised 3 children.
  • Anna Jane was born in 1881 and married Philemon D. Gilbert. They had one son who died in his early teens. After Phileman also died, Anna married Jeddiah Simmons and had two sons that also died at a very young age.
  • Marion was born in 1883 and married Harry Allen Marsh. Harry worked at the sawmill, farmed, and operated a restaurant in Hart Mich. In 1917 the family relocated to Detroit, where Harry operated a grocery store, worked as a millwright, and as a mechanical engineer for the Albey-Ferguson Corp. installing industrial conveyors. They had 5 children.
  • Matthew was born in 1884 and married Ethel Barkdell. They had two children. Matt farmed most of his life, but worked on the railroad at Chamberlain, South Dakota for two years.
  • Alice was born in 1886 and married William Wallace Giddings when she was only 15. They farmed in the Hart, Michigan. area and later moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan. They raised eight children.
Jane Shiels Bray 1860-1908
Jane was the second child of George and Susannah Shiels. She married William Pomeroy Bray in 1879. William and Jane had nine children: Mary Agnes; Susanna Jane; Lorenzo; William George; Wilbert; Ella May; John Melbourne; Elmer Cranston & Irwin. Jane & William lost 3 children quite young. Lorenzo was born in 1886 and died in 1907. William George was born in 1888 and died in 1906. Irwin only lived for 5 months and also died in 1906. The family farmed in Grey Township their entire life.
  • Mary was born in 1880 & married William Palmer. They lived in Wroxeter, Ontario and had no children.
  • Susannah was born in 1884. She married Robert Arthur Ward and they farmed in Grey or Morris Twp all their married lives. Art and Annie had 2 daughters.
  • Wilbert was born in 1889 and married Sarah Ann Ward. Wilbert farmed and worked at various jobs in Grey Twp all his life. They had four sons: Glen; Clifford; Wilbert Kenneth and Stanley.
Ella May was born in 1891 and married Andrew Chapman Kennedy. Andrew preferred to be called "George" for some personal reason. He served in the Canadian Armed Forces in World War #1. His war wounds prevented him from holding jobs involving hard manual labor, so he earned a living performing clerical functions, such as timekeeping for various companies in Brantford, Galt etc. "George" and Ella had four children: Douglas; Ruth; Gladys and John.
  • John Melbourne Bray was born in 1895. He married Margaret Henrietta Ziemann. They farmed in Grey twp until they moved to Listowel, Ont, where "Jack" entered the Real Estate business. They had one daughter, Margaret Jean.
  • Elmer Cranston was born in 1898. He married Elizabeth Susan Rowland. They lived in the St. Catherines, Ont area, where he worked for the railroad. They had three children, Clarence, Harvey and Greta Elizabeth.
Thomas Shiels 1862-1936
Thomas E. Shiels was born May 24, 1862. He married his cousin Jessie Anderson in Detroit, Michigan. Thomas found work with an architect. Thomas later in life managed a large building, which contained a movie theatre, a furniture store and offices. Thomas and Jessie had one daughter, Ethel Dorothy, born in 1887. Ethel married Robert Thompson and they lived in Detroit. Robert worked for Ford Motor Co. his entire life. Robert and Ethel had five children. Following Jessie's death, Thomas E. Shiels married Frances Mary Combs. Frances' first husband was George Shiels, Jr. Thomas E's brother who had died in 1904. Frances then married Andrew Joynt and had two daughters by him. Andrew Joynt died, apparently in the early 1920's, leaving Frances with two girls to raise. In 1928, she married Thomas E. They lived in his home in Detroit until Thomas died in 1936.
Susannah Shiels Carmichael 1864-1912
Susannah was born in 1864. She married Angus Carmichael and lived out their lives on the home farm. They had five children; John George; Angus Shiels; Susannah Ellen; Mabel Richmond and James Darwin.
John George was born in 1890 and never married. He lived on the home place until his fathers death. He then moved to Goderich, where he was employed in the sawmill.
Angus Shiels Carmichael was born in 1894. He farmed most of his life. He married Ethel Hart and had one daughter, Verna Annabelle.
Susannah Ellen was born in 1896. She married George Henry Hart in 1922. George and Nellie had seven children.
Mabel Richmond was born in 1901. She married William Stanley Kitchen. They farmed in Ferth County and had one son.
James Darwin was born in 1903. He moved to Goderich to work in the sawmill following his father's death in 1935. He married Wilma Edith Grigg and had four children.
Robert Shiels 1867-1901
Robert was born April 1, 1867. He worked on the home farm until he took up partnership with Henry Hart in a blacksmith shop at Leadbury, Ont. Robert married Anne E. Combs and had five children; Jenetta Susannah; Leslie Alvin; Norman George; Melvin Robert and Elizabeth Harriet.
Jenetta Susannah was born in 1894 and died in 1900.
Leslie Alvin was born in 1895 and died in 1897.
Norman George was born in 1896. He married Muriel Grace Kellington. Norman farmed and was a mail carrier for many years. They had five children.
Melvin Robert was born in 1897. Melvin married Mary Edith Jacklin and had one adopted daughter.
Elizabeth Harriet was born in 1898. She married George Carswell Johnston and had three children.
Mary Shiels Hart 1869-1921
Mary Shiels was born in 1869 and married Henry (Harry) Hart. Harry worked in a blacksmith shop in Leadbury. In 1906 Harry and Mary moved to Elma Twp. where they farmed until Mary died in 1921. Harry & Mary had two children; George Henry and Elizabeth Susannah.
George Henry was born in 1891 and learned the cheesemaking trade. He married Lillian Matilda Davidson. George and Lillian had two children and ran the local cheese factory for most of their lives.
Elizabeth Susannah was born in 1895. She married John Colin McAlpine. John had a farm at Hanna, Alberta. They had one son, Donald John Henry.
George Shiels 1871-1904
George Shiels Jr. was born October 18, 1871. He attended Grey Twp.School #8 and lived on the home farm until he married Frances Mary Combs in 1896. George Shiels Jr. worked on the home farm, and also for others as a stonemason and bricklayer. George and Frances had one daughter, Edna. George became sick and died from respiratory problems in 1904.
Edna was born in 1898. At age 17, Edna married Wilford Johnston . He was a plumber by trade. They lived in Detroit, Michigan. Edna and Wilford Johnston had five children.
Jemima Shiels Hart 1874-1902
Jemima was born in 1874 and married George Arkless Hart. Jemima and George Hart had no children. They farmed on the 14th concession of Elma Twp. until Jemima died in 1902. Jemima's sister Ellen kept house for them during Jemima's lengthy illness, and remained to keep house for George after Jemima died.
Ellen Shiels Ford 1877-1951
Ellen was born in 1877. She kept house and worked in the community for many years. She married George Ford in 1911. They headed west and ended up in Victoria British Columbia. George worked in a cereal mill in Victoria until the end of World War 1. After the war his job disappeared, and they had to sell out and leave Victoria in 1920. George and Ellen relocated back to Huron County, Ontario where they farmed until they moved to Detroit, Michigan. They lived there for a number of years before finally moving to Grand Rapids Michigan. They had three children; Edith Helen; Velma Annie and William George .

Edith Helen was born in 1912. Edith worked for Michigan Bell Telephone Co. until she married Harry Koopmans of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Harry worked for Consumers Power Co., the electric utility, until he retired in 1965. They had no natural children, but adopted a son, Gary Lyndon Koopmans. Edith died in May 1952, age 41.

Velma Annie was born in 1916. Velma was an excellent student, but subject to many illnesses. She died in 1927, age 10.

William George was born in 1918. Bill worked at various jobs including truck driver, in a window shade factory and as a jack of all trades for a tailor shop. When W.W.2 started, Bill went to work in a war plant, Vickers Inc. In February 1943, he was drafted into the American Army. Bill was discharged in November 1943 and he returned to the war plant. Bill married Jessie Janet Muirhead and had two children; John William in 1947 and Margaret Ellen in 1951. When Bill's war job terminated in June 1946, he began work as an auto mechanic. In 1950, the Korean conflict caused the war work to accelerate and he went back to work at Vickers. Bill was promoted into the engineering laboratory and began work on a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1955, Bill was hired as Assistant Chief Engineer by a company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A year later, he was back in Detroit working as a hydraulic engineer for Ford Motor Company engine division. In 1970, he transferred to the Foundries Division. In 1976, Bill was granted his University Degree by Henry Ford Community College at the age of 55. Bill continued to work for Ford until he retired on January 1, 1980.
William John Shiels 1880-1906
William John was born April 10, 1880. He lived at home on the family farm until he married Mary Machan in 1902. William and Mary lived in the village of Ethel and had one daughter, Mary Etta. She was born May 19, 1903 and died Sept. 27, 1904. William John Shiels died July 20, 1906.
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