David Shiels was born in 1883 and was the youngest child of George Shiels & Susannah Wortley. He was a seventh generation descendant of Micheal Shiels and his lineage is as follows:

• G1: Micheal Shiels 1671 & Bessie Brown
• G2: Daniel Shiels 1719 & Jessie Scott
• G3: James Shiels 1750 & Janet Younger
• G4: Robert Shiels 1769-1845 & Annie Dickson
• G5: Thomas Shiels 1795-1839 & Barbara Jean Cranston
• G6: George Shiels 1828-1906 & Susannah Wortley
• G7: David Shiels 1883-1969 & Velma Annie Ward & Marjorie Ellen Ward
  • G8: Harold Robert Shiels 1908-1991 & Marion Ella Forsythe & Mary Page
    • G9: David Marshall Shiels 1930-2016 & Doreen Carr
      • G10: Norma Abigail Shiels 1948 & Hugh Brian Lee Merritt
      • G10: Donna Louise Shiels 1950 & Barry Ferguson
      • G10: Susan Marion Shiels 1956 & Erik Hager
    • G9: Patricia Shiels 1935 & Ronald Hart
    • G9: Carol Shiels 1944 & William Nolan

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G7: David Shiels 1883-1969 & Velma Annie Ward & Marjorie Ellen Ward

David Shiels was born Nov 19, 1883. He was the youngest child of George and Susannah (Wortley) Shiels. He attended school #8 and lived at home until his father died in 1906.

On Nov 14, 1906 he married Velma Annie Ward, a daughter of Robert and Eliza (Tomlinson) Ward, who farmed on the 12th concession Logan Township, Perth County. Robert Ward had come from Yorkshire, England and settled at Woodstock. He then moved to Hickson, Oxford County, where he met Eliza Tomlinson, whom he married. They moved to a farm on the 12th concession of Logan Township, Perth County, where seven children were born to them.

David and Velma Annie used the funds David inherited from his father to purchase the general store at Moncrieff, a crossroads settlement on the 16th concession of Grey Township a couple of miles east of the George Shiels homestead. Dishonest employees ruined the business and they moved to Detroit, Michigan.

Their son, Harold Robert, was born there on Nov 17, 1908. David worked in retail stores while in Detroit. On March 8, 1911, Velma Annie died from complications of surgery. Their son was less than 3 years old at the time.

David returned to Grey Township, Ontario and on July 25, 1912, he married Marjorie Ellen Ward, a sister of his deceased first wife.

Marjorie was maid of honour at his first marriage, and was always called “Nell” by the family. They farmed lot “C” con18, Grey Township for a while and then moved to Brantford, Ontario, where David worked in a piano factory. This shop made aircraft parts for W.W.1. They later moved to St. Mary’s, Ontario and back again to Detroit, where David owned a variety store, managed a grocery store, and worked in automotive plants.

In 1931 they moved to Amos, Quebec, where he worked at maintenance in a gold and uranium mine. In 1937, they moved back to Brussels, Ontario where David traded his new Chevrolet car for a small house and 9 acres of land. There he worked at farming, did mechanical work and was the town sign painter. When the government required all truck owners to have their name and address displayed on their vehicles, David was overloaded with work.

David was a man of multiple talents and skills. He was an accomplished artist who made many paintings of wildlife scenes and animals. His farmyard fence was lined with paintings of cattle, deer, horses and other animals. He was a talented musician, who could play several instruments well, although never having had a lesson. He could overhaul a car motor, build a building and do calligraphy long before it became “stylish”. Late in life, around 1960, they sold the Brussels place and moved to Onondaga, a village near Brantford, Ontario to be near their son Harold, who lived at Brantford. They had a beautiful place there, on the banks of the Grand River, with a large garden producing vegetables and flowers.. They lived out their lives there.

David Shiels died Dec 27, 1969, and is buried at Mitchell, Ontario. Marjorie Ellen (Ward) Shiels died June 15, 1970, and is also buried at Mitchell, Ontario.

 

G8: Harold Robert Shiels 1908-1991 & Marion Ella Forsythe & Mary Page

Harold Robert Shiels was born November 17, 1908 in Detroit, Michigan. He was the only child of David and Velma Annie Shiels. He lived with his father and stepmother until he was 13, when he went to live with his grandparents Ward in Logan Township, Ontario.

Harold moved to Brantford from there and married Marion Ella Forsythe on November 20, 1928. She was born in Brantford on Aug 30, 1928. They moved to Detroit, where Harold worked in auto factories until 1931 and then moved to Amos, Quebec to work in the gold and uranium mines.

Harold was a man of many talents, like his father, and became superintendent of maintenance at the mine. They returned to Brantford in 1939, where Harold obtained employment in a cabinet factory, which made aircraft parts for W.W.2. After the war, the plant began making wood and metal kitchen cabinets. Harold eventually became superintendent of the plant. He left that and was sales rep for an electronics distributor, and then was service engineer for a manufacturer of material handling equipment.

Harold repaired radios and TVs as a side “hobby”. He had his father’s musical talents, as he could play a guitar, an autoharp, piano or organ. Marion’s father gave each of his children a sizeable building lot in the outskirts of Brantford. Harold and Marion built their own home with their own hands there.

Harold and Marion had three children, David 1930, Patricia 1935 and Carol 1944.

Marion Ella (Forsythe) Shiels died March 26, 1980 and is buried at Brantford. Following Marion’s death, Harold remarried on Aug 25, 1981 to Mary Page. They continued to live in Brantford. Harold Robert Shiels died in April, 1991 and is buried at Brantford.

 

G9: David Marshall Shiels 1930-2016 & Doreen Carr

David Marshall Shiels was born in Detroit April 17, 1930. He was the first child of Harold & Marion Shiels. He graduated from High School in Brantford.

On May 22, 1948 he married Doreen Carr. David was a sales representative for a Brantford Company and they lived in Brantford. Dave and Doreen have three daughters, Norma Abigail born November 17, 1948; Donna Louise born October 24, 1950 and Susan Marion born June 1 , 1956.

David died on April 21, 2016, in Brantford, Ontario, at the age of 86. Doreen died on Apr 23, 2017.

 

G10: Norma Abigail Shiels 1948 & Hugh Brian Lee Merritt

Norma Abigail was born November 17, 1948. She was the first child of David Marshall Shiels & Doreen Carr.

She married Hugh Brian Lee Merritt on July 12, 1969. They have Brenda Leigh, born August 24, 1971, and Shelby Lynne, born February 15, 1974. “Gall” and Brian live in Brantford and both were school teachers.

 

G10: Donna Louise Shiels 1950 & Barry Ferguson

Donna Louise was born October 24, 1950. She was the second child of David Marshall Shiels & Doreen Carr.

She married Barry Ferguson. Donna was a nurse and Barry was an ambulance driver. They live in Tillsonburg, Ontario.

 

G10: Susan Marion Shiels 1956 & Erik Hager

Susan Marion was born June 1 , 1956. She was the third child of David Marshall Shiels & Doreen Carr.

She married Erik Hager. They had Julie Christie, born June 22, 1974.

 

G9: Patricia Shiels 1935 & Ronald Hart

Patricia Shiels was born October 14, 1935 in Amos, Quebec. She was the second child of Harold & Marion Shiels.

On September 15, 1956 she married Ronald Hart. They have no children. Pat was a beautician and Ron was employed by Gates Rubber Co in Brantford.

 

G9: Carol Shiels 1944 & William Nolan

Carol Shiels was born in Brantford on June 16, 1944. She was the third child of Harold & Marion Shiels.

On August 19, 1967 she married William Nolan. They had two children, Genevieve Laura, born March 16, 1971, and Colleen Michelle, born September 8, 1972. Carol was a nurse and William was employed by the Ontario Government in social services. They live in London, Ontario, and have a summer home at Port Albert, Ontario.