Margaret Shiels was born in 1860 and was the first child of William James Shiels and Agnes Brown. She was a sixth generation descendant of Micheal Shiels.
The following is William’s lineage.
- 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: William James Shiels 1833-1911 & Agnes Brown
- G7: Margaret Shiels 1860-1947 & George Thomson
- G8: Robert Shiels 1881-1963 & Isabella Glen
- G9: Agnes Shiels 1908-1988 & David McConachie
- G10: Michelle McConachie 1960 & Stephen Woods
- G9: William Hunter Shiels 1909-1992
- G9: Stuart Smith Shiels 1912-1975
- G9: Isobel Margaret Glen Shiels 1916-2002 & Herman Peder Jensen Schreder
- G10: Elaine Schreder 1940 & George Compton
- G11: Deirdre Compton 1967 & Scott Elgin Calhoun
- G11: Paul Aubrey Compton 1969
- G11: Marin Compton 1970 & Kevin Mattias
- G11: Adrienne Compton 1973 & Alan Ronald Ashton
- G11: Jesse Shiels Compton 1977
- G10: Patrick Schreder 1942 & Hollace Jane Spofford
- G10: Dolores Schreder 1947 & Edward Anderson
- G10: Ross Schreder 1949
- G10: Wesley Schreder 1952
- G10: Elaine Schreder 1940 & George Compton
- G9: Agnes Shiels 1908-1988 & David McConachie
- G8: Robert Shiels 1881-1963 & Isabella Glen
G7: Margaret Shiels 1860-1947 & George Thomson
Margaret was born in January 5, 1860. She was the second child of William James and Agnes (Brown) Shiels.
Margaret worked as a domestic servant. She had a son Robert Shiels, born Jun 8, 1881 in Biggar, Scotland.
Margaret married George Thomson, a baker on April 13, 1883. He was the son of Thomas and Mary (Graham) Thomson of Edinburgh. They emigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada shortly after being married, leaving Robert behind to be brought up by his grandparents William and Agnes Shiels.
George and Margaret had five children in Winnipeg, Agnes Kathleen Thomson born July 30, 1883; Thomas Thomson born 30 Oct 1884; Barbara Thomson born 26 Apr 1887; Muriel Minnie Thompson born 26 Jul, 1888 and George William Thomson born 7 Oct, 1890. Unfortunately we have no information on these children at this time.
George Thomson had been a baker for the CP Railway and they had gone across Canada twice. George died in Sept 1927 and is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg.
Margaret returned to Scotland and moved back into East Mains with her sister Barbara. She simply returned to East Mains unannounced after about 50 years. When her sister asked why she had not written, she simply replied that she had nothing to write about. Later she told her niece Moll some details about their life in Canada that are included here. The children in Winnipeg have been verified through the Manitoba Vital Statistics branch in Winnipeg.
Margaret died November 14, 1947 and is buried at Coulter.
G8: Robert Shiels 1881-1963 & Isabella Glen
Robert was born June 8, 1881 in Coulter. He was the first child of Margaret Shiels. Robert was raised by his grandparents, William James & Agnes Shiels after his mother emigrated to Canada with her new husband.
Robert also emigrated to Canada in March 1904 when he became a man. He borrowed the money for his passage from his uncle Thomas, and had to pay back every cent! Robert worked as an agricultural laborer until 1907.
Robert brought his childhood sweetheart Isabella Glen over from Elsrickle, Scotland, and married her on July 11, 1907 at Lumsden, Sask. Robert and Isabella homesteaded land at Keddleston, Saskatchewan.
They had four children: Agnes 1908; William 1909; Stuart 1912 and Isobel 1916.
Robert and Isabella retired to Victoria, British Columbia. Isabella died on November 5, 1958 at the age of 83. Robert died on April 21, 1963, in Victoria, British Columbia, at the age of 81.
G9: Agnes Shiels 1908-1988 & David McConachie

Nessie worked as the head seamstress at the Empress Hotel in Victoria for many years. The Empress was one of the fine hotels in the CP chain. Nessie also worked in home care where she cooked meals for the shut-ins.
Nessie & David had a daughter, Michelle, born December 18, 1960. David died on March 26, 1968 at the age of 65 and Nessie died on March 24, 1988 at the age of 79. Both are buried in Victoria, BC.
G10: Michelle McConachie 1960 & Stephen Woods
Michelle Natalie Veronica McConachie was born December 18, 1960. She was the daughter of Nessie (Shiels) & David McConachie.
Michelle lost her father when she was only 7 years old. Michelle married Stephen Woods on September 3, 1988.
Stephen had joined the 5th Fd Battery in 1977, and completed high school (Oak Bay Senior Secondary) shortly thereafter. While still in the Canadian Forces Reserves, he attended University of Victoria for one year. He was then accepted to Royal Roads Military College, where he completed two years before transferring to Royal Military College.
After a bit of a setback, Stephen graduated in Civil Engineer in 1984. He was then in the Canadian Armed Forces as a military engineer until 1999. He served in Petawawa ON, Cornwallis NS, Gagetown NB, Kingston ON (where he returned to RMC to obtain his Master of Civil Engineering in Environmental Studies), and Edmonton AB. Almost his entire career was in Base Construction Engineering, and was Base Engineer in Cornwallis and Edmonton. Stephen & Michelle were married while in Petawawa. Michelle was living in Redland, California at the time, but they always kept in touch as they knew each other from high school. Stephen flew down during Christmas leave and came back engaged.
Stephen and Michelle almost spent a year apart prior to moving to Cornwallis. He had been on the international standby list for several years. When the Gulf War began, he was the first engineer assigned to 1st Field Hospital – but he was placed in charge of the Rear Party, providing information and support to all the soldiers’ families across Canada.
After that, an engineer was needed in Cambodia. Stephen and Michelle went through all the pre-screening for his deployment, but his posting message to Cornwallis arrived just weeks before he was scheduled to leave. Just prior to leaving Cornwallis, Stephen was promoted to Major.
While in Gagetown, Stephen was selected for post-graduate studies. Gagetown was his shortest posting (just less than one year). He was supposed to move to Halifax and the Environmental Officer for Maritime Command, but the position was eliminated prior to his graduation due to cutbacks. So, the family was posted to Edmonton, AB. He was the Base Engineer, but when 1 Area Support Group was created, he became the 1 ASG Engineer, with responsibilities throughout western Canada. While in Edmonton, Stephen also obtained a B.A. from the University of Manitoba.
Stephen left the Armed Forces in 1999 and joined Coast Mountain Bus Company as the Director, Infrastructure and Environment. Based out of Burnaby, BC, he is responsible for maintenance of the Bus and SeaBus infrastructure in most of Greater Vancouver.”
Michelle works at home teaching music to young teenagers, specializing in piano and violin. Michelle & Stephen have two children, Morgan Sheilaigh was born May 11, 1990 in Pembroke, Ontario and Dale Maria was born October 19, 1992 in Kentville, Nova Scotia.
G9: William Hunter Shiels 1909-1992
William Hunter Shiels was born December 14, 1909 at Bethune, Saskatchewan. He was the second child of Robert & Isabella (Glen) Shiels.
William did not marry and lived on the family homestead near Bethune (Keddleston) until he retired to Regina. Bill liked fishing and duck hunting. Bill left some of the wetlands on his old homestead to Ducks Unlimited when he died on December 16, 1992 at the age of 83.
G9: Stuart Smith Shiels 1912-1975
Stuart Smith Shiels was born December 31, 1912. He was the third child of Robert & Isabella (Glen) Shiels. Stuart worked on the family farm until he joined the army and fought in WWII.
Stuart did not marry and died Feb 27, 1975 at the Veterans Hospital in Vancouver after being in poor health for over a year. He was buried with full Military Honours and Flag in the Soldiers Plot in Vancouver.
G9: Isobel Margaret Glen Shiels 1916-2002 & Herman Peder Jensen Schreder
Isobel Margaret Glen Shiels was born January 8, 1916 at Regina, Saskatchewan, She was the fourth child of Robert & Isabella (Glen) Shiels.
Isobel married Herman Peder Jensen Schreder on January 19, 1939 at Estevan, Sask. Herman farmed in Saskatchewan before moving to British Columbia to work in the Forestry Service. Isobel was an elementary school teacher in Saskatchewan and British Columbia. She retired as a teacher in New Hazelton, BC. The family spent several summers on lookout posts.
Isobel & Herman have 5 children, Elaine, Murray, Ross, Delores & Wesley. They retired in New Hazleton, BC. Herman died April 18, 1982.
G10: Elaine Schreder 1940 & George Compton
Elaine Loretta Schreder was born March 16, 1940 at Estevan, Saskatchewan. She was the first child of Isobel (Shiels) & Herman Schreder.
Elaine married George Richard Compton on October 1, 1963 at Manti, Sanpete, Utah.
George is a PhD Economist for the State of Utah. He works in the Department of Business Regulation. Elaine is a homemaker and an Organic Gardener. She raises and preserves a good part of the family food. Elaine is very interested in family history and spends many hours at the LDS library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Elaine and George have 5 children, Deirdre Compton 1967; Paul Aubrey Compton 1969; Marin Compton 1970; Adrienne Compton 1973 and Jesse Shiels Compton 1977.
G11: Deirdre Compton 1967 & Scott Elgin Calhoun
Deirdre Compton was born January 28, 1967 at Culver City, California. She was the oldest child of Elaine Schreder & George Crompton.
Deirdre married Scott Elgin Calhoun on August 22, 1989 and they have one daughter, Zöe Cait Calhoun, born March 31, 1992 at Provo, Utah.
G11: Paul Aubrey Compton 1969
Paul Aubrey Compton was born February 28, 1969 at Culver City, California. He was the second child of Elaine Schreder & George Crompton.
G11: Marin Compton 1970 & Kevin Mattias
Marin Compton was born October 16, 1970 at Santa Monica, California. She was the third child of Elaine Schreder & George Crompton.
She married Kevin Mattias on January 17, 2000 in Alpine, Utah.
G11: Adrienne Compton 1973 & Alan Ronald Ashton
Adrienne Compton was born August 11, 1973 at Santa Monica, California. She was the fourth child of Elaine Schreder & George Crompton.
She married Alan Ronald Ashton on November 20, 1999 in Bountiful, Utah.
G11: Jesse Shiels Compton 1977
Jesse Shiels Compton was born June 16, 1977 at Salt lake City, Utah. He was the youngest child of Elaine Schreder & George Crompton.
G10: Patrick Schreder 1942 & Hollace Jane Spofford
Patrick Murray Schreder was born March 24, 1942 at Weyburn, Saskatchewan. He was the second child of Isobel (Shiels) & Herman Schreder.
Patrick married Hollace Jane Spofford on October 29, 1966 at Sarnia, Ontario. They have two children, Cynthia Lynne Schreder, born March 29, 1969 and Craig Stuart Schreder born September 3, 1972.
G10: Dolores Schreder 1947 & Edward Anderson
Dolores Schreder was born January 2, 1947 at Weyburn, Saskatchewan. She was the third child of Isobel (Shiels) & Herman Schreder.
Dolores married Edward Anderson and had two children, Suzanne Anderson born January 17, 1965 and Michael Anderson born August 26, 1967. This marriage has ended in divorce and Dolores changed her name to Casandra Fox. She now goes by Sandy.
Sandy has worked as a waitress and baker and is now the Front End person in a bakery in Calgary.
Mike does small engine repair and covers everything from motorcycles to lawnmowers.
Suzie married Darren and they have two children, Joshua and Jordon. They both work in the Forestry industry in BC.
G10: Ross Schreder 1949
Ross Merlin Schreder was born November 21, 1949 at Burns Lake, British Columbia. He was the fourth child of Isobel (Shiels) & Herman Schreder. Ross now lives in New Hazelton, BC and is not married.
G10: Wesley Schreder 1952
Wesley Evan Schreder was born January 8, 1952 at Burns Lake, British Columbia. He was the fifth child of Isobel (Shiels) & Herman Schreder.