Adolphus Theodore “D.T.” Shields

Birth: 10 Apr 1859
Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA
Death: 30 Jun 1950 (aged 91)
Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA
Burial: Shadow Lawn Memorial Park

Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA Add to Map
Plot: Section: 9 Lot : 120 Grave : 3
Memorial ID: 42859845 View Source

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Dolphius Theodore Shields, was the son of Melvinia "Mattie" Shields McGruder. He was the husband of Alice Easley. He worked as a carpenter filing saws and was the founder of two churches. He passed away from complications of bronchial pneumonia.

Family Members

Parents

Charles Marion Shields

1839–1916
Melvinia "Mattie" McGruder Shields

1844–1938

Spouse

Lucy Shields

unknown–1951

Half Siblings

Etta T Shields

1870–1909
Georgia Shields Blackburn

1876–1938
John Henry Shields

1881–1968
Laura Eugenia Shields Massey

1883–1966
Ezelle Shields Britt

1888–1980
McClellan Charles "Mack" Shields

1891–1961

Children

Sylvester Shields

unknown–1911

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Shadow Lawn Memorial Park
Birmingham
Jefferson County
Alabama
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Around 1888 Dolphus and Alice moved to Birmingham. He had learned to read and write and worked as a carpenter, building his own home by 1900 and opening his own shop by 1911. He co-founded First Ebenezer Baptist Church and later Trinity Baptist Church, supervising Sunday Schools there and at Regular Missionary Baptist Church. The latter church helped him celebrate his 90th birthday at his home at 850 Lomb Avenue in 1949. (The house has since been demolished.)

Dolphus Shields, was First Lady Michelle Obama’s great-great grandfather.

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Dolphus Theodore Shields (born April 10, 1859 in Georgia; died June 3, 1950 in Birmingham) was a carpenter and church deacon, and the great-great grandfather of First Lady Michelle Obama.

Shields was the son of Melvinia, a slave who was bought by Henry Shields in 1852 after the death of his father-in-law, her former master, David Patterson. Melvinia was 15 at the time and gave birth to Dolphus around 1859. It is possible that Henry was the father, as he was listed as mulatto in the 1870 census along with three siblings. She moved with her children to Bartow County, Georgia in the 1880s and Dolphus married Alice Easley, daughter of Mariah and Bolus Easley who had also been owned by Patterson.

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Dolphus Theodore Shields' obituary. He was the great-grandfather of Michelle Robinson Obama.

Added by: Ray Isbell on 03 Dec 2016

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Adolphus Theodore “D.T.” Shields

Family Members

Charles Marion Shields

Melvinia "Mattie" McGruder Shields

Lucy Shields

Etta T Shields

Georgia Shields Blackburn

John Henry Shields

Laura Eugenia Shields Massey

Ezelle Shields Britt

McClellan Charles "Mack" Shields

Sylvester Shields

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