"Now rounding out his twenty-ninth year of continuous service as deputy clerk and clerk of Rockbridge county, Virginia, Mr. Shields has proved himself a most capable official and his repeated re-elections during the past twenty-one years surely reflects the high appreciation of the voters of the county. Born in the city of Lynchburg, Virginia, his early life spent in Richmond, his lot was not cast with the county he has served so long and so well, until several years later, but once cast, the great valley of Virginia and the city of Lexington has been his continuous residence....

"He was educated in Richmond schools, including a partial course at Richmond College and in Norwood Field School, his business life beginning as clerk in a country general store in Rockbridge county. He was also for a time engaged in farming, beginning his long connection with the county clerk's office of Rockbridge county, in 1885, as deputy clerk. He served in that capacity for eight years, then in 1893 was the regular Democratic nominee for county clerk. He was elected to that office at the ensuing election and at the expiration of his term was re-elected, an honor that has been repeated at the end of each succeeding term until the present date. His administration of the clerk's office has been marked by efficiency and has the endorsement of all having business with that office.; For twelve years he has been secretary of Mountain City Lodge, No. 67, Free and Accepted Masons, and ever since becoming a companion of Rockbridge Royal Arch Chapter, No. 44, in the year 1904, has been secretary of that Masonic body. For twenty years he has been master of the exchequer of Lexington Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and is a member of Frank Paxton Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. Whether considered as public official, fraternity member or citizen, Mr. Shields shows no weaknesses and is deservedly popular in his city and county." (From the "Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography" (1915)).