Riverside
County
Biographies
CHARLES M. SHIELS
The sterling traits of his Scotch
forebears have been exemplified in the career of Charles M. Shiels, county
sealer of weights and measures since 1917 and a resident of Riverside for nearly
a half century. He was born in Kingston,
Ontario, April 24, 1867, a son of John Shiels and a grandson of William and
Elizabeth (Montgomery) Shiels.
A native of Prescott, Ontario,
Canada, John Shiels there pursued his education until he reached the age of
fourteen and in 1849 removed with the family to Maitland, Ontario. For one and a half years he worked on farms
in that locality and then became a tinsmith’s apprentice at Kingston, Ontario,
where he mastered the trade. At Kingston
he established a shop of his own and was engaged in that business in that city
for thirty-four years. While living in
Kingston he married Miss Emily Woods, a native of the north of Ireland, and in
1883 came with his son, Charles M., to California, arriving in Riverside on the
1st of March of that year, at which time the city had about three
thousand people. Later, in 1888, the
family came to Riverside. With a limited
capital he opened a small shop on Main Street, near Ninth, and soon found his
facilities as a tinsmith taxed to the utmost.
Extending the scope of his activities, he began to take contracts for
the installation of heating and plumbing systems and gave his personal
direction to every detail of the work, which was so efficiently performed that
his became recognized as one of the leading establishments of the kind in
Riverside. In 1891 his business was
moved to a substantial building at Tenth and Market streets. When his sons reached manhood they joined him
as partners and the style of John Shiels & Sons was then adopted. This form was retained until the death of the
founder of the enterprise on October 25, 1911, after which the business was continued
by the firm of Shiels Brothers until June, 1919.
The wife of John Shiels preceded him
to the home beyond, passing away June 16, 1904.
She was the mother of five children:
Charles M.; William F.; Emily E. and Mary F. Kirby of Ottawa, Canada;
and Margaret E. Shiels, of Riverside.
The second son, William F. Shiels, was born in Kingston, Canada, and
there resided until the family settled in Riverside. Here he was married to Miss Lydia Wildes on the 29th of January, 1905, and a
daughter, Frances, was born to them. The
death of William F. Shiels occurred December 14, 1914, about three years after
that of his father.
Charles M. Shiels supplemented his
public school education by attendance at the Model Schools in Canada and when a
youth of sixteen years came with his father to Riverside. Completing his apprenticeship as a plumber in
1888, he immediately took charge of that department of his father’s business
and eventually made plumbing the most important feature of the work done by the
firm. After his father and brother
passed away he became sole owner of the business and successfully carried it
forward until the summer of 1919, securing for the firm many large plumbing and
heating contracts.
In 1917 Mr. Shiels became deputy
county sealer of weights and measures and no better testimonial to his worth
could be given than the fact that he has been retained in the office to the
present time, a period of fifteen years.
He represents the authority of the state department of weights and
measures and has given most thorough and painstaking effort to the discharge of
his responsible duties. His official
jurisdiction covers a very extensive territory in Riverside County, extending
as far as Blythe and the Colorado River.
Mr. Shiels is a stalwart Republican
and a charter member of the Calvary Presbyterian Church. A Mason in high standing, Mr. Shiels is a
life member of Evergreen Lodge, No. 259, F. & A. M.; a life member and a
past high priest of Riverside Chapter, No. 67, R. A. M.; a member of Valley
Council, No. 27, R. & S. M.; Riverside Commandery, No. 28, K. T., of which
he is a life member; and Al Malaikah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Los
Angeles, of which he is also a life member.
He is a member of Ungave Chapter, No. 106, of
the Order of the Eastern Star; is a veteran member and past noble grand of
Riverside Lodge, No. 282, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; a member of
the Rebekahs; a past chief ranger of Court California, No. 451, of the
Independent Order of Foresters; and a past commander of Riverside Tent, No. 19,
of the Knights of the Maccabees. In
these fraternal organizations he has many sincere friends, and an exemplary
life has established him high in the esteem of all who know him. Mr. Shiels’ sister, Miss Margaret Shiels,
resides with him in Riverside. She has
also been active in religious and fraternal work, serving as secretary of the
local chapter of the Eastern Star and as secretary of the Sunday school of the
Calvary Presbyterian Church.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
57-59, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S RIVERSIDE BIOGRAPIES