FAMILY HERITAGE 

 

The Shields Line

The Shields line started as early as we can find with Soloman Shields in 1800 born in South Carolina. His son Tom (b.1822) and his wife Susan (b.1835) Shields were born in Crumptonia, Alabama on the Cochran plantation. The plantation house is still there although it is not open to the public.

Tom and Susan had four children. Adam Wilson who may have been Tom’s son by another woman was born in 1859 and married Katie Seltzer.  So, DNA test with Wilson, that is actually the Shields family. Adam and Katie had three children, Captain Wilson (1884), William Willson (1887), and Leon Sellzer (1910). Tom and Susan’s second son Barry Shields (1822) married Married Mariah Selzer (1865-1945) who would be my great-grandfather. Their daughter Patsey Shields was born in 1875 and their son Tommie Shields was born in 1877.

Cochran House at Crumptonia near Orrville, AL (built c. 1855)

 

Antebellum, Historic Home | Crumptonia in Dallas County

“Crumptonia is an unincorporated community in Dallas County, Alabama.[2] It is named for a local plantation house of the same name, built in 1855 by Claudius M. Cochran and later owned by the Crumpton family.” [Wilipedia]

Also referred to as the Cochran-Crumpton House, Crumptonia, and the McCrary House, this 2-story Greek Revival style home was built circa 1855 for South Carolina-born, Claudius M. Cochran. It was later owned by the Crumpton family and it became part of the Crumptonia Plantation. The front of this house is almost identical to those of the McMillan-Oxford House, Tasso, and Moseley Grove which are also located in the vicinity of Orrville. The Cochran House was documented in the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1934. It is featured in “Silent in the Land” by Chip Cooper, Harry J. Knopke, and Robert S. Gamble.

This house is located approximately 8 miles southwest of Orrville on Dallas CR 21 (32°12’49.2″N 87°17’22.9″W – Google Maps).

This is a private residence – drive by only.

Sources: 1) wikipedia.org/Crumptonia_Alabama; 2) “Silent in the Land” by Chip Cooper, Harry J. Knopke, and Robert S. Gamble; 3) “The Alabama Catalog: A Guide to the Early Architecture of the State” by Robert S. Gamble.

B&W photographs courtesy US Library of Congress (HABS), photographer: W. N. Manning, date: March 17 & 23, 1934. The recent photographs that are provided were taken in February 2012.

The Shields line starts as early as Soloman Shields in 1800 born in South Carolina. His son Tom (b.1822) and his wife Susan (b.1835) Shields were born in Crumptonia, Alabama on the Cochran plantation. The plantation house is still there although it is not open to the public. Tom and Susan had four children. Adam Wilson who may have been Tom’s son by another woman was born in 1859 and married Katie Seltzer. On the several DNA tests I have taken, There are more Wilson matches than Shields.  So if one should see a DNA test with Wilson, that is actually the Shields family. Adam and Katie had three children, Captain Wilson (1884), William Willson (1887), and Leon Sellzer (1910). Tom and Susan’s second son Barry Shields (1822) married Married Mariah Selzer (1865-1945) who would be my great-grandfather. Their daughter Patsey Shields was born in 1875 and their son Tommie Shields was born in 1877. 

 

Prior to 1840, a White farmer from the Pee Dee region of Marlboro County in South Carolina settled in an area of Dallas County, Alabama which was then known as the Lexington Beat. His name was Claudius M. Cochran. In order to provide labor for his farm, Claudius brought along 26 slaves belonging to him. John Cochran was one of the slaves. John was about 10 years old in 1840. The slaves could have been John’s siblings, cousins, parents, etc. Slaves were only enumerated and identified as male or female between certain age brackets. In 1855 Claudius M. Cochran built a large plantation house, which took on the name, the Cochran Plantation House. My GGG Grandfather John Cochran was one of the slaves that built the Cochran Plantation house. The house still bares that name today, “Cochran Plantation House) in Alabama. The community that was then known as the Lexington Beat became known as Crumptonia after one of Claudius’s daughters married into a prominent family by the name of Crumpton.”

Claude Shields Sr.

“In Post-World War I Era Cleveland, a popular destination for African American migrants from the South, gospel music became increasingly popular. This growing popularity was due in no small measure to the business acumen of people like Claude Shields Sr., quartet singer, and owner of the Shields Brothers Cleaners on Cedar Avenue. Since the 1920s, Cleveland’s gospel quartet artists have not hesitated to support the recording of the music, public programs, and publications about gospel’s influence on other styles of American music, including Rock and Roll.” – Cleveland and the Rise of Gospel Blues

Claude Sr. had ten siblings: Isabella, Mary, Fannie, Maggie, Berry Jr., Louise, Claude, David, Willie, Coleman, and John.

(Johnnie, Claude Jr., John and Claude Shields Sr.)

Johnnie Calloway Shields is the sister of Hattie Lynn King, 

the mother of fight promoter Don King and the late Joesph Lynn (actor).

Claude Shields Jr. married Fannie and had two sons, Gerald and Dale.

 

 

 

“There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is all that you will ever be. And then you accept it. Or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking in mirrors.”
— Tennessee Williams 

“It is not your job to like me… it is mine.”

https://www.susqu.edu/live/news/236-students-to-present-play-on-race-relations

Dale Ricardo Shields is a highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia. 

Here’s a summary of his background and achievements: 

Early Life and Family: 

• Born on November 4, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio. 

• His family has a strong musical background; his grandfather and father were founding members of the Shields Brother Gospel Quartet of Ohio, and his mother was part of the Turner Gospel Singers. 

• He is a cousin of boxing promoter Don King. 

Education: 

• Graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1970. 

• Holds both a BFA (1975) and MFA (1995) from Ohio University. 

Career and Contributions: 

Theatre Professional: 

• Actor: Has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and in regional productions. His television credits include The Cosby Show, Another World, Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and the ITV series Special Needs. He has also appeared in commercials and films. 

• Director and Stage Manager: Has extensive professional credits in these roles, including projects at Lincoln Center, The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre. 

• Assistant Director: Served as assistant to Lloyd Richards and assistant director for the New Federal Theatre premiere of Ossie Davis’s play A Last Dance With Sybil starring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman. 

 

Educator: 

• Professor: He is a Professor of Acting, Directing, Black Theatre, Black Studies, and Stage Management. He has taught at various institutions, including Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University (as artist-in-residence), and SUNY Potsdam. 

• Workshops and Programs: Conducted workshops for Joseph Papp’s Playwriting in the Schools Program (PITS) at The Public Theatre for six seasons and represented the United States at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England, in 1988. 

Artistic Activist and Historian: 

• Iforcolor.org: Creator and archivist for the Black History website Iforcolor.org, dedicated to preserving and sharing information about African Americans and artists of color. He also maintains the “Black Theatre/African American Voices” website on Facebook. 

• Project1VOICE Liaison: Serves as the Project1VOICE Liaison for the state of Ohio, directing “One Play One Day” events in Cleveland since 2011. 

Awards and Recognition: 

• The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017. 

• Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors’ Equity Association and Actors’ Equity Foundation). 

• AUDELCO/”VIV” Special Achievement Award: Received in 2017. 

• Tony Award Nominee: Nominated for the “Excellence in Theatre Education Award” in 2015 and 2017. 

• Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022. 

• ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: Received in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024. 

• Outstanding Professor Awards: Has received two of these and three “Educational Program of the Year” awards as a university professor. 

• The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress. 

Dale Ricardo Shields is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black theatre history and culture. 

The END…

TA-DA!