Melvinia (Shields) McGruder (1844 - 1938)

Born 1844 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 4 Jun 1938 at about age 94 in Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, United States

Melvinia (Shields) McGruder is a part of US Black heritage.

Biography

Melvinia was born into slavery about 1844 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA

She is believed to have been included on an 1850 Slave Schedule in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA although no names were provided in that schedule.

As a young girl, she was valued at $475 and was described as "negro girl Melvinia" in the Will of a slave owner, David Patterson, who bequeathed her to his wife Ruth. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

When Patterson died in 1852, he bequeathed his slave, Melvinia to his daughter and son-in law, Christianne and Henry Wells Shields who lived in Clayton County, Georgia, USA. She worked on their 200-acre farm.

At age 16, Melvinia gave birth to a son, Dolphus Shields, who was fathered by Henry’s son, Charles Marion Shields (1839-1916). ^[5]

Melvinia eventually moved to Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA where she spent the remainder of her life working as a midwife.

By 1900 Melvinia "Mattie" Brooks Shields had married a McGruder.

During the more than four decades that she lived in Kingston, Melvinia worked as a midwife, a job that made her a pillar of the black community. She aided in the birth of countless children as well as caring for her grandchildren and other relatives. According to the late Miss Ruth Applin of Kingston, who not only knew Melvinia but married her grandson Emory, "Mattie McGruder [was] a loving, spiritual woman seen often with her Bible and singing hymns".

Melvinia's son Dolphus moved to Birmingham, Alabama, USA where he started a family and became a successful businessman. Eventually his descendants settled in Chicago, Illinois, USA where his great-great-granddaughter, Michelle Robinson, was born. Michelle later married Barack Obama, who in 2008 was elected President of the United States.

Melvinia passed away on 04 Jun 1938 in Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA ^{[6] [7] [8]} and was buried there at Queens Chapel AME Church Cemetery. ^[9]

Children

1. Adolphus "Dolphus" Theodore Shields, b: 10 Apr 1859 Kingston, Bartow Co, GA; d: 30 Jun 1950 Birmingham, Jefferson Co, AL; buried: Shadowlawn Memorial Park (GGgrandfather of former USA First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama) ^[10]
2. Jane Shields, b: 1863
3. Talis "Talley" Shields (1867-1905)
4. Alice Levins Shields (1868-1929) ^[11] m: Edward Easley
5. Laura Shields (1875-1919) m: James Appling or Appleton
6. Henry Shields (1882-1945).

Research Notes

The FamilySearch profile ^[12] contains notes relating to her surnames. The surname Brooks is a possible maiden name, although as a slave she may never have been assigned a maiden name from a parent. It appears in the records relating to a daughter, Alice.

Sources

1. ↑ First Lady's Roots, a Complex Path from Slavery by Rachel L. Swarns & Jodi Kantor in "New York Times" newspaper on 07 Oct 2009
2. ↑ "One Paper Trail to the White House" published in "New York Times" newspaper
3. ↑ "The First Family: A New Glimpse of Michelle Obama’s White Ancestors" published in "New York Times" newspaper on 16 Jun 2012
4. ↑ https://int.nyt.com/data/int-shared/nytdocs/docs/200/200.pdf
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31556362/charles-marion-shields : accessed 08 November 2021), memorial page for Charles Marion Shields (16 Jul 1839–24 Jan 1916), Find A Grave: Memorial #31556362, citing McDonough Memorial Cemetery, McDonough, Henry County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Sarah Locklin Taylor (contributor 46921363) .
6. ↑ "Georgia Deaths 1928-1943" on FamilySearch database with images; citing Georgia State Archives in Morrow, GA; for Mattie McGruder, d: 04 Jun 1938 Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA; informant: son Henry
7. ↑ "Georgia Deaths 1919-98" on ancestry.com database; citing Georgia Health Department, Office of Vital Records in Atlanta, GA; certificate #16652; for Mattie Mcgroder, d: 04 Jun 1938 Bartow County, Georgia
8. ↑ http://www.researchonline.net/kingston/melvinashields.htm
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42859645/melvinia-shields : accessed 08 November 2021), memorial page for Melvinia “Mattie” McGruder Shields (1844–4 Jun 1938), Find A Grave: Memorial #42859645, citing Kingston City Cemetery, Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA ; Maintained by Mz Fish (contributor 46622368) .
10. ↑ "Melvinia Shields & The White House" on cartersvillega.org; note from Mrs. Michelle Obama
11. ↑ "Georgia Deaths 1928-1943" on FamilySearch database with images (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJ4T-XJ8 : 01 Aug 2019) citing Georgia State Archives in Morrow, GA; with Malving Brooks in entry for daughter, Alice Easley, d: 06 Jan 1929 Cartersville, Bartow County, Georgia, USA
12. ↑ FamilySearch.org for Melvina Mattie Brooks

See Also:

• "United States Census (Slave Schedule) 1850" on FamilySearch database with images; res: Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, South Carolina, USA; as unnamed slave @20yrs
• "United States Census 1870" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCS5-9NB : 18 Mar 2020) for Melvinia Shields, res: 1870 Clayton County, Georgia, USA; @26yrs; b: SC; occ: farm laborer; with 4 children b: GA: Dophus @9, Jane @6, Allice Levins Shields @1 & daughter Talley @1; with neighbour family of Charles M. Shields & wife & child, Lila @2
• "United States Census 1900" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3FK-S8V : accessed 15 Sep 2020) citing FHL#1,240,179; NARA#T623; ed#12; sheet#12B; family#242; for Melvina Magruda, res: Militia District#352, Kingston town, Bartow County, Georgia, USA
• "United States Census 1910" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLVK-3K8 : accessed 15 Sep 2020) citing FHL#1,374,184; NARA#T624; roll#171; ed#12; sheet#8A; family#1; with Mallie McGruder in household of Henry Shields, res: Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA; as widow living with son Henry
• "United States Census 1920" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJ84-VLT : accessed 15 Sep 2020) citing FHL#1,820,235; NARA#T625; roll#235; ed#14; sheet#6A; family#121; with Elvina McGruder, res: Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA; occ: washer woman in private home
• "United States Census 1930" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:394F-B2M : accessed 15 Sep 2020) citing FHL#2,340,072; NARA#T626; roll#337; ed#12; sheet#5B; family#119; with Mattie Mcgruder in household of Henry Shields, res: Kingston, Bartow County, Georgia, USA; living with son Henry
• DNA Testing