There are not many details about the life of Henry Shields. He was married to Katie Rivers who had been married to John Taylor in her first marriage. In the 1990s, David Collins— a local historian descending from Katie River's first husband — interviewed Lillian Dyer, the daughter of long-time grocery store owner E. P. Stuermer from Ledbetter in Fayette County. Mrs. Dyers confirmed that Henry Shields was an employee at the Stuermer Store Cotton Gin. Every year he transported bales to La Grange to be shipped out for international sale. During the interview, Mrs. Dyers emphasized Henry Shield's German language skills, and described him as fluent.