At the close of along and painful sickness, our old and esteemed citizen Wm. P. Shields, passed to his reward last Monday, and he was buried with Masonic honors by Barry lodge, No. 34, of which he was an active member, on Tuesday.

The funeral services were held at the family residence. Rev. J. S. Calhoun officiating, and a large concourse of relatives and friends assembled to pay tribute to the deceased. We regret that we were unable to obtain a fitting obituary for this issue of our paper, but hoe to have one for next week.

Wm. P. Shields, an old resident of this county, whose death was mentioned in last week's issue of the Adage, was born Nov. 19, 1815, in Washington county, Pa. While quite young he left his birthplace with his parents to settle in Athens county, Ohio. Here he spent his boyhood days, assisting his father during the summer work on the farm, and attending school during the winter.

In 1840 at the age of 25, he married Lydia Selby, who yet survives him. In 1843 he came to this State in search of a more western home. Finding a suitable location in Adams county he returned to Ohio for his family. In 1851 he moved from Adams to Pike county, where he lived until his death.

While living in this county he has most of the time been engaged in the milling business. He was a man of strong constitution and remarkably good health until about three years before his death, when his health began to decline.

Of the seven children born to him and wife, five lived to mourn his death. The nearest surviving relatives after his family, are two sisters and a brother. One of the sisters, Mrs. Margaret Selby, living at Golden, Ill., the other, Mrs. Nancy Thompson, at Barry, Ill. The brother, David Shields, resides in Denver, Col.

He died after an illness of ten weeks during which time he suffered in such a way as to render life a burden to him. Although the suffering was almost unbearable, he bore it patiently and without a word of complaint until death brought that relief which is most welcome to all suffering humanity.