Robert Shields

Robert was a farmer and at the time of his death was a Justice of the Peace from 1835-1850 in Blount County, TN.

Robert and Margaret started their family in Emmert's Cove, Sevier County, Tennessee and, after the signing of the Calhoun Treaty in1819, moved the family to the valley of the Little Tennessee River in 1820. They later moved deep into the Smokeys to the Cade's Cove area near the headwaters of what is now called Forge Creek. This move was no later than 1823 and was made because of an outbreak of typhoid at Chilhowee.

Robert Shields brought his family to Cades Cove in 1823 with 6 children. Four more were born after the move. In 1831 he purchased 1600 acres of land in the western end of the Cove which is now a part of Smoky Mountains National Park. He purchased it from William and Thomas Tipton. He financed the purchase through a loan from D. D. Foute. With the help of his brother-in-law Daniel Emmert, on Forge Creek he built a large water-powered mill (tub mill) for sawing lumber and milling wheat and corn. The mill operated in one form or anoth er until 1936. Here he farmed and reared his family to maturity. Almost all of the children married into Cades Cove families. Two, a son and a daughter, never married. They, along with six others, settled in Murray County, Georgia. Two of the eight moved on the Cherokee County, North Carolina, after the Civil war. Two of the sons married Oliver sisters and remained in Cades Cove,.

In 1848, Robert had financial problems, and Foute foreclosed the mortgage and moved to the property to operate the mill and store.

It is possible Margaret Emmert Shields moved to Murray County, Georgia after Robert's death in 1850. Five of the children were already in Murray County, and three more moved there a short time later. Henry Harrison and Frederick remained in Cade's Cove.