My Genealogy Hound

James M. Paul, of the firm of Shields & Paul, dealers in clothing and gents’ furnishing goods at South West City, Mo., was born in Upshur County, Tex., on June 25, 1859. He is the son of Levi W. Paul, who was born near Atlanta, Ga. The latter first located with his family in Texas, but in 1866 removed to Bentonville, Ark., where he passed the remainder of his life. James M. Paul went to Arkansas with his parents, but returned to Texas to attend Trinity College, of Tehuacama. After finishing his education he went back to Bentonville, after which he taught in the Bentonville College for one year. He then spent eighteen months in reading law, after which he went to Danville, Ark., and sold goods J. T. Briggs & Son, general merchants, for a few months, returning to Bentonville in the spring of 1885. Soon after he made a trip through Kansas, but the following fall he came to South West City, and took charge of the clothing store of Lincoln & Jackson. In the spring of 1887 he engaged in business for himself as a member of the present firm. They have a good establishment, from which they sell from $10,000 to $12,000 worth of goods annually. Mr. Paul was married on December 21, 1886, to Fannie Shields, a daughter of Abe Shields, of McDonald County, and to their union has been born one child, Abe. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shields are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.