Melvinia “Mattie” Shields McGruder was born enslaved in South Carolina in 1844. At age 8 she was brought to the Shields farm near what is now Rex in Clayton County, Georgia. Later she moved to Kingston to be near her people. Her family endured a five-generation journey that began in oppression and eventually led to her descendant Michelle Obama becoming First Lady of the United States of America. A member of Queen Chapel Methodist Church, Melvinia Shields McGruder was the mother of Adolphus D. T. Shields, born 4-10-1859 and died 6-3-1950; Janes Shields, born 1863; Alice Shields, a twin, born 1869; Talley Shields, a twin, born 1869; Laura Shields, born 1878; and Henry Shields, born 2-11-1884 and died 11-10-1945, who is buried beside her.