Sara McCarren was born November 19, 1886, in Worthington, Pennsylvania, to Patrick McCarren and Margaret Cusick.

Excerpt from History of Butler County, Pennsylvania, 1927: Patrick M. McCarren was born on the home farm near Worthington, Pennsylvania, in 1853. He began life working in the oil fields near Oil City, later going to Kittanning, where he was employed for a time in a foundry. He then returned to the home farm, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1923, when he retired and moved to Butler, Pennsylvania, where he and his wife now reside. Mrs. McCarren was born at East Brady, Pennsylvania, in 1862. Mr. McCarren is a Democrat, served as tax collector two terms, and was also a member of the school board. The family are members of St. Paul's Catholic Church. To Patrick M. and Margaret (Cusick) McCarren thirteen children were born : James Francis, West Winfield, Pennsylvania ; Anna, married P. J. Rodgers, Fenelton, Pennsylvania ; Patrick J., Worthington, Pennsylvania ; Mary T., married C. F. Hutzler, West Winfield, Pennsylvania ; Sarah E., married Edward M. Shields, Butler, Pennsylvania ; Charles R., the subject of this sketch ; Hannah M., married Albert J. Green, Fenelton, Pennsylvania; Grace, deceased, is buried in St. John's Cemetery, Clearfield, Pennsylvania ; Joseph V., a veteran of the World War, who served in the Remount Service, resides at Fenelton, Pennsylvania ; John C., a World War veteran, served in France with the Eightieth Division of Engineers, lives at West Winfield, Pennsylvania ; William L., West Winfield, Pennsylvania ; Stephen A., Kittanning, Pennsylvania ; and Margaret K., married Richard Caulfield, McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

Sara McCarren, 23, was a "pupil nurse" at the St. Francis School of Nursing at the time of the 1910 Federal Census. The census indicates she was born in Pennsylvania and her parents were, as well.

In April 1915, "Miss Sara McCarren" was named in a news article about a St. Francis Hospital Nurses Alumnae event. In an October 1915 news article about the alumnae, she was "Mrs. Shields." So, she must have married at some point in between.

In the 1920 census, Edward Shields, 39, was a contractor and he and Sara E., 32, had one child, Edward, age 2. They lived in McKeesport. In 1930, they also had a daughter, Margaret, age 9.

By 1940, the family had moved to Butler County.

Sara died in Butler County on March 20, 1954. Edward M. Shields died in 1959. They are buried at St. John's Cemetery, Coylesville, Pennsylvania.