SHEFFIELD, William Paine, senator, born on Block island, Rhode Island, 30 August, 1819. He was educated at Kingston academy, Rhode Island, and by private tutors, was graduated at Harvard law-school in 1843, and admitted to the bar in 1844. He was a member of the legislature in 1842-'5, 1849-'52, 1857-'61, 1863-'73, and 1875-'84. He was chosen to congress as a Unionist in 1860, served one term, and in 1884 he was appointed by the governor to fill out the unexpired term of Henry B. Anthony in the United States senate, serving from 19 November of that year till 22 February, 1885, when the vacancy was filled by the legislature. He was a member of the Rhode Island constitutional convention in 1841, and of the one that framed the existing constitution in 1842. He was a commissioner to revise the state laws in 1871-'2, has been president of the People's library since its foundation, and a trustee of the Redwood library, in Newport, for many years. His publications include many. speeches and monographs, especially concerning alterations on the constitution of Rhode Island; "Historical Sketch of Block Island" (Newport, 1876) ; "Historical Sketch of Newport" (1876); and "Rhode Island Privateers" (1883).