The Shaw Families of Morrow County, Ohio

JONATHAN SHAW, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Cardington; was born Sept. 11, 1821, on his father’s farm, the first one settled in this county, where his youth was spent until the age of 17, when he married Mary Amn Barry, born in Ann Arundel Co., Md., Sept. 7, 1822, whose family history is found in the sketch of Y. P. Barry. One week after this event they moved into the woods, two miles north, on forty acres of land, given him by his father. His father, Jonathan Shaw, Sr., who is particularly mentioned in the general history of this township, was born in Bucks Co., Pa., Jan. 24, 1787, and soon after moved, with his parents, to Chester Co., Pa., and in 1804 to a settlement in Liberty Tp., Delaware Co., where he married Miss Ruth Welch, who was born Aug. 12, 1786, and whose parents were among the earliest settlers of Liberty Tp. After the birth of their oldest child, Susannah, they moved to this township, and were the first white settlers in Morrow Co. To them were subsequently born John L., the first white child in the county, Elizabeth, Content, Aaron, Melissa, Jonathan, Jr., Luther and Sylvester. After his father’s death, which occurred at the age of 65, Jonathan moved to the home farm, to care for his mother; who six weeks later followed the father. He had, however, after three years’ residence in the first-named place, moved farther West, on sixty acres, and from thence to his present residence, occupying nearly the same spot where he was born, a few rods from where the first cabin in the county was built. Here he has raised a family of nine children — three sons and six daughters. The oldest son, Jonathan Waters Shaw, is engaged in the book and drug business, in Cardington, and is also a member of the firm of Lainprecht & Shaw, hardware dealers. The second son, James

S., is also engaged in the book and drug business. His youngest son, Lincoln, and youngest daughter, only remain with their parents. He has in all about 300 acres of choice land, 1G5 of which is a part of the original tract belonging to his grandfather; this is well watered by numerous springs, and by Shaw Creek, which flows through it; it has good building, and most excellent fruit, and for obvious reasons is known by the name of “ Old Homestead Farm;” in addition this he has a line residence, and five and one-half acres of land, and two business rooms in Cardington. Mr. Shaw has borne a conspicuous part in the township, serving it as Justice of the Peace for fifteen years, and holding other offices, among them Land Appraiser in 1880. He is a member of the Friends, and his wife of the United Brethren Church. In politics he is a Republican. Few men take as much interest as he does in pioneer history. And he has a very large collection of family portraits.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

S. B. SHAW, farmer; P. O. Marits. The Shaw family are prominently identified with the pioneer history of this county; John L. Shaw, the father of Sylvester, was born in what is now Westfield Tp., June 6, 1809, and is supposed to be the first child born in the county; he is yet living, after a residence of sixty-six years in the county; having been a successful business man, he moved to Green Co., Pa., where he now resides. Sylvester B. was born in this township, June 20, 1837, being the third of a family of five children. His mother’s name was Eliza Marits. His father was twice married, she being the first wife. Feb. 17, 1863, Mr. Shaw was married to Caroline M. Masters, born Nov. 20, 1846, in the town of Gilead, who is a daughter of Jonathan and Ruth (Ewers) Masters, with the exception of two years, which he lived on the edge of Marion Co.; after his marriage he has been a constant resident of this township. They have had four children; three are living —Etta, born Dec. 1, 1864; Jonathan M., May 17, 1867, and Frank B., June 17, 1870, died, April 9, 1871; Lewis W., born April 12, 1873. Mr. Shaw has 160 acres of land, and one of the best houses in the township; his farm and outbuildings will compare with any in the county, when his present plans are carried out. The Shaw family, politically, are known only as identified with the Republican party; Mr. Shaw has been identified with the temperance cause, and is a valiant defender of the same, and is a member of the Prohibition party.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JESSE SHAW, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Cardington; was born at Shaw Town, March 30, 1823; his father, Joseph Shaw, was one of the pioneers of this county, and was born in Berks Co., Penn., Aug. 18, 1792, and married Hannah DeWitt, who was born in Pennsylvania, in 1800; she came to Waldo, Ohio, with relatives, when a small girl. From this union there were eleven children. Joseph Shaw died (where he had settled sixty-eight years before), May 4, 1876. Jesse went to learn the cabinet-maker’s trade when 20 years of age, at which he worked for seventeen years. He married Miss Phoebe Pringle, April 5, 1844, who died June 16, 1859; from this union there were three children — Francis C., born July 16, 1845, and now a practicing physician of South Woodbury, Ohio; James L., born Jan. 17, 1847, who studied law, but is now engaged in teaching, and Simeon J., born June 19, 1850, now practicing medicine at Marengo, Ohio. Mr. Shaw married, Jan.

26, 1860, Chloe Jane Pringle, born Aug. 27,

1828, daughter of John and Pamelia (Messenger) Shaw, and widow of John Pringle, by whom she had but one son, John H. Pringle, now a resident of Cardington Tp. To them have been born — Emma Minerva, Jan. 10, 1861, now married to Martin Heil; Harrison Orlando,

Aug. 27, 1862; Joel Grant, Aug. 19, 1868, deceased, and Rosa Belle, May 25, 1870. In 1862, he enlisted in the service, and his company, with others, was consolidated with the 88th O. Y. I., and employed in doing garrison duty; his time was chiefly taken up in guarding prisoners, at Camp Chase, and conveying them to Cincinnati, Chicago and other points.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

NEWTON SHAW, farmer and breeder of fine sheep; P. O., Chesterville; is a grandson of the first settler in Franklin Tp. He is the second son of David Shaw. His mother’s maiden name was Elizabeth Hardenbrook. He was born December 26, 1826, on the present place. His grandfather, Samuel Shaw, was born near Carlisle, Penn, about 1762. He united in marriage with Margaret McKissick, of that State. In 1808, he purchased six hundred acres of land in this township of James Brady, of Greensburg, Westmorland Co., Penn. Soon after they began the wearisome journey to Ohio, and for some reason stopped one year on the Pickaway Plains. In the summer of 1809, they came to Franklin Tp. and erected the first cabin ever built within its present limits, near the spot where Salathiel Bonar lives. For two years his was the only white family in the township. His nearest neighbors were Shur and Walker, of Chester Tp. Indians were plentiful, but friendly. “ Tom Lion,” the Wyandott chief and an Indian named “ Dowdy,” slept, rolled in their blankets on the floor before the fire of this settlers’ cabin. The family consisted of parents, the aged mother of Samuel Shaw, and four children: D.tvid, father of our subject, who was about 16 years old when they came; Robert; Elizabeth, who married David Peoples. He came a young man of 18 in December, 1810, and entered 100 acres of land near Mr. Shaw’s, and was probably the second settler in Franklin. William Shaw was the youngest son. David Shaw, the oldest son of Samuel, was educated in Pennsylvania. As soon as there was a demand for a teacher, he was chosen to field the “ birch ” in an old log schoolhouse with paper windows and slab seats. During the vacations, which were long, he cleared land at from three to five dollars per acre. In this way he earned enough to purchase 240 acres, and possessed 400 acres of land. He was a good writer and a man of sound judgment, as an evidence of this, he was chosen to fill the office of Justice of the Peace for 23 years. He was elected Commissioner of Knox Co. before the formation of Morrow. He was Colonel of a Militia Regiment. David Shaw was married to Elizabeth a daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth, (Waldron) Hardenbrook. The marriage occurred June 3, 1824. The Hardenbrooks settled in this township in 1816, and raised a family of eleven children. The family of David Shaw numbered eight children — Harrison, a Physician at Mt. Gilead, O.; Newton, Albert, Asher, Emily, Clorinda, Harriet and Ann. Newton, the subject of these lines, went to the district school in his youth until he learned the rudiments of an “English education,” and continued his studies in the Chesterville Union Schools; then learned plastering and pursued his calling in and near Cincinnati for some years; spent the winters of 1856, 1857 and 1858 in Louisiana and Mississippi; In 1861 he returned to the homestead and became a miller of the soil; ere long he became interested in the improvement of his flock of sheep; in the spring of 1865 he purchased of Bingham and Dean, ten full blood Spanish Merinos, which he bred with success until 1876, selling sheep which were imported to several different Slates; in 1876 he bought eight “ Registered ” ewes from the flock of Robert Perrine of Washington Co., Pa.; subsequently he enlarged his flock by the purchase of fifteen of the celebrated Atwood ewes, bred by his successor R. J. Jones of West Cornwall, Addison Co., Vt.; his flock at present consists of thirty-five ewes and a few rams all having a “ Registered Pedigree ” from flocks of pure blood. Mr. Shaw has given the subject of improvement in sheep his best thought and careful study for nearly twenty years, and has reached in his present flock a happy combination of all that is desirable in sheep; they are strong, healthy animals, with fleeces of remarkable fineness, density and length of wool. We commend this flock of noble animals to those who would improve their own flocks. Newton Shaw united his fortunes with Rachel Mann (see biography of Johnson Mann), Nov. 3, 1867; they have one daughter — May, born May 5, 1874.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES HENRY SHAW, farmer and schoolteacher; P. O. Cardington; was born Sept. 29, 1854. His parents are Henry John and Caroline (Lewis) Shaw; he is descended from the very best stock, both the Shaws and Lewis families are prominently known. His great grandfather, Lewis, was a Revolutionary soldier. His grandfather, John Shaw, was one of the first families who settled in Westfield Tp., and his great grandfather the first proprietor of land in Morrow Co. His grandfather was for many years the leading man in this township, and his father is now a prominent citizen of Cardington Tp. Mr. Shaw’s youth was spent in the locality of this, the; first settlement in the county, and at the age of 17 he went to Cardington to school; he >4 also spent one term at Mt. Gilead, under Phil. Roctingcr, now a prominent lawyer of

Cincinnati. Since this time he has been teaching during the winter and farming in the summer. In 1876 he married Miss Mary Brennan, born Oct. 5, 1854, in this county, whose parents were natives of Ireland, but emigrated to America in their youth. They have one child, Mervin B., born Oct. 23, 1877. Although a young man, Mr. Shaw has the elements which will make him respected in any Community. He has sold his farm and contemplates removing to Iowa; wherever he goes he will make his mark.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

, retired; P. O., Marits; was born Feb. 19, 1830, in Litchfield Co., Conn.; is daughter of Joel Todd, whose wife before marriage was Austria Griggs; the Griggs are of Scotch descent.; the original family came to this country about the time of the Revolution. Mrs. Shaw’s great grandfather was present at the taking of Burgoyne, as was also her great uncle. The Todds are of English descent. Mrs. Shaw came to this State in Oct., 1836, while in her sixth year, the family locating in Medina Co., where they lived several years. Her mother died in 1847; her father in 1851; he was a man of excellent business qualifications and marked intelligence; had a superior education for a man of his time. He held the office of County Surveyor for twelve years in Connecticut, and was the first mayor in Gabon, serving in that capacity for three terms. Mrs. Shaw was married in 1850 to John L. Shaw, and by him had seven children; five are living — Joel T., Merritt W., Ella M., J. Legrand and Carrie F. Merritt W. was born in Denmark, Nov. 11, 1852; he was raised on the farm. He had good educational advantages afforded him, as

,u well as those of travel. He attended school at Gilead and at Oberlin; in his 23d year was married to Maggie Lefever, who was born in March, 1859, in this township. She was a daughter of George Lefever, who was identified with this county at an early time; he was among the county’s first assessors. Her mother’s name was Catherine Moody, of Pennsylvania. After Merritt married he spent one summer in Mississippi; upon his return he embarked for a time in the mercantile business at Denmark, since when he has been engaged in farming. He and his wife are members of the M. E. Church. He is a member of Caledonia Lodge of I. O. O. F., No. 299. Have one child, born Sept. 22, 1876. Mrs. Shaw now resides in Denmark, and has been a resident of this township over thirty years. She is a member of the M. E. Church, but was raised an Episcopalian.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.