Newton Shaw

As printed in 1880

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.

J. N. TALMA E, farmer; P. O., Chesterville; is the fifth son of John and Rhoda (Gardner) Talmage; was born on the old home farm, Feb. 14, 1830; his father is a native of New Jersey, and settled on the old “Talmage Farm” in 1817, where he lived over a half century; he removed to Fredericktown, O., where he lived only five months, dying Dec. 23,1867. He had engaged during his life in the mechanical pursuits of carpenter, joiner and cooper; he came to this country with a small capital, and enduring all the hardships and inconveniencies incident to pioneer life, he struggled until he gained a competence; nor was he unmindful of the welfare of his fellow-being; he was one of the first who assisted in planting the cause of Methodism in the county; it might almost be said that he was the founder of the old Church at the Corners, for he not only assisted largely in building the Church here, but also at other places. He was a soldier in the war of 1812; lie was the father of five sons and two daughters — Henry G., Charles F., Jonathan S., Jacob O., Phebe E., John Newton, and Susan I.. John Newton Talmage, from whom this narrative is obtained, passed his early life on the old farm, attending school in the neighborhood until the fall of 1855, when he entered the Ohio Weslyan University, remaining in its classical halls four terms; he then began farming in partnership with his father on the homestead; he continued in this relation until 1864, when he purchased 170 acres; he served his country four months in the 136th Reg., O. N. G. He united in marriage with Sophia Alverson, Oct. 7, 1856, and five children have blessed this union —

Mary O., Ella M., John Burr, Carl L. and Lavaun. Mrs. Talmage is a daughter of Thomas and Lucinda (Doolittle) Alverson; she was born Nov. 4, 1836, in New York State. Mr. Talmage and family are members of the Seventh Day Adventists’ Church, at Waterford; he cast his first vote for John P. Hale, and has been a Republican ever since. We have only space here to record that Mr. Talmage is an earnest, cultured Christian gentleman, of broad views, strong convictions, and a practical man, esteemed by all.

As printed in History of Morrow County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio ... a history of Morrow County ... biographical sketches, portraits of some of the early settlers and prominent men, (1880). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.