William Shawd

As printed in 1902

William Shawd, an experimental and general machinist of Springfield, carrying on a shop here, has been a resident of this city since May, 1886. He was born in Franklin county, Ohio, near Reynoldsburg, on the 15th of February, 1857, and is a son of Samuel Shawd. The father was born in Switzerland in 1812 and pursued his education in that land and came to America about 1845. Here he followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1859. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Annie Rostover, was born in Switzerland in 1815 and departed this life at Kenton, Hardin county, Ohio, in November, 1897. In the family were nine children, of whom three died in early life. Those living are Samuel, John and Fred, who are employed in a machine shop in Kenton, Ohio; Jacob, a farmer of Iowa; Emma, the wife of S. F. Kennedy, also of Kenton, Ohio; and William, who is proprietor of the Shawd machine works, of Springfield. Three of the sons, Samuel, Jacob aad John, were born in Switzerland. The parents were members of the German Reformed church and the political faith of the family is Republican, all of the sons sup- '

porting that party with the exception of Fred, who is a Democrat. The children were all educated in the district schools of Franklin and Hardin counties, receiving good mental training. Jacob was a soldier in the Civil war, serving for two years in a regiment of Ohio infantry.

William Shawd, having received a common school education, attending school through the winter months, while in the summer he worked upon the farm, entered upon his active business career at the age of seventeen years, by securing employment in a sawmill, where he remained for four years, being steadily advanced as he mastered the He then entered the employ of the Champion Iron Company at Kenton as an apprentice. He began at the bottom, steadily working his way upward, mastering the various branches of the business until he was made general foreman, his connection with the works continuing from 1879 until 1886. In the latter year he came to Springfield and accepted the position of general foreman with the Rodgers Iron Company, then known as the Rodgers Iron Fence Company. His connection with that house was maintained until 1896, when he was given the position of foreman in the Springfield Iron Works. After two years, however, he embarked in business for himself, purchasing the plant Giles. Ellis. work and as he found opportunity he added business.

Architectural

Fie began in general repair other branches of machine work including the building of gas engines and experimental work in machine building. He also conducts a general repairing establishment. In the various shops in which he has been employed he has acquired a thorough knowledge of all branches of machine work and has built up a lucrative business, giving his personal supervision to the work which goes into his shop. He is wel! known to the leading business men and manufacturers of this city and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all with whom he has been associated.

Mr. Shawd was married in Kenton, Ohio, May 4, 1881, to Miss Ella Gary, who was born in Kenton in 1859 and is a daughter of John H. Gary, who was one of the early pioneers of Hardin county, where for many years he owned and operated a saw and grist mill. In his family were ten children: William, of Kenton; Enos, who is engaged in the sawmill business at Kenton; George, of New Hampshire; Hhrris, a farmer of Hardin county; Edward, who is the

‚proprietor of a sawmill in West Virginia;

Louis, of New Hampshire; Amanda, the wife of W. H. H. Wagner, a farmer of Hardin county; Ella, the wife of William Shawd; Hattie, the deceased wife of Henry Schrader; and Asa, who was killed in service in the Civil war while acting as captain of a company of Ohio Infantry. The mother of these children died in 1886. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shawd have been born four children: Grace Fay, who was born July 21, 1885, and is a graduate of the Springfield high school of the class of 1902; Arnold, who was born in 1887 and in September, 1902, became a high school student; Archie B., born January 13, 1890; and Clifford, born in April, 1890.

In politics Mr. Shawd is an earnest Republican, taking an active interest and influential part in the work of the party. For five years he has been a member. of the county central committee in precinct A of the second ward and for two years in precinct A of the third ward, and since 1888 he has served as a delegate to the county conventions and has several times been a delegate to congressional conventions. His daughter and his oldest son are members of the Second Presbyterian church and he has been a liberal contributor to church work. He belongs to Amicitia Lodge, No. 79, I.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.