BIOGRAPHIES - SHAW, William, Bourbon County, Kentucky From: Bob Francis http://www.shawhan.com Date: 07 Feb 2000 The biographies are taken primarily from William Perrin's "The History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties, Kentucky" and E. Polk Johnson's "The History of Kentucky and Kentuckians," Vol. III. Many Bourbon County, Kentucky, researchers have pointed out mistakes and they are notated. Name: William SHAW _________________________________________ Birth: February 6, 1814, Lancastershire, England Father: John SHAW Mother: Hannah COX Spouses _________________________________________ 1: Catharine DIMMITT Father: George DIMMITT Marriage: March 1867 WILLIAM SHAW,1 Sr., P.O. Paris; the enterprising miller of Paris, was born February 6, 1814, in Lancastershire, England. His parents were John Shaw and Hannah Cox. The paternal grandparent of our subject was James Shaw, whose wife’s maiden name was Lofton, all of English birth and parentage. Our subject emigrated from England to Kentucky with his parents, in 1821, locating in Paris. His father was thoroughly versed in the manufacture of cotton and woolen goods, and understood well the management of all the details necessary to the successful running of the same. Immediately upon his arrival he took charge of the factory run by Samuel Pike; afterwards went to Maysville where he took charge of a mill for three years; returning then to Paris, he resumed the superintendence of the factory for his former employer, remaining with him until the close of 1828, when he built a lot of cotton machinery for Thomas and Hugh I. Brent, and took charge of same for five years, when the firm changed hands, he still running the same for its successors until 1836. He then became a part owner. His death occurred in August, 1843. He was a man highly esteemed for his virtues; not a member of any orthodox church, but a temperance man and a zealous admirer of Mr. Clay, and a member of the Whig party. To him were born eleven children, nine of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, viz : William, Mary, Elizabeth, Julia, Joseph, Benjamin, John, James and Louisa. The subject of these lines was the eldest of the family of children. He learned the business of his father. In February, 1837, he took charge of the cotton department, which he run until the close of 1846, at which time the care and management of both departments devolved upon him, conducting the same until the close of 1851. He then embarked in the milling business at Ruddel’s Mills, where he built two saw-mills and carried on a custom mill also. In 1859, he returned to Paris and purchased the mill property of Daniel Isgrig, where he has since remained. Mr. Shaw has since rebuilt and made several important additions to his mills, and is doing a thriving and prosperous business, with a capacity of one hundred barrels per day, which is mainly absorbed by home consumption. Mr. Shaw deferred his marriage far into bachelorhood. March, 1867, was wedded to Mrs. Catharine Dimmitt, daughter of George Dimmitt, formerly a native of Maryland. Has always been a Republican. Sources 1. Perrin, p. 491 ------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may not be reproduced in any format or presentation by other organizations or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or his legal representative and then contact the listed USGENWEB archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.