Nobles County MN Archives Biographies.....Shaw, John W. 1858 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 23, 2006, 12:59 am Author: Arthur P. Rose (1908) JOHN W. SHAW is one of the substantial farmers of Little Rock township. He has been a resident of the township twenty-eight years and owns the northwest quarter of section 22. He was born at Mineral Point, Wis., Oct. 17, 1858, the son of William and Mary Ann (Campbell) Shaw. His parents were born in Ireland, fourteen miles from Granart, between Dublin and Belfast. The father came to the United States in 1851 and located in Wisconsin. He died Jan. 15, 1906. The mother came to America in 1847. She died Feb. 1, 1896, and was 62 years and one month old at the time of her death. Until he was past twenty-one years of age John lived on his father's farm in Fennimore township, Grant county, Wis. In the spring of 1880 he accompanied his father to Nobles county, arriving here on the 16th day of April, the family following in the fall. The father located on the southwest quarter of section 12, Little Rock. John worked out the first year and then began teaching school. He taught nineteen terms of school in Little Rock township and one in Grand Prairie. He bought his present farm in 1883 and the next year began to farm it, although he did not make his home on the place until after his marriage. His marriage occurred at Worthington on March 16, 1889, when he wedded Miss Ellen Olson, a native of Iowa county, Wis., and a daughter of Andrew and Annie (Thompson) Olson, both of whom are deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Shaw have been born the following named children: Alfred G., born Nov. 3, 1893; Esther A., born May 13, 1897; Curtis J., born Jan. 11, 1904. Mr. Shaw has held many offices of trust within the gift of his neighbors. He was elected county commissioner from the Fourth district on the republican ticket in 1898 and served a four year term. He was assessor of Little Rock township many years, was justice of the peace six years and town clerk nine and one-half years. For many years he has been clerk or director of school district No. 12 and is now holding the latter office. He was federal census enumerator in 1890 and in 1900. Additional Comments: Extracted from: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NOBLES COUNTY MINNESOTA BY ARTHUR P. ROSE NORTHERN HISTORY PUBLISHING COMPANY WORTHINGTON, MINNESOTA PUBLISHERS 1908 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/nobles/bios/shaw127gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 2.8 Kb