BIOGRAPHY: Charles B. Shaw; Newburgh, Orange co., New York

transcribed by W. David Samuelsen for USGenWeb Archives

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Portrait and Biographical Record of Rockland and Orange Counties New York
Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative
Citizens of the Counties.
Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United
States.
New York and Chicago; Chapman Publishing Co., 1895

CHARLES B. SHAW, who was numbered among the most prominent and highly es-
teemed citizens of Newburgh, and was a prominent factor in the development of
the business interests of this city, was born at Little Britain July 29, 1827,
and was the second son of Thomas and Harriet (Walsh) Shaw. The latter was a
granddaughter of Samuel Logan, of Revolutionary fame. The parents removed to
Newburgh during the childhood of our subject, and at the age of fourteen he
went into his father's shop to learn the carpenter's trade. He applied himself
diligently to his task, mastering the business in all its details and becoming
an expert workman, so that in his twenty-fifth year he was admitted to
partnership. Long before his father's death he became the practical head of
the firm, which carried on operations under the name of Thomas Shaw's Sons.
Their business steadily increased in volume until they became the most
extensive contractors in the city, and many of the finest buildings of
Newburgh were erected under the personal supervision of the gentleman whose
name heads this record.

In 1849 Mr. Shaw was united in marriage with Henrietta Rodermond, a native of
New York City, and a daughter of Henry Rodermond, also a native of New York.
His parents were of German birth, and were Protestants in religious be-lief.
He engaged in merchandising in New York City until his retirement from active
business life, when he became an inmate of the home of Mrs. Shaw, with whom he
resided until his death, in 1882, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife,
who bore the maiden name of Anna Maria Simonton, was born in New York, of
French parentage, and there died at the advanced age of eighty-four. She was a
member of the Dutch Reformed Church. In the family were the following
children: Mrs. Rebecca Brockaway, who is living with Mrs. Shaw; Piersoll, who
died in Tompkins County, N. Y. ; Mrs. Maria Bradley, of New York City; Henry,
who is owner of a shipyard in Tompkins County; and Peter, whose death there
occurred.

To Mr. and Mrs. Shaw were born two children: Dr. Henry B., who graduated from
the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City, with the degree of M.
D., and is now practicing his profession in Harlem, N. Y.; and Maria Bradley,
wife of Charles Curtis McCain, Auditor of the Inter-State Commerce Commission
of Washing-ton, D. C., by whom she has two children, Curtis Shaw and Harold
Berrien.

Mr. Shaw led a purely business life, and his expert judgment and ability to
control and direct important undertakings very largely gave to the firm the
reputation it enjoys. He always devoted himself untiringly to the work he had
in hand, and cared little for public life. In politics he was a Democrat, and
though solicited to do so by his friends, refused to become a candidate for
the Mayoralty. He was a member of the Union Presbyterian Church, to which his
wife also belongs. This worthy couple delighted in doing good, their help to
the poor and needy risingfrom a true and sincere interest in their fellow-men.
He died April 22, 1892, mourned by all who knew him, and we can not better
close the record of his life than by quoting the words of one who knew him
intimately, and said:

"Outside of his business Mr. Shaw was simply a modest, retiring citizen.
Although a man of firm convictions and educated judgment, he blew no trumpet
in the market-place nor sought to control the opinions of others. Wherever one
met him he revealed the traits of integrity. Beautifying life by his example
and by the skill of which he was the master, he was the type of a citizen and
business man who can be pointed to with pride as a representative.