Lewis J. Shaw Biography


	This biography appears on pages 533-534 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				LEWIS J. SHAW. 

	Lewis J. Shaw, a member of the Shaw Company, funeral directors at 
Watertown, was born in Cresco, Iowa, on the 27th of November, 1869, his 
parents being James J. and Ella Shawl The family arrived in South 
Dakota in 1880, settling at Milbank, where the father engaged in the 
grocery business and also conducted a general store until 1883, when he 
left that place and went to Cresco, Iowa, where he spent one year 
farming. He afterward took up his abode in Madison, South Dakota, where 
he conducted a grocery store, but he was living retired at the time of 
his death on Thanksgiving Day, 1914, having through his well directed 
business affairs won a handsome competence that enabled him to rest 
from further labor. His wife survives and makes her home at Madison. 
The father had a military record of which he might well have been 
proud. He was with Grant's army at Vicksburg and served all through the 
south, Florida, Mobile, New Orleans, etc., four years in all. 

	L. J. Shaw completed his common school education when fourteen 
years of age. Having decided upon newspaper work as a vocation he 
became associated with the Sentinel at Madison, where he worked for 
five or six years and then went to the Clay County Freeman at 
Vermillion and from there to Hawarden, Iowa, where he formed a 
partnership and published the Hawarden Republican. Desiring then to 
supplement his earlier common school education he entered the Madison 
Normal School and was graduated with the class of 1896, having 
completed the four years' course in two and one-half years. Before he 
had had an opportunity to locate he was urged to accept the position of 
principal of the Hurley (S. D.) schools and remained there three years. 
He then turned his attention to the furniture and undertaking business 
in Mitchell, where he remained for three years, and on the expiration 
of that period came to Watertown in 1903. Here he opened a furniture 
store in partnership with F. L. Bramble but in the spring of 1908 he 
became the organizer of the Cozey Home Furniture Company. After five 
years in this connection he withdrew and founded his present 
undertaking establishment. He has met with a fair measure of success 
since embarking in that business and now has a well appointed store, 
carrying a well selected line of goods to meet the varied tastes of the 
general public. 

	In July, 1897, Mr. Shaw was united in marriage to Miss Dora 
Noble, a daughter of Harvey Noble, of Mitchell, and they have become 
the parents of four children: Verne, aged fourteen; Lorese, aged 
twelve; Harvey J., six; and Lois Alyne, in her fourth year. The parents 
hold membership in the Methodist church and are highly esteemed 
residents of Watertown. 

	Mr. Shaw is a republican and keeps well informed on the questions 
and issues of the day but is not a politician in the sense of office 
seeking. Fraternally he is a Mason and has attained the Knight Templar 
degree of the York Rite. He also has membership with the Elks, the 
Modern Woodmen of America, the Workmen, the Eagles and the Owls and he 
is also a member of the Watertown Country Club. His enthusiasm in lines 
of recreation is for the automobile and with his machine he enjoys his 
leisure hours. He realizes, however, that industry and close 
application are the basis of success and in the use of those qualities 
he is winning prosperity.