David Shaw

David Shaw was born 02 Mar 1847 in Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. (1) His father died sometime before 1 Apr 1856 when David's mother, Ellen Shaw, was settling his estate. (2) David was only nine years old when his father died. In the 1861 census David was living in Peel, Wellington, Ontario, Canada with his mother and three siblings. (3) His older sister Mary Ellen had married in 1860 and his sister Agnes had also already married but was living in the next household. In the 1871 census for Bruce South, Greenock, Ontario, David Shaw was listed as head of household. He was a tavern keeper and his mother and and sister Elizabeth aged 20 were living with him. (4) There is also an Elinor Shaw living with them, aged 10.
Sometime after 1871, David Shaw moved to Teeswater, Ontario where he was a bailiff. On 24 May 1875 when David was 27 he married Sarah Jane Lindsay. (5) Both were listed as residents of Teeswater. David's occupation was bailiff. His parents of record were John and Helen Shaw and her parents of record were James and Mary Lindsay. Seven months later their son, William Mellis Shaw, was born. (6) The very next day after the birth was recorded , on April 4, 1876, David and Jane Shaw of Teeswater were witnesses to a wedding which was being held in their home. (7) David Shaw was still in Teeswater the next year when he was paid for taking a corpse to the grave. (8)
David was recorded in the Teeswater Minutes as late as Dec 2, 1878. But some time after their marriage, the couple split up. Sarah Jane Lindsay Shaw stayed in Canada and remarried about 1885, but David, according to his obituary, went to Mexico in 1881 to help build the railroad from El Paso to Chihuahua taking his son William with him. (9) For some reason William's name was changed from Willian Mellis Shaw to William Frederick Shaw as noted in various records. (10) |
And somewhere along the way David married Jane Wray, moved to Mexico taking his son William with him. By May 14, 1886 David had another son who was born in San Juan Del Rio, Queretaro, Mexico.
David built the railroad from Veracruz to Puebla in Mexico and from Puebla to Mexico City. (11) It was called the "Queens Own" RR. He lived on the railroad camps and left his wife and children at home a lot. Jane, also known as Jennie, raised the two boys as her own. William was sent off to live with David's sister Elizabeth Shaw Kirkland and is found in the 1892 State Census for Walla Walla, Washington.
By 1894 his son William was in Detroit studying to become a doctor. Jennie went too and ran a boarding house while he studied. In the R. L. Polk and Co., Detroit City Directory for 1894-1895 Wm. F. Shaw and Mrs. David Shaw board at 41 Butternut. And Dr. John N. Bell, son of Agnes Shaw and Erasmus Bell also lived at the same address. This Dr. John N. Bell was 10 years older than William, a nephew of David Shaw. It seems William F. Shaw had gone to Detroit to study medicine because his cousin, John N Bell, was already a doctor there and William was boarding with John. The next year, 1895-96, the Detroit city directory has all three, Mrs. Jennie Shaw, Wm F Shaw, student, and John N Bell, physician, all living at 307 Bagg. (12)
Jenny's mother-in-law, Helen Blair Shaw, died 25 Oct 1897 and her death certificate, signed by Mrs. David Shaw, gives her residence at 307 Bagg. (13) At some point after her death Jenny, William F Shaw and John N Bell moved to 178 Bagg where they were listed in the 1900 City Directory. (14) Then in 1900 the census shows David M Shaw and son John E Shaw were living in Detroit at 178 Bagg, but there was no listing for either William F Shaw or Jenny. He is listed as married for 26 years. Immigrated to the US in 1892. Father born in England, mother born in Canada. (15) (David Shaw had married his first wife 26 years before.)
David died 19 Mar 1910 in Chihuahua of diabetes and alcohol. (16) In 1938 his cremated ashes were moved to Mexico City and he was buried with his wife, Jennie.
After her sons married Jane or Jennie lived in Mexico again with her son William at Durango #57. He was a surgeon at what is now the ABC Hospital. She died of an abdominal tumor at Esplanada 970 - perhaps the home of her grandson, William, in 1936.
Two years later, in 1938, their son William died of lung cancer. His wife, Tia Maria, brought David's remains back from Chihuahua and had tombstones made for David, Jennie and for her husband, William Frederick Shaw.

Sources

(1) Wesley Methodist Baptisms, Simco Co., Canada, Reel 1, pg 394
Born 02 Mar 1847 Bap. 03 Oct 1847 Innisfil, Simcoe, Canada
Father, John Shaw: Mother, Ellen Shaw

(2) Innisfil, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada Land Record # 20683

Refers back to deed #12436 written 23 Jun 1853 in which Thomas and Ann Smith mortgaged 50 acres to John Shaw for Ł125 to be paid off in installments.

Record # 20683

Discharged by memb No 20683. Recorded the 17th day of Feby A D 1857 at 12:00 noon singed by James Edwards

To the Registrar of the County of Simcoe, we William Molloy and Ellen Shaw, both of the township of Peel in the County of Wellington and Province of Canada, executor and executrix of the state John Shaw of the township of Innisfil, Yeoman, deceased, do certify that Thomas Smith of the township of Innisfil in the County of Simcoe and Province of Canada, Yeoman: hath satisfied all money due upon a certain mortgage made by the said Thomas Smith to the said John Shaw deceased bearing date the twenty fifth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three and registered at 12: of the clock noon in the twenty third day of June 1853: and that such mortgage is therefore discharged as witness our hands this first day of April A D 1856.

Signed William Molloy
Ellen Shaw

witnesses
Garret Molloy, township of Peel
George Allan, township of Peel

(3) 1861 census Peel, Wellington, Ontario, Canada
Helen Shaw born in Scotland age 44
William Shaw born in Canada age 18
John Shaw born in Canada age 16
David Shaw born in Canada age 13
Elizabeth Shaw born in Canada age 10

(4) 1871 Census Bruce South, Greenock, Ontario, Canada

David Shaw, 23, Methodist, Irish, Tavern Keeper
Helen Shaw, 57 Scotland
Elizabeth Shaw, 20 Irish
Elinor Shaw, 10, Irish

(5) David Shaw, 27 of Teeswater. born in Simcoe county, a bailiff, son of John and Helen Shaw married Sarah Jane Lindsay age 21 of Teeswater, born in Middlesex county, daughter of James and Mary Lindsay. Sydney and Maria Smith of Mount Forest witnesses.

(6) Birth of William Mellis Shaw
born: 28 Nov 1875

The birth is recorded on April 3, 1876

(7) http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~maryc/bruce76.htm

001473-76 (Bruce), Arthur C. WOODMAN, 22, tailor, Linwood, Drayton, s/o William George & Lettitia WOODMAN, to Annie SHERWOOD, 23, Maryborough, Drayton, d/o Elisha & Caroline SHERWOOD, wit: David SHAW & Jane SHAW, both of Teeswater, 4 April 1876, David Shaw residence, Teeswater

(8) In "Teeswater Council Minutes" pg 135 Monday Dec 31, 1877
David Shaw is paid $4.00 for "Drawing Mrs. Stockdale Corpse to Grave."

Reports and Accounts of the Finance Committee Teeswater, Monday Dec 31, 1877

(9) Pioneer Railroad Man Dies in Chihuaha

Chihuahua, Mex. March 21
Col. David Shaw, one of the best known of the pioneer railroad contractors in Mexico, died at his home in this city. The cause of his death was a complication of physical and nervous troubles from which he had been suffering for the past six years.
Col. Shaw was a Canadian by birth and was 63 years of age at the time of his death. He came to Mexico in 1881 with the building of the Mexican Central railroad south from El Paso. He is survived by his wife and two sons, Dr. W. F. Shaw and John Shaw, all residents of this city.

El Paso Herald, 21 Mar 1910. pg 4

(10) The two different dates of birth and the change in his middle name from Mellis to Frederick made it difficult for any researchers to trace. However, in tracing William FREDERICK Shaw we found that he was living with Elizabeth and William Kirland in 1892 in Walla Walla, Washington.. Elizabeth was his father's sister, Elizabeth Shaw. In 1893 Wm F. Shaw went to Detroit to study medicine. His mother, Jennie Wray Shaw, went too and ran a boarding house while he studied. In the R. L. Polk and Co., Detroit City Directory for 1894-1895 Wm F. Shaw boarded at 41 Butternut. Mrs. David Shaw also boarded at 41 Butternut. And Dr. John N. Bell, son of Agnes Shaw and Erasmus Bell also lived at the same address. This Dr. John N. Bell was 10 years older than William, a nephew of David Shaw. It seems William F. Shaw had gone to Detroit to study because his cousin, John N Bell, was already a doctor there and William was boarding with John. The next year, 1895-96, the Detroit city directory has all three, Mrs. Jennie Shaw, Wm F Shaw, student, and John N Bell, physician, all living at 307 Bagg. He stayed in Detroit until 1902 when he is listed in the city directory as Wm F. Shaw, phys. 271 Woodward Av.
The World War I Draft record gives his name as William Frederick Shaw born 28 Nov 1874.

Since he is living with an Aunt in 1892 and then with a cousin in 1893-96, it seems pretty certain he is the same person as the William MELLIS Shaw born in 1875 on the exact same day and month.

(11) Railroad Gazette Volume 24 page 260

Railroad Gazette

(12) Detroit City Directory 1895-6

(13)
Death certificate names father as "Skein Blair" and mother as "Margaret Kidd" Proposed place of burial "Glenallen, Ontario"
age at first marriage, 18
Address: 307 Bagg

(14) 1900 City Directory Detroit Michigan
John E Shaw student bds 178 Bagg
Mrs. Jennie Shaw h. 178 Bagg
Wm F. Shaw student bods 178 Bagg

(15) 1900 Census Detroit Michigan
He is listed as married for 26 years. Immigrated to the US in 1892. Father born in England, mother born in Canada.

(16) Death Certificate

Tombstone reads: "Canadian      David Shaw
                                                 2 Marzo de 1846
                                               19 Marzo de 1910