Representative William Tuckerman Shaw View All Years

HON. WM. T. SHAW.

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee appointed to prepare resolutions commemorative of the life, character and public service of Hon. Wm. T. Shaw, beg leave to submit the following:

Colonel Wm. T. Shaw, the son of Wm. Nicholas Shaw and Nancy D. Stevens-Shaw, was born in Steuben, Washington County, Maine, on the 22nd day of September, 1822, and died at Anamosa, Iowa, April 29, 1909. He was of English descent, of a family which rendered valuable and effective service in the trying days and years of the revolution, and whose efforts materially aided in establishing and maintaining our independence.

Col. Shaw was educated at Kents Hill, Me., and afterward taught school in Indiana and Kentucky. It was in the latter state that he enlisted when the war between Mexico and the United States commenced. Col. Shaw came of fighting stock; his great-uncle was an officer in the revolutionary war, serving under Gen. Knox. On November 3, 1783, Gen. Washington made the following statement: “Capt. Samuel Shaw throughout the war has greatly distinguished himself in everything, which entitles him to the character of an intelligent, brave and active officer.” We also find that Gen. Knox speaks in the highest praise of this same soldier. Col. Wm. T. Shaw enlisted in the Second Kentucky Volunteers when he was nineteen years of age and served under Col. W. R. McKee.

He was in the desperate battle of Buena Vista and in the thickest of the fight where Col. McKee was killed. In 1849 he led a company of thirty-six men over the Santa Fe route to California. In 1853 he settled in Anamosa, Jones County, Iowa. Col. Shaw was married May 1, 1854, to Helen L. Crane, who died December 25, 1867. After the death of his wife he was again married to Elizabeth Crane-Highby February 24, 1870. One daughter, Helen L. Shaw, survives him and a step-daughter, Fannie Highby-Dutton.

In the Mexican War Wm. T. Shaw distinguished himself as a brave and efficient soldier. When the dark clouds of civil war gathered in the spring of 1861 Col. Shaw was on his way to his native state of Maine, and, hearing of the attack on Ft. Sumpter, he at once telegraphed Gov. Kirkwood, offering his services to his country. Making a short visit in Maine, he returned to Iowa and organized the Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry and was mustered into the U. S. service November 6, 1861, as Colonel of the Fourteenth Infantry. The regiment immediately went south to St. Louis and joined Grant’s army before the battle of Ft. Donaldson.

He led the regiment in the thickest of the fight at the battle of Ft. Donaldson and again at Shiloh, all that long, terrible day of April 6th, his brigade made a desperate fight against superior numbers at the Hornet’s Nest and for hours by heroic resistance staid the progress of the enemy and just as the sun went down, cut off from the main army and surrounded by overwhelming numbers, was forced to surrender. At the disastrous battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, Col. Shaw commanded a brigade and made a most gallant fight and aided greatly in saving Gen. Bank’s army from disaster and destruction. In that disastrous battle Col. Shaw’s brigade was the first to engage with the enemy and the last to leave the field. The brigade’s loss in the battle was over five hundred men. For his superb service in the battle, Col. Shaw merited promotion to the rank of brigadier-general. In January, 1864, he, with his regiment, was assigned to the Second Brigade Third Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps. He was with Sherman in his Meridian expedition and was afterward sent to join Gen. Bank’s army.

On the 5th day of September, 1864, Major-General A. J. Smith sent the following request to the president:

“Memphis, Tenn.

To His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States:

Dear Sir: I desire to place before you a recommendation for promotion to the rank of brigadier-general the name of Wm. T. Shaw, Fourteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, (now commanding the Third Division, Sixteenth Army Corps), who has been a very efficient officer under my command for the last twelve months. He was with me in several engagements and at all times proved himself an efficient and worthy commander. His term of service expires in about sixty days and I should not like to see him leave, if it could be avoided.

Your obedient servant,

A. J. Smith, Major-General.”

Major-General A. J. Smith, in relieving Col. Shaw from the command of the Third Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps, said: “It is an act of justice to an energetic, thorough, competent officer to say that for the last fifteen months he has been in command of the brigade and division and in every position has performed the duties faithfully and well with ability that few can equal, with courage, patriotism and skill above question, and the service loses an excellent officer when he is mustered out.”

Col. Shaw resumed the duties of citizenship at the expiration of the term of his service and his name was connected with many of the enterprises of Anamosa from that time until the day of his death. He was the first mayor, was on the school board for many years and was elected a member of the legislature in 1875 and 1876. He aided in the building of the Congregational and Methodist churches and Shaw’s block, where is located the county offices and court room, which he gave to the people of Jones County under a lease for ninety-nine years. He built many other blocks in Anamosa and a number of residences in different parts of the city.

For more than thirty-five years he was the senior member of the Shaw & Schoonover Bank, now the Anamosa National Bank, and had more to do with the material growth and development of the town than any other citizen during his residence of fifty-six years.

Behind all of his enterprises, industry and perseverance was kindness of heart, as was shown by the care of his men in the army. Col. Shaw gave largely to all benevolent enterprises of the town and county and helped and aided all worthy, needy people in and about Anamosa. He was a strong temperance man, detesting the use of alcoholic stimulants and tobacco. He was a typical pioneer and Anamosa will not soon look upon his like again. In his personal character Col. Shaw was modest, readily yielding to others, a close observer of events and a rare judge of men.

During his declining years Col. Shaw was blessed with the comfort and cheer afforded by the companionhip of his daughter, Helen L. Shaw, who had given the best years of her life making a home for her father and being his constant companion, and in his declining years became eyes, as well as hands to the old veteran, continually ministering to his wants and comforts, giving him every possible attention that a loving daughter could bestow.

A friend of his has written:

“Statesman, patriot, soldier, friend, he died as he had lived and in a brave battle with the grim reaper, he yielded at last to his final surrender. Somewhere in eternity within some golden palace walls, where old battle scarred banners float, and Union jacks keep guard, and Grants and Shermans reign, and all the patriot heroes dwell, the old and fearless warrior has joined the armies of the ages, amid the dawning light of a new born century, in an age of iron, and steam, and armies, and in a world of peace, weary with the weight of years, death touched his tired heart and he was borne across the great divide that separates man from immortality. Free at last from all the turmoils and struggles of a long and busy life, the old veteran is at rest.”

Therefore, Be it Resolved, That we, the members of the Thirty-fourth General Assembly of the State of Iowa, in respect to the memory of the brave soldier gone to his last reward, do further resolve that this resolution be spread upon the records of this House and a copy of the same, duly enrolled, be presented to his daughter, Helen L. Shaw, in respect to the memory of one who served the duties of a citizen, statesman and soldier.

W. M. BYERLY,

ELI C. PERKINS,

W. N. TOWNSEND,

Committee.

Adopted.