David W. Shaw (1852-1919)
Source: Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Monongalia, Marion and Taylor Counties, West Virginia
Rush, West & Company, Publishers; Philadelphia, PA.; 1895
pages - (in the Taylor County section)
HON. DAVID W. SHAW, ex-speaker of the West Virginia legislature, and the affable and competent superintendent of the West Virginia Reform School, located at Pruntytown, Taylor county, West Virginia, is a son of William and Edith (O'Neal) Shaw, and was born at Philippi, Barbour county, West Virginia, May 18, 1852.
During the religious persecutions in Scotland in the seventeenth century, many families passed over from Scotland to the north of Ireland, where they became the founders of that wonderful Scotch-Irish race that has given so many men to this country that have distinguished themselves in so many avenues of life.
William Shaw, grandfather, was a descendant of one of these families. He came to America some time in the latter part of the eighteenth century, and became a pioneer in Preston county, Virginia (now West Virginia), where he died. He was a man of frugal and industrious habits, and was possessed of powerful physical strength.
William Shaw, father, was born in Preston county, June 13, 1795, and died near Philippi, June 19, 1876. In his early days he moved to Barbour county, where he followed, at various times, the following lines of business: milling, running a ferry on Tygart's valley river, stone-cutting, and farming. He was a man of uprightness and probity of character, and possessed a clear insight into the motives, passions, and intrigues that sway men's minds, qualities that made him peculiarly fitted to fill the office of justice of the peace, an office he held for a period of twenty-five years. During nearly this entire time, he was a member of the county court. By virtue of being the longest in service on the court, he became sheriff of Barbour county, but sold his right to the office.
He served in the War of 1812, and was stationed at Norfolk, Virginia. He was a life-long democrat politically, and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He married Edith, a daughter of David O'Neal, a farmer of Barbour county, West Virginia, and had one son.
David W. Shaw was educated in the common schools of Philippi and the West Virginia college, at Flemington, Taylor county, from which he graduated in the class of 1876. He then entered the profession of teaching, devoting his winter months to teaching, and farming during the summer. This arrangement continued until 1885, when he relinquished teaching and devoted himself exclusively to agriculture, until June, 1894, when he was elected to the position he now holds. He is a democrat in political texture, and is prominent and influential in the councils of his party. In the autumn of 1886 he was elected a member of the State legislature, and was re-elected to the four successive The session of 1893 he served in the important capacity of speaker of the house. He was chairman of the committee on education during the first three sessions, and took a very active part in every measure pertaining to the welfare and progress of the schools. He introduced the bill providing for the abolishing of the special school elections, a measure which has been the means of a great saving, both of time and money, to the citizens of the Commonwealth. He was also instrumental in framing and securing the passage of a bill providing for the broadening of the common-school curriculum, so as to provide for the teaching of civil government, bookkeeping, and physiology in the public schools of the State. Fraternally he is a member of Philippi Lodge, No. 55, I. O. O. F., and is religiously a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in which he takes an active part, having served as steward, trustee, and class-leader.
On March 12, 1879, he married Barbara, a daughter of William W. Woodford, deceased, late a farmer of prominence of Barbour county. Two sons, David Blaine and William Ralston, bless this marriage. The reform school of which Mr. Shaw is superintendent is the only one in the State of West Virginia, and is located in what was formerly the court-house of Taylor county, now completely remodeled and greatly enlarged.
Every feature of the school shows the efficiency of the superintendent. His varied experience as a teacher, a farmer, a legislator, and a business man of the world, makes him eminently qualified for the responsible position to which he has been called.
Additional Information:
Barbour, WV - Death Certificate# 77
David William Shaw - died 18 Jan 1919 in Philippi