Albert D. Shaw

Shaw was born in Lyme, New York, on December 21, 1841, a son of Henry Shaw and Sally Ann (Gardner) Shaw.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} Shaw was raised on his family's farm in Lyme, and attended the local schools.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} He was a student at Union Academy in Belleville and St. Lawrence University in Canton before leaving school to join the military.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

Shaw enlisted in the Union Army for the American Civil War, joining Company A, 35th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment as a private in June 1861.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} He was later promoted to corporal, and he served until being mustered out with the rest of his regiment in June 1863.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} Shaw took part in the regiment's activities in Virginia and Maryland, including; construction of Fort Tillinghast and Fort Craig (autumn 1861); guard and patrol duty in and around Falls Church, Virginia (winter 1861-1862); guard and patrol duty in and around Falmouth, Virginia (spring 1862); battles at Rappahannock Station, White Sulphur Springs, and Gainesville (summer 1862); Second Battle of Bull Run (August 1862); Chantilly (September 1862); South Mountain (September 1862); Antietam (September 1862); and Fredericksburg (December 1862).{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} In January, 1863, the regiment was assigned to the provost guard brigade in Falmouth, and also performed guard and patrol duty along the Aquia Creek railroad.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} In May, the regiment left Maryland for New York so it could be mustered out.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

After his discharge, Shaw was appointed a special agent of the Army provost marshal's office in Watertown, and served until the close of the war.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} The provost marshal's duties included keeping track of men eligible for military service, and compelling them to report if they refused to answer the call.{{sfn|Geographical Gazetteer}} In addition, the provost marshal kept records on paid substitutes and men who had been paid bounties to enlist, and arrested them if they failed to leave for the front lines.{{sfn|Geographical Gazetteer}} The provost marshal's staff also tracked down deserters from the front lines and returned them to their units or imprisoned them.{{sfn|Geographical Gazetteer}}

After the war, Shaw was commissioned as a colonel and assigned as commander of the New York National Guard's 36th Infantry Regiment.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} He served until resigning in 1868 to accept a US consul's appointment.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

Shaw returned to St. Lawrence University after the Civil War, but left before completing his degree.{{sfn|Catalogue of Students}} In 1866, he was a successful Republican candidate for the New York State Assembly from the 2nd District of Jefferson County, and he served in the 90th New York State Legislature (1867).{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

In 1868, Shaw was appointed as United States consul in Toronto, Canada.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} He served until 1878, and Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, commended Shaw's written reports as the best in the consular service.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} In 1878, Shaw was appointed as consul in Manchester, England, and he served until 1885, when the newly-elected administration of Grover Cleveland replaced him with a Democratic appointee.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

After leaving Manchester, Shaw resided in Watertown, and was a sought after speaker for holidays, the dedications of Civil War memorials, and Republican political campaigns.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} He was also active in Watertown's civic life, including service as president of its Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) and chamber of commerce.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

Shaw was long active in the Grand Army of the Republic, and was elected department commander for New York in 1897.{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw"}} In 1899 he was elected commander-in-chief of the GAR's national organization, and he served until 1900.{{sfn|"The New York Man Was Elected"}}

In 1900, Shaw was elected as a Republican to fill the vacancy in the 56th Congress that was caused by the death of Charles A. Chickering.{{sfn|"Seven New Members of the Present House"}} He was reelected to the 57th Congress, but died before the term began on March 4, 1901.{{sfn|"Seven New Members of the Present House"}}{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}} Shaw's brief Congressional service spanned from November 6, 1900 until his death.{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}}

Shaw died in Washington, D.C., on February 10, 1901.{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}} News accounts indicated that he returned to his room at the Riggs House hotel after attending a banquet in honor of Leo Rassieur, his successor as GAR commander-in-chief.{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}} He was found dead the next morning, and the physician summoned to his room found the cause to be apoplexy (a stroke).{{sfn|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}} He was interred at Brookside Cemetery in Watertown, New York.{{sfn|"Funeral of Colonel Shaw"}}

In 1872, Shaw married Mary Sherwood Keith of Chicago.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}} They were the parents of three children - Henry L. Keith Shaw, Mabel Keith Shaw, and Minnie Scott Shaw.{{sfn|Growth of a Century}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

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• {{cite book |last=Child |first=Hamilton |date=1890 |title=Geographical Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y. |volume=Parts 1 and 2 |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo1.ark:/13960/t3gx4w804;view=1up;seq=181 |location=Syracuse Journal Company |publisher=Syracuse Journal Company |pages=152–153, 159–160 |ref={{sfnRef|Geographical Gazetteer}}}}
• {{cite book |last=Haddock |first=John A. |date=1894 |title=Growth of a Century: As illustrated in the History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894 |url=https://archive.org/details/growthofcenturya00hadd |location=Philadelphia, PA |publisher=Sherman & Co. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/growthofcenturya00hadd/page/n78 57]-61, 83-84 |ref={{sfnRef|Growth of a Century}}}}
• {{cite book |last=St. Lawrence University |date=1886 |title=Catalogue of Students and Not Graduates of St. Lawrence University, 1886-1885 |series=Catalogue number |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t22c0xh4k;view=1up;seq=146 |location=Canton, NY |publisher=St. Lawrence Plain Dealer Steam Presses |page=10 |via=HathiTrust |ref={{sfnRef|Catalogue of Students}}}}

• {{cite news |date=May 20, 1897 |title=Col. Albert D. Shaw of Watertown Was Elected Department Commander of the State Grand Army of the Republic |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/20318304/ |work=The New York Times |location=New York, NY |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Col. Albert D. Shaw"}}}}
• {{cite news |date=September 7, 1899 |title=The New York Man Was Elected: There Was No Opposition to Col. Albert D. Shaw As Commander in Chief |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/541888834/ |work=The Brooklyn Citizen |location=Brooklyn, NY |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"The New York Man Was Elected"}}}}
• {{cite news |date=November 21, 1900 |title=Seven New Members of the Present House |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/541970392/ |work=The Standard Union |location=Brooklyn, NY |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Seven New Members of the Present House"}}}}
• {{cite news |date=February 11, 1901 |title=Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/325612725/ |work=The Buffalo Enquirer |location=Buffalo, NY |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy"}}}}
• {{cite news |date=February 14, 1901 |title=Funeral of Colonel Shaw |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/275473825/ |work=Elmira Daily Gazette and Free Press |location=Elmira, NY |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com |ref={{sfnRef|"Funeral of Colonel Shaw"}}}}

{{CongBio|S000302}}

• {{Find a Grave|7751365}}
• {{cite book |last=US House of Representatives |date=1901 |title=Memorial Addresses on the Life and Character of Albert D. Shaw |series=56 Cong. 25 sess. H. Doc.,523 |url=http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433082389812;view=2up;seq=6 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=US Government Printing Office |via=HathiTrust}}

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{{succession box | title =New York State Assembly
Jefferson County 2nd District | before = Nelson D. Ferguson | years = 1867 | after = Andrew Cornwall}}

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{{US House succession box

| state=New York

| district=24

| before=Charles A. Chickering

| after=Charles L. Knapp

| years=November 6, 1900 – February 10, 1901

}}

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{{USCongRep-start

| congresses = 56th United States Congresses

| state = New York

}}

{{USCongRep/NY/56}}

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Category:1841 births

Category:1901 deaths

Category:19th-century American diplomats

Category:People of New York (state) in the American Civil War

Category:St. Lawrence University alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly

Category:Politicians from Jefferson County, New York

Category:Union army colonels

Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)

Category:Grand Army of the Republic commanders-in-chief

Category:19th-century members of the New York State Legislature

Category:19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives