SHAW, Aretus C.

SHAW, RUTHERFORD, FITCH, SAMS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/14/2014 at 13:33:58

Biography ~ Aretus C. Shaw

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), Pp. 700-01:

ARETUS C. SHAW, of Garden Grove, is a pioneer of Decatur County, and perhaps none are more worthy of notice in the history of Ringgold and Decatur counties then he. He was born in Calhoun County, Illinois, December 16, 1823. His father, NATHANIEL SHAW, was a native of Cherry Valley, Herkimer County, New York, born in July [22], 1790. His occupation was that of a farmer, although when a young man he served an apprenticeship at the shoemaker’s trade. He served as teamaster in the war of 1812, and after the war, in 1818, moved to Illinois and settled in Alton, where he lived two years and then moved to Calhoun County, and entered eighty acres of land. He afterward bought 160 acres of adjoining this tract, where he lived until 1856, when he moved to Decatur County, Iowa, where he died in July, 1865. Our subject’s mother was ELIZABETH RUTHERFORD, a native of Virginia, and married in Calhoun County, Illinois, in 1819. She died in 1848, aged fifty years. The family consisted of three sons and five daughters – CHARLOTTE, ARETUS C., EMELINE (deceased), CARROLIE P., FENTON D. C., GEORGE W., ELEN (deceased), and SARAH. Our subject was reared on a farm. He received his education in the country schools, and also attended McKendree College, in St. Clair County, Illinois, a short time. He went to Missouri with his uncle and remained there eighteen months trading with the Indians. He then returned home and rented a farm and also bought and sold wood, shipping to the St. Louis market, which he followed to five years. In 1856 he moved to Decatur County, Iowa, and bought 360 acres of land on section 16, Garden Grove Township. He afterward bought 160 acres on section 14, which he improved. In the fall of 1858 he formed a partnership with HIRAM CHASE in the mercantile business, which he continued until 1865, when he sold out and afterward gave his attention to farming and feeding and shipping stock. He was married December 18, 1859, to Miss FIDELIA FITCH, who was born February 19, 1839 [Sandusky OH], a daughter of LYMAN and JANE FITCH, natives of the State of New York. She was the youngest of eight children, the others being – MARY A. (deceased), Dr. CHARLES, SYLVIA, SARAH, CHESTER, LUCY and EZRA. Mr and Mrs. SHAW have three children – LOIS, born June 18, 1861; GRANT L., born October 16, 1863, and CHARLES M., born November 2, 1867. Mr. SHAW owns ten acres of land in the corporate limits of Garden Grove, forty acres on section 28, adjoining, and five town lots on which is a good, commodious house, where he resides. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and a firm adherent to its principles. He has held several official positions, serving faithfully with credit to himself and the satisfaction of his fellow-townsmen.

NOTE: Aretus' father, Nathaniel Shaw, died August 30, 1865, Garden Grove IA. Aretus died on January 23, 1901. Fidelia died July 20, 1893. Lois (Shaw) Sams died in 1934. Grant L. Shaw died in 1936. Charles M. Shaw died in 1941. They were interred at Garden Grove Cemetery, Garden Grove IA.

Submission by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historical Society Museum, January of 2014

Note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014