Person:Ithamar Shaw (2)

From "The Shaw Family History", by Wm. D. Clutton, 15 May, 2001:

Introduction:

The earliest member that this Shaw family can trace to was Ithamar Shaw w ho was supposed to have come from New York State to the Hamilton area a nd was living in West Flamboro township in 1794. Family tradition had it t hat he was a United Empire Loyalist of Scottish descent. It was supposed t hat when Ithamar was coming to Canada with his family and many others th ey were attacked by Indians. They beat them off but at night the India ns came back and killed all that didn't escape except for seven white bo ys whom they took captive and brought them to Canada by way of Niagara a nd raised them to manhood. At this time they had to run the gauntlet a nd Shaw was the only one that they saved. This was Ithamar Shaw and they g ave him land near the head waters. This land was mostly east of the Indi an Trail between Hamilton and Port Dover. It is now concession 7, Glanfo rd township, lots 6-10 and half concession 8, lots 6-8 or 9. This fami ly story comes from Vyvyan Shaw who got it from his Aunt Becky.

Ithamar Shaw got 188 acres in Glanford township, lot 8, conc.7 from Jo hn Smith for £50 in a conveyance dated July ll,l810,registered Jan.26,l81 8. In a Bargain & Sale dated Nov.10,l827, registered Mar.2, 1829,he grant ed 50 acres to Thomas Choate, and another 41 acres in a B & S to him dat ed July 27,1831,registered Mar.9,1832. Thomas Choate dammed the creek runn ing through his land and built a sawmill there.

As Thomas Choate had come from Enfield, New Hampshire, and it was to Conc ord, New Hampshire that Ithamar's grandsons Dennis and Joseph had go ne to enlist in the Union Army in the American Civil War, perhaps Ithamar 's family had come from New Hampshire and he still had some relatives the re where the Shaws and Choates knew each other. Thomas Choate married An na McCarter on July 10,1808. She was a granddaughter of Robert Land who w as the first settler in Hamilton. This Robert Land was also suppos ed to be related, according to Vyvyan Shaw's information, to the Morden gi rl who was Ithamar's first wife. Actually Robert Land was a neighbour of t he Mordens in Pennsylvania. Anyway, Thomas and Anna had a family of 15 chi ldren, one of whom was Maria Jane who married 1Ithamar's grandson Thomas S haw.

The first wife for Ithamar Shaw was a Morden girl from over Waterdown wa y. Craig Burtch who is researching the Morden family tells me that Ithamar 's first wife was probably named Elizabeth and was a daughter of Jonath an Morden whose father George was a brother of Ralph Morden who married A nn Durham. After Ralph was hanged for traitorous conspiracy (helping Robe rt Land escape)at Easton, Pennsylvania in 1780, Ann brought her fami ly to the Hamilton area Ithamar and Elizabeth had one child Thomas bo rn in 1799. She died shortly thereafter.

Ithamar married secondly to Mary who was probably a daughter of Consid er Osborne. This marriage didn't always run smoothly, and a notice in rega rd to departed wives in the Gore Gazette (Ancaster) issue of Sept 27,18 28 says that Ithamar Shaw will no longer be responsible for the debts of h is wife Mary

Ithamar Shaw lived on his farm at lot 8,conc 7,Glanford until his dea th He died intestate on Aug 29,1834 and was buried in a plot on this fa rm Possibly his wife and some of his children are buried in that plot whi ch was fenced off at one time but is worked as part of a field now

1. ↑ Shaw Family History by Wm. D. Clutton, 15 May, 2001 - clutton(at)golden.net
   Introduction.

   QUAY 3 see notes