He was born on 16 January 1845, in Millville, New Jersey (3, 5). He was 17 years old when he was enlisted (5).
When he enlisted, he was a farmer (3, 5).
He was 5 feet 4 inches tall, and had a fair complexion, gray eyes, and brown hair (3, 5 [5'6", light complexion, light eyes, light hair]). (According to his discharge certificate, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and had a light complexion, light eyes, and light hair (3). And according to his 1879 declaration, he was 5 feet 6-1/2 inches tall, and had a light complexion, brown hair, and blue eyes (3).)
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 14 November 1861 (1, 3, 5). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Gilbert (3, 5). His post office was then Millville, New Jersey (3). (He claimed to be 18 years old when he enlisted, but his discharge shows his age as 17 years (3).) He served as a private in company H (1). He had rifle number 0 (5).
About 10 September 1862, he and others (including Charles Holcomb) guarded a wagon train from Clouds Mill, Virginia, to Fairfax Court House (3). While returning to Clouds Mills, he "made a misstep", which strained his left foot and ankle, leaving him lame (3). He stayed with the regiment for about two weeks, and was then treated in the US Hotel Hospital, and the US Primary School Hospital at Frederick, Maryland (3).
He was discharged on 17 December 1862 on surgeon's certificate, at Frederick City, Maryland, USA General Hospital number 6 (1, 3, 4, 5). He had been unfit for sixty days of the previous two months (2).
His discharge certificate lists the reason as:
"Periastitis of tarsal and metatarsal bones of left foot, occurring four months ago, disabling the foot, and causing permanent lameness. Disease occasioned by an incised wound received while in the [line?] of his duties Degree of disability - one fourth"
The certificate was signed by Surgeon J B Lewis, who was in charge of the hospital, and Colonel SH Allen, commanding (3). However, Shaw claimed that he was never wounded, but instead "strained his left foot ankle and leg at the knee, by making a misstep" (3).
He applied for a pension under the act of 14 July 1862 on 18 December 1862 (3, 6).
He was married to Almira Fifer about November 1864 (3). They had one child (3):
He applied for a pension on 29 August 1879 (3). He then lived at the corner of Mulberry and Eighth Streets, in Millville, Cumberland County, New Jersey (3). Since his discharge, he had worked as a laborer (3).
He was married to Ida Burow on 13 October 1888, at Atlantic City, New Jersey, by Reverend JC Cobb (3). They had four children (3):
On 9 February 1907, he made a declaration for invalid pension (3). He was then a resident of the Borough of Vineland, in Cumberland County, New Jersey (3). He was unable to earn a living by manual labor because of the injury to his left foot and increasing disability (3). He then received a pension, certificate number 174,939 (3).
He was a member of the General Nathanial Lyon Post number 10, of the Grand Army of the Republic, in Vineland, New Jersey (2). He was 64 when he was admitted, on 7/29 (presumably 29 July 1909) (2).
On 20 May 1912, he again made a declaration for pension, applying for a pension under the act of 11 May 1912 (3). He was still living in Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey (3).
Jennifer Sikorski is researching him; contact her at JennS218@aol.com
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster) (William S Shaw)
2 "Membership roster, General Nathanial Lyon Post # 10, Grand Army of the Republic, Vineland, New Jersey", sent to me by Dennis Clowney, 31 January 2002 (William S Shaw)
3 pension file, William S Shaw (thanks to Jennifer Sikorski for giving me a copy!)
4 company H, register of men discharged, #28 (William S Shaw)
5 company H, descriptive roll, #65 (William S Shaw)
6 pension index, by name (William S Shaw)
[I did not find an entry for him in the index on <www.ancestry.com> to the 1890 veteran's census (searched May 2007)--but I checked only William S and William served 1861-1862]
