Albert D. Shaw

Albert Duane Shaw
Albert Duane Shaw, Congressman from New York
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 24th district
In office November 6, 1900 – February 10, 1901
Preceded by	Charles A. Chickering
Succeeded by	Charles L. Knapp
Member of the New York State Assembly from Jefferson County's 2nd district
In office January 1, 1867 – December 31, 1867
Preceded by	Nelson D. Ferguson
Succeeded by	Andrew Cornwall
Personal details
Born	(1841-12-21)December 21, 1841 Lyme, New York, U.S.
Died	February 10, 1901(1901-02-10) (aged 59) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Brookside Cemetery, Watertown, New York, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Military service
Allegiance	United States (Union) New York State
Branch/service	Union Army New York National Guard
Years of service	1861–1866 (Army) 1867-1868 (National Guard)
Rank	Corporal (Army) Colonel (National Guard)
Unit	35th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Army)
Commands	36th New York Infantry Regiment (National Guard)
Battles/wars	American Civil War

Albert Duane Shaw (December 21, 1841 – February 10, 1901) was an American government official and politician from New York. A Union Army veteran of the American Civil War, he was most notable for his service as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic and a U.S. Representative from New York's 24th congressional district.

Shaw was born in Lyme, New York, on December 21, 1841, a son of Henry Shaw and Sally Ann (Gardner) Shaw.^[1] Shaw was raised on his family's farm in Lyme, and attended the local schools.^[1] He was a student at Union Academy in Belleville and St. Lawrence University in Canton before leaving school to join the military.^[1]

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.^[1] He was later promoted to corporal, and he served until being mustered out with the rest of his regiment in June 1863.^[1] 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).^[1] 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.^[1] In May, the regiment left Maryland for New York so it could be mustered out.^[1]

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.^[1] 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.^[2] 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.^[2] The provost marshal's staff also tracked down deserters from the front lines and returned them to their units or imprisoned them.^[2]

After the war, Shaw was commissioned as a colonel and assigned as commander of the New York National Guard's 36th Infantry Regiment.^[1] He served until resigning in 1868 to accept a US consul's appointment.^[1]

Shaw returned to St. Lawrence University after the Civil War, but left before completing his degree.^[3] 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).^[1]

In 1868, Shaw was appointed as United States consul in Toronto, Canada.^[1] He served until 1878, and Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, commended Shaw's written reports as the best in the consular service.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^[1] 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.^[1]

Shaw was long active in the Grand Army of the Republic, and was elected department commander for New York in 1897.^[4] In 1899 he was elected commander-in-chief of the GAR's national organization, and he served until 1900.^[5]

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.^[6] He was reelected to the 57th Congress, but died before the term began on March 4, 1901.^[6][7] Shaw's brief Congressional service spanned from November 6, 1900 until his death.^[7]

Shaw died in Washington, D.C., on February 10, 1901.^[7] 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.^[7] He was found dead the next morning, and the physician summoned to his room found the cause to be apoplexy (a stroke).^[7] He was interred at Brookside Cemetery in Watertown, New York.^[8]

In 1872, Shaw married Mary Sherwood Keith of Chicago.^[1] They were the parents of three children - Henry L. Keith Shaw, Mabel Keith Shaw, and Minnie Scott Shaw.^[1]

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

• Child, Hamilton (1890). Geographical Gazetteer of Jefferson County, N.Y. Vol. Parts 1 and 2. Syracuse Journal Company: Syracuse Journal Company. pp. 152–153, 159–160.
• Haddock, John A. (1894). Growth of a Century: As illustrated in the History of Jefferson County, New York, from 1793 to 1894. Philadelphia, PA: Sherman & Co. pp. 57-61, 83–84.
• St. Lawrence University (1886). Catalogue of Students and Not Graduates of St. Lawrence University, 1886-1885. Catalogue number. Canton, NY: St. Lawrence Plain Dealer Steam Presses. p. 10 – via HathiTrust.

• "Col. Albert D. Shaw of Watertown Was Elected Department Commander of the State Grand Army of the Republic". The New York Times. New York, NY. May 20, 1897. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
• "The New York Man Was Elected: There Was No Opposition to Col. Albert D. Shaw As Commander in Chief". The Brooklyn Citizen. Brooklyn, NY. September 7, 1899. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
• "Seven New Members of the Present House". The Standard Union. Brooklyn, NY. November 21, 1900. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
• "Col. Albert D. Shaw Dies from Apoplexy". The Buffalo Enquirer. Buffalo, NY. February 11, 1901. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
• "Funeral of Colonel Shaw". Elmira Daily Gazette and Free Press. Elmira, NY. February 14, 1901. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.

• United States Congress. "Albert D. Shaw (id: S000302)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Albert D. Shaw at Find a Grave
• US House of Representatives (1901). Memorial Addresses on the Life and Character of Albert D. Shaw. 56 Cong. 25 sess. H. Doc.,523. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office – via HathiTrust.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress