Bio: Shaw, Noah (1881)

Contact: crystal@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Shaw, Fisk, Ferguson, Grier, Galloway, Dexter, Waugh

----Source: History of Northern Wisconsin (Eau Claire County, Wis.) 1881, pages 331-332

NOAH SHAW, proprietor of Eagle Iron Works, Eau Claire, was born in the town of Hermon, Me., June 19, 1831. After the death of his mother, which occurred when he was quite young, he was taken by his father, Samuel Shaw, to New Hampshire, where he remained with a relative a year and a half. He lived in Somerset Co., Me., until he was nineteen years old, and then went to Old Town for a year, and then to Alma, Allegany Co., N. Y., where he resided until November, 1856, when he came to Eau Claire. He was engineer and superintendent of the Shaw & Bullen Mills until he commenced business for himself, in 1860, by establishing foundry and machine shops in their present location, in a wooden building. The shops at first contained no lathe, no plainer and no drill, and employed four men. He gradually increased his manufacturing facilities until, in 1866, he erected the stone part of his works and at the present time employs about fifty men. They manufacture engines, rotary saw-mills, gang-edgers, double and single block shingle-mills, grub-pin lathes, and other saw and flour-mill machinery, manufacturing about $75,000 per year. The original firm was Shaw, Fisk & Co., composed of Noah Shaw, J. D. Fisk, D. H. Ferguson and N. B. Grier. They did all the work originally. In 1863, Griersold out to remaining parties. In 1864, Fisk sold a half interest to Dr. Galloway, and a half to Noah Shaw. In 1867, Ferguson sold his interest to Dr. Galloway, and in 1873 or 1874, Mr. Shaw bought out Dr. Galloway, and has carried on the business alone most of the time since. Mr. S. was married in Lowell, Mass., to his first wife, Mary A. Dexter. They had three children — Ella, Emma and Frank. His present wife was Addie Waugh, a native of Mercer, Somerset Co., Me. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and has received all degrees except the 32d, and was one of the charter members of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P. He is Alderman of the Fourth Ward, serving his fourth year; he was a member of the Board of Supervisors one term, and Village Assessor prior to the city's incorporation.