Listed in the will of Richard Marsh - John Marsh who married Elizabeth Hull, daughter of John Hull and another daughter married Joseph Putman named above. The will of Richard was witnessed by Richard Monks and John Hull, both of whom served during the War with England. 

The Marsh and Hull families were machine builders and had interests in Madison, Indiana at an early date, and several branches of both families moved to that point where they built steamboats for the river trade.

Extracts from Lexington City Directory of 1838 list a Richard Marsh, Editor of the Lexington Observer & Reporter. He married a daughter of Bushrod Boswell, and died in 1880.

Richard Marsh of Lexington, Kentucky married Catherine Milward who had been born in England in about 1787 and was counted in the 1850 census residing in her daughter Emma Shaw's household.

1. Nancy Marsh - born about 1809; married Hiram Shaw.
2. Emma Marsh - born about 1813; married Nathaniel Shaw.
3. Richard Marsh - born about 1819; married Isabelle.

Hiram was born on 13 Aug 1809 in Lexington, and at the age of 14, he was apprenticed to Joseph Putman who manufactured wool carding machines and remained with him for about ten years.

Several years after his brother Nathaniel and James White had gone into business, Hiram purchased White's interest and the firm became known as N & H Shaw in which they were hatters, such as he is listed in the 1850 census. The firm of N. & H. Shaw moved from Main & Broadway to a building used by John T. Miller, then across the street to where McMichael's Dry Goods Store was located until recent years, then the firm moved opposite the Court House, where they kept up the making of hats, with Theodore C. Marsh as foreman.

The 1859-1860 Lexington Directory had listed him as a clerk boarding at southside of Short between Spring & Jefferson, same residence as Emma Shaw. Before Hiram's death in May of 1873, the family was listed in the 1870 census as a rather successful hat and cap manufacturer with servants. Included in their household was their married son Joshua and his wife Jane. Joshua was listed as as a furniture dealer while son Joseph was working as a U.S. store keeper.

In 1880 Nancy is listed as head of household in the census for Lexington with her two youngest children, Kate and Theodore - both who were unmarried. Theodore was listed as a bookkeeper.

Living next door to Nancy was her son Joshua and his wife J.S. who was listed as age 35, born about 1845, her father born in Kentucky and her mother in Virginia. Joshua is listed as a bank teller.

1. Joshua Pilcher Shaw - born about 1838 in Lexington, Fayette, KY; counted in a census in 1850 in Lexington and listed in the 1859- 1860 Lexington Directory lists him as a clerk at H. Shaw & Company (Hats, Caps, Furs, Trunks) which was located at corner of south side of Main between Mill & Upper. He married J. Scott and was living next door to his mother in 1880.
2. Agnes Usher Shaw - born about 1841 in Lexington, Fayette, KY; married George Hamilton and died on 05 Nov 1924.
3. Joseph Milward Shaw - born about 1843 in Lexington, Fayette, KY
4. Kate Marsh Shaw - born about 1845 in Lexington, Fayette, KY; she never married and was listed in her mother's household in 1880.
5. Theodore Marsh Shaw - born about 1847 in Lexington, Fayette, KY; never married and was listed in his mother's household in 1880.

At the time of his Nathaniel's father died in 1820, he was working in the county clerk's office as a writer, preparing to study law, but after his father died, he became an apprentice under Thomas B. Megowan (also McGowan) in the cabinet making trade where he worked for several years. He then secured work as clerk on the Mississippi River on steamboats operated by the Hull and Marsh families at Madison, Indiana.

He was Captain of the Brandywine at the time he married Emma, and in about 1833 he went to Lexington where he engaged in hat making with James C. White of Woodford County. Several years after the firm of White & Shaw started, Nathaniel's younger brother Hiram purchased White's interest, and the firm then became N. & H. Shaw.

Nathaniel was listed in the 1840 census with one male 0-5 (Hiram); two females 0-5 (Catherine & Emma) and and wife Emma (Marsh). He died on February 15, 1849 at age 45 and 15 days, leaving six children. His widow Emma was listed as head of household in the 1850 census.

On March 22, 1859, Emma purchased a house built on South Broadway in 1846. John McMurtry and James C. Butler had bought the south half-block of the land from Robert Wickliffe. The land was bounded by Broadway, Maxwell and Spring and had been the old drill ground of early days, back of Lexington's "hill fort." James. C. Butler who was a prominent merchant on Main Street decided to take 100 feet of the purchase on Broadway and built his residence on it.

The 1859 Directory lists him and his family as living here, while Emma's residence was listed on south side of Short between Spring & Jefferson. This house remained in possession of the Shaws for more than 35 years. Emma Shaw's heirs and executors sold it in 1894 to Hallie P. Wilson, whose mother Mrs. Jane R. Graves paid for the home.

The deed states: "Whereas Emma R., Julia H. and Margaret P. Shaw, daughters of Emma Shaw, have concluded that their residence on Broadway hereinafter described is unsuitable for them to live in (which property was devised and passed under the will of Emma Shaw)...and whereas Joshua P. Shaw and Hiram Shaw, exors. of Emma Shaw are authorized to sell said property."

In 1880 daughter Emma R. Shaw is listed as head of household which includes her sisters Julia and Margret, an 18 year old female listed as E. Freeman born in GA and probably her younger brother W.A. Freeman listed as age thirteen also of GA. The household also includes a black cook, age 70, Dice Smith from Kentucky.

Shaw - Hiram, the hatter of Lexington, Kentucky

1. Hiram Shaw - born 22 Mar 1835 and married Harriet E. Martin.
2. Catherine M. Shaw - born 26 Apr 1837; married Pope Freeman.
3. Emma R. Shaw - born 1 Aug 1839; never married.
4. Julia H. Shaw - born 3 Feb 1842; never married.
5. Ann Eliza Shaw - born 4 Oct 1844; married (1) Mr. Pleasants; (2) Mr. Carpenter.
6. Margaret Pilcher Shaw - born 6 Jan 1847; never married.

He married Isabella who was born about 1823 in Kentucky. Although not yet confirmed, "Shaws of Lexington" by Ralph Shaw, stated that "Richard, the 3rd of this name, was married to the daughter of Bushrod Boswell." It also states that he became an editor for the Lexington Observer & Reporter and that he died in 1880.

What is known of the Boswells of Lexington is that Dr.Joseph & Bushrod Boswell were in business a short time on Cheapside and they were succeeded by Morrison Boswells & Sutton. Col. James Morrison was the first named partner, Dr. Joseph Boswell & his brother Bushrod the second - who seemed to do a very large business. They bought hemp which was manufactured for the firm.

Bushrod & Thos. E. Boswell carried on the business together on N.E. Corner of Main & Mill St. under the style of Thos. E. Boswell & Co. They had two excellent clerks and accountants from Baltimore - John & Cyprian Wells. Bushrod had good talents for business and was at one time a director in the branch Bank of the United States but was totally ruined by his passions.

Thos. E. Boswell became a partner with Wm. W. Ater in the Rope & Bagging business and carried on a farm near Lexington for some years. He married a handsome and agreeable lady Miss Campfield of New York by whom he had an agreeable family & then removed to Paducah.

Whether this is the same as Isabelle's family is not know, but a family of Richard Marsh was residing in Lexington in 1880. The household conissisted of: Richard Marsh, age 65; wife Isabell age 57; daughter Julia age 33 who was listed as single and working in the millinary business; and son Richard, age 31 and single, working as a bill poster.

1. Julia B. Marsh - born about 1845 in Lexington, Fayette, KY.
2. Richard B. Marsh - born about 1846 in Lexington, Fayette, KY; "B" is most probably for Boswell.
3. Laura Marsh - born about 1849 in Lexington, Fayette, KY. Not emurated with the family in 1880, possibly married or passed away prior to this time.

• Shaw, The name and Genealogy - by Geo. Castor Martin, Asbury Park, N.J. published by Martin and Allardyce during 1913.
• Genealogy of the Marsh Family - by D.W. Marsh, Amherst, press of J.E. Williams, 1886.
• Marsh Genealogy - by D.W. Marsh, Amherst, press of Carpenter & Morehouse, 1896.
• Genealogy of George Marsh- by E.J. Marsh, press of F.N. Boutwell, 1887.
• John Marsh Descendants - by L.B. Marsh, press J.E. Williams, 1888.
• A Memoir of Lexington and its Vicinity; Part V by William A. Leavy, 1943.
• Shaw Genealogy - by Joel Munsell & Sons, Albany, N.Y.
• Pilcher Genealogy - by Joel Munsell & Sons, Albany, N.Y.

HOME

Updated 10 Jun 2008
Web Pages Designed & Maintained by P. Davidson-Peters © 1999 All Rights Reserved.