Daniel J Shaw (1854 - 1898)

Daniel J Shaw was born 20 October 1854 in Union county, Georgia, USA to Hezekiah Daniel Shaw and Mary Croft. He was the fourth of six known children, though the 1900 census indicates that Mary & Hezekiah had 15 children.

I cannot locate the family in the 1860 census, they were possibly moving to Florida during that time. In 1870, the family is in Bradford County, Florida, USA near the Sanderson post office. (You can see the original image on Hezekiah's post linked above.)

1870 US census Bradford County, Florida Sanderson post office, stamped page 278


Shaw H D 46 M W Farmer 500 400 Georgia illiterate
Mary 43 F Keeping House SC illiterate
Vina 16 F FL 
Daniel 14 M Farm laborer FL Illiterate
Massouri 9 F FL
Robert 8/12 M FL

Sometime between 1870 and 1875, Daniel married Joan Diana Wester, daughter of Elias Wester and Penelope Driggers Wester. Their first known living child, Penney Viney Shaw, was born on the 14th of July 1875. Next came a son, Hezekiah K Shaw, born 12 Mar 1877. Third child born before the 1880 census was Virginia, born sometime in 1879. Their fourth known child Virginia was born sometime in 1880 after the census, as she is 5 years old in the 1885 census.

In the 1880 census, the Daniel Shaw family appears in Lake Butler, Bradford, Florida, USA, next door to his father, Hezekiah.

Daniel Shaw   Male, 24 years, Georgia,
Dianna Shaw, Wife, Female, 23 years, Florida
Vinie Shaw, Daughter, Female, 4 years, Florida
Hezekiah Shaw, Son, Male, 3 years, Florida
Virginia Shaw, Daughter, Female, 1 year, Florida

On Jan 28, 1885, Diana died. She is buried in South Prong Cemetery in Baker county, Florida. Her tombstone says "J Diana, wife of Daniel J Shaw" and gives her birth and death dates. You can view the memorial at Find A Grave here.

Daniel is a widow in Florida 1885 census in Bradford County with his four children.

SELF	Dan Shaw	M	36y
DAU	Vinie Shaw	F	10y
SON	Hesekiah Shaw	M	8y
DAU	Virginia Shaw	F	6y
DAU	Caroline Shaw	F	5y

Notice that his age is possibly listed as 36, but I believe its just a misformed 0 in a 30. Also, if you look at the whole page, four families before Dan Shaw is the Judson Vining family with an 18 year old daughter named Susan.

A little over a year later,possibly on 17 February 1886, Daniel remarried. His new bride was Susan Ella Vining, daughter of Judson Vining and Charlotte Alcox. (The marriage date is listed in a personal family tree but I have been unable to find the source for verification.)

The existence of an 1890 census or 1895 state census would be extremely helpful here, but from several sources, including the 1900 and 1910 censuses, I have pieced together seven children born to Daniel and Susan Ella, the last one born after he died in 1898.

Annie J Shaw (1886-1912)
Willie D Shaw (1888-1891)
Charley J Shaw (1889-1936)
Bert Agusta Shaw (1892-1942)
Elizabeth Shaw(1894-?)
Noah Shaw(1896-?)
Emily Shaw(1898-?)

Daniel dies in 1898, on April 7 in Lake Butler, Union, Florida, USA. He is buried in a dual grave with Susan Ella in Swift Creek Cemetery in Lake Butler, Union county, Florida. Daniel's parents, some of his siblings and some of his children are also buried in this cemetery. You can view the tombstone at Find A Grave here.

The tombstone contains an error - it lists his birth year as 1844. Reviewing the other records of his life, his estimated birth year is 1856, 1856 and 1855 or 1849. The last one depending on if you interpret the 1885 census as him being 30 or 36. Tombstone errors happen, the most famous one being this one: Februay 31 birthday on Tombstone.

(Susan E. Vining full name can be verified on this death certificate :https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FPSY-B22)

(Susan Shaw in 1900 census: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3D5-VYM)

(Susan Shaw in 1910 census: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MVVT-P32)