John P. Shaw
John P. Shaw
JOHN PORTZ SHAW was born in Camden, New Jersey on September 16, 1882. He was the son of William H. Shaw and Sarah Portz, who had wed on November 6, 1879 at Union Methodist Episcopal Church. His father was politically active in the Fifth Ward and worked twelve years as superintendent of collections in Camden's Highway Department.
John P. Shaw's grandfather was former City Marshal Edmund Shaw. Edmund Shaw and family were living in South Camden as early as 1850. The elder Shaw, who appears in records at times as Edward, Edwin, and Edmond, was a carpenter by trade. In 1859 he was elected to a one-year term as City Marshal, the equivalent of Chief of Police. He later served as a Justice of the Peace. John P. Shaw's uncle, also named Edmund Shaw, was a member of the Camden Fire Department, serving from 1872 until 1881, much of it as the driver of Engine Company 1. Another uncle, Albert Shaw, served as a Camden policeman from 1894 to 1917, and Albert's son Louis Shaw served Camden as a firefighter and as a policeman from 1917 to 1944. A first cousin, Charles H. Elfreth, worked 43 years in Camden's city government, for the most part in the tax office.
Edmund Shaw and his family begin appearing at 311 Division Street in Camden City Directories in 1876, and maintained a presence at that address until 1913. Edmund Shaw drowned when his boat capsized in the Delaware River off Gloucester on August 6, 1893.
The 1900 Census shows William and Sarah Shaw at 311 Division Street with children May, 19, John P., 17, and William H. Jr., 14. John P. Shaw first appears in Camden City Directories at 311 Division Street in 1902. He worked as a blacksmith and horseshoer until May of 1916, when he was appointed to the Camden Fire Department.
On April 20, 1904 John P. Shaw married Mary E. Johnson at Union Methodist Episcopal Church. On November 17, 1904 a son, Albert Jarvis Shaw, was born. The Shaws are listed at 316 Division Street in the 1905 and 1906 Directories, then moved to 816 Line Street for 1907 and 1908. John P. Shaw had a blacksmith business at Ferry Avenue and the White Horse Pike in these years. The 1909 Directory shows the Shaws at 241 Spruce Street. The 1910 Census and 1911 City Directory lists the Shaws at 320 Chestnut Street. In 1913 John P. and Mary E. Shaw are listed at 331 Liberty Street. From 1914 to 1916 the family was at 1210 South 3rd Street.
John P. Shaw and family moved to 286 Mt. Vernon Street to be with his mother. On May 18, 1916 John P. Shaw was appointed to the Fire Department to replace William E. Laird, who had been injured at a fire in Collingswood, New Jersey and forced to retire. John P. Shaw served with Engine Company 7 on Kaighn Avenue.
The family stayed at 286 Mt. Vernon Street for a year or so. By September of 1918 they had moved to 322 Sycamore Street. Another son, John P. Shaw Jr., was born on February 1, 1918 and baptized at Kaighn Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church on June 8, 1919.
John P. Shaw left the Fire Department in 1920. He worked as a blacksmith for a time at South Front Street and Kaighn Avenue. Late in 1922 or early in 1923 he moved to Haddon Heights, New Jersey where he became a police officer. He served for 23 years with the Haddon Heights Police Department.
John P. Shaw's son, Second Lieutenant John P. Shaw Jr., was killed in France when the plane he was co-pilot of collided with an RAF plane on July 18, 1944.
John P. Shaw retired in 1946. He passed away at his home, 1937 Sycamore Street in Haddon Heights, on January 4, 1947. He had been a member of Ionic Lodge No. 94, Free and Accepted Masons.
Shaw Gets Fire Department Appointment
Camden Post-Telegram —
Walter W. Selby, of the Third ward, who has been employed in the electrical department at the Carney's Point Powder Works, has been appointed to the position made vacant in No. 3 Engine Company by the resignation of Anthony Paradise. He will go on duty to-morrow.
John Shaw, 286 Mt. Vernon street, a former member of No. 1 Engine Company, who resigned to go into the blacksmithing and horse-shoeing business at Front and Kaighn avenue, will again become a fireman, having been appointed to the vacancy in No. 7 Company caused by the resignation of Harry Day.
Frelinghuysen Majority Seen in Camden County
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Aside from the United States Senatorial contest interest in the primary election in Camden today centres on one fight on the county ticket, two on the city ticket and several ward contests. Camden county is expected to give a big majority for Senator Frelinghuysen, who is opposed for renomination by George L. Record.
Justice of the Peace Simon Wilkinsky, of the Sixth ward, is contesting with Congressman F. F. Patterson for the nomination for Congress in the First New Jersey District, which comprises Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties. Wilkinsky is little known and the renomination of the Congressman by a large majority is predicted.
The contest for the Republican nomination for Surrogate is the only ripple on the county ticket. Harry Reeves, the incumbent, is opposed by Irving Buckle, former Freeholder and for a score of years active in the Republican organization. He resigned as county committeeman from the Fourth ward to make the fight against Reeves, who has the backing of the regulars. An odd twist to the campaign was taken yesterday when Leon Buckle, son of the candidate, filed a petition as an independent candidate for Surrogate at the general election. The law requires that such petitions be filed previous to the primary. Should the elder Buckle happen to win the nomination the son would, of course, withdraw his petition as an independent.
The contest on the city ticket is for the office of Recorder, which is the title held by the police magistrate. O. S. Stackhouse, the incumbent, is opposed by David Rankins, former Freeholder and former Overseer of the Poor. Mayor Frank S. Van Hart, City Treasurer George A. Frey and Receiver of Taxes A. B. Sparks are without opposition for nomination on the Republican ticket.
On the Democrat side Robert A. Irving is not opposed for the nomination for Surrogate. Nor is there any fight on the city ticket, the lone candidates being: For Mayor, Victor King; for Recorder, George W. Tash; for Receiver of Taxes, Benjamin S. Moloney; for City Treasurer, Isaac Albertson.
Assemblymen T. Harry Rowland, J. Heulings Coles and Willard T. Gibbs will be renominated by the Republicans without opposition. Their Democratic opponents, also unopposed, will be C. Lawrence Gregorio, John J. Tischner and Frank B. Hambleton. Frank J. Leonard and Dr. William H. Pratt are unopposed for the Republican nomination for Coroner. The Democrats have no candidates on their ballot for these places. Two nominees will be chosen by the voters writing their names on the ballots.
Much interest is being manifest in the contest for the two places on the Democratic State Committee. One man and one woman are to be named. Mrs. Katherine M. Donges, now a member of the committee, is opposed by Mrs. Mae Hawkins. Mrs. Donges was in the limelight some weeks ago when she is alleged to have said at a Democratic gathering that Senator Runyon, who is to be the Republican candidate for Governor, was drunk at a meeting in Camden. Senator Runyon is a pronounced dry and Mrs. Donges was severely criticized by members of both parties for her alleged remarks. …though Senator Runyon demanded an apology Mrs. Donges has neither affirmed or denied making such remarks. She is paired with State Committeeman Edward Kelleher, whose opponent is Albert Neutze.
The Republicans have Councilmanic contests in four of the fourteen wards. In the Fifth Ward Councilman Louis Bantivoglio is opposed by J. H. Williams, negro. The latter’s name appears on the primary ballot, but yesterday he announced he had withdrawn from the race. This leaves the field free to the present Councilman. John H. Carroll and John P. Shaw are rival candidates for the County Committee.
There is a lively contest in the Seventh ward for the nomination to succeed Mayor Van Hart in Council. The aspirants are Joseph B. Davis and William Frost. The latter has the backing of Patrick Carr, who seeks to wrest the county committeemanship from Street Commissioner Alfred L. Sayers. Carr has also filed a petition as an independent candidate for Council at the general election. The petition is defective and was sent back to Carr by County Clerk William D. Brown with instructions to amend it to comply with the law. Carr will withdraw as an independent candidate in the event of Frost winning at the primary today.
Councilman John Rogers and Charles E. Hill are rival contestants in the Tenth ward. In the same bailiwick Charles S. Wolverton and Samuel Edwards are fighting for the County Committee place, which is now held by Wolverton. There is also a contest for the female place on the County Committee.
In the Twelfth ward Councilman John Dobbins is being opposed for renomination by Mrs. Lizzie P. Abbott.
The Democrats have three Councilmanic contests. In the Thirteenth ward the opposing candidates are Edwin L. Aument and Frederick Stanton. Walter J. Farrell and John B. Dean are rivals in the Third ward, and S. Raymond Dobbs and Harry McCloskey are contests in the Fourteenth ward.
Camden county Socialists yesterday named a city and county ticket by petition as follows: Surrogate, Herman Neissner; Coroners, Francis Stratton, Clara K. Stamm; Assembly, Morris Steppa, Thomas Heil, Albert Bardsley; Mayor, Albert H. Starr, Stratton; Recorder, George A. Harkins; City Treasurer, John McAlack; Receiver of Taxes, Richard Davies. A petition as a Socialist candidate for Council in the Eleventh ward was filed by Leo M. Harkins. Independent petitions for Council were filed by William Smith, Eighth ward, and Joseph Wood, Fifth ward.
John P. Shaw Dies; Retired Policeman
Camden Courier-Post —
Haddon Heights Resident Former Fifth Ward GOP Aide
Less than a year after his retirement, Patrolman John P. Shaw died Saturday at his home, 1937 Sycamore street, Haddon Heights, at the age of 64. He was a Haddon Heights policeman for 23 years.
After a boyhood in Camden, Mr. Shaw was employed by the Camden fire department until 1920, serving with Engine Company No. 7. From 1910 to 1916 he was Republican committeeman and served as a trustee of the Fifth Ward Republican Club, Camden.
For a while he operated a blacksmith shop at Front street and Kaighn avenue, Camden. He was a member of Ionic Lodge, No. 94, F. & A. M., the Haddon Heights Men’s Club, and the South Jersey Suburban Police Association.
Mr. Shaw is survived by his wife, Mary E., a son Albert, and two grandchildren. His son John P. Jr., a lieutenant in the Army Air Forces, was killed in action over France July 18, 1944.
Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 p. m. from the funeral home of William B. Evoy, 205 Second avenue, Haddon Heights, with burial in Harleigh cemetery. Friends may call Wednesday evening. Masonic services will be held at 8 p. m. Wednesday.