built especially for chases and conflicts with small fast-sailing privateers. She was of 165 tons bur- then, carrying 12 light guns, and a crew that varird from 60 to 75 men. In tin- vessel, during a cruise of eight months, he captured eight French privateers, and recovered eleven American prizes, fighting five spirited actions, two of them with vessels of superior force. His most serious action, which was considered one of the warmest combats of the war, was with the " Flambeau," of 14 guns and 100 men, which, after a lively chase, he forced to fight and to strike her colors after a little more than an hour. The French vessel lost about half her crew in killed and wounded, to the Enter- prise's " ten. Lieut. Shaw cruised in the Mediter- ranean in the "George Washington " in 1801, and in the "John Adams" in 1805; meanwhile h>' h.-id been promoted to master-commandant. 22 May. 1804. lie became captain, 27 Aug., 1807, and com- manded the squadron in 1814 that was blockaded by the enemy in Thames river between New Lon- don and Norwich, Conn. In 1816-'17 he had charge of the Mediterranean squadron, and after- wan! he commanded the navy-yards at Boston, Ma., and Charleston, S. C.
SHAW, John, poet, b. in Annapolis. Mi].. 4
May, 1778 ; d. at sea, 10 Jan., 1809. He was gradu-
ated at St. John's college. Annapolis, in 1795,
studied medicine in the University of Pennsyl-
vania, and was appointed surgeon in the fleet that
was sent to Algiers in December, 1798. He also
served as secretary to Gen. William W. Eaton in
Tunis, but returned in 1800, and then went, in
1801, to continue his studies in Edinburgh. He
went to Canada with the Earl of Selkirk in 1805,
but removed to Baltimore, Md., in 1807. He died
on a voyage from Charleston, S. C., to the Bahama
islands. Dr. Shaw was a contributor to " The
Portfolio." His poems, with a memoir, and ex-
tracts from his foreign correspondence and jour-
nals, were published (Philadelphia, 1810).
SHAW, Oliver, musician, b. in 1770; d. in
Providence, R. I., 1 Jan., 1849. He was well
known as a singer and teacher, and composed nu-
merous ballads, which were very popular at one
time. They include " Mary's Teaix" " Nothing
True but Heaven," " Sweet Little Ann," and " The
Death of Perry." Frederic L. Ritter refers to him
as the " blind singer."
SHAW, Samuel, merchant, b. in Boston. Mass.,
2 <M.. 1754: d. at sea, 30 May, 17!4. His father,
Francis, a merchant of Boston, was associated with
Robert Gould in 1770 in founding the town of
Gouldsborough, Me. Operations were begun on a
large scale, but the Revolution put a stop to them,
and Shaw lost much money in the enterprise.
Samuel early entered the counting-house of his
father. He was an ardent patriot, and before ihe
Revolution had a quarrel with Lieut. Wragg, of the
I'.nii-li army, who was billeted at his father's
house. A duel was prevented only by the inter-
position of Maj. John Pitcairn. Young Shaw was
commissioned a lieutenant of artillery, 1 Jan., 1776,
served from Dorchester Heights to Yorktown, and
at the close of the war had attained the rank of
major, and aide-de-camp to Gen. Henry Kin>. lie
went to Canton in February, 1784, as' supercargo,
and on his return, a year from the following Ma,
Gen. Knox made him first secretary of the war de-
partment. He made several more voyages bciween
New York and Canton, and in February. 17*6. va-
appointed 0. S. consul at the latter place. lie died
on his way from that city to Boston. His friend.
Josiah Quincy, published " The Journal of Major
Samuel Shaw, the First American Consul al Can-
ton, with a Life of the Author " (Boston, 1847).
His nephew, Robert (-innltl, merchant, b. in
Gouldsborough. Me., 4 June. 17711; d. in Bo-ton,
Mass.. 3 May, 1853, was Ihe son of Francis Shaw,
who, with his father. Francis, was interested in
founding the town of Gouldsborough. Me., and lost
much money when the enterprise failed. Robert
went to Boston about 1789, and was apprenticed
to his uncle William. When he came of age he
entered into business for himself, which he con-
tinued till 1810 in various partnerships. From the
latter year till his death he conducted his affairs
alone. He resided for several years in London,
and in 1807 invested largely in lands in Maine.
He accumulated a fortune, and bequeathed $110,-
(ii HI to be put at interest until it should amount to
400.000. This is to be designated the "Shaw
fund," !Mid is to be devoted to the support of an
asylum for mariners' children. He also left 10,-
iioo to purchase a site for the institution. Robert
Gould- eldi -t son. Francis George, l>. in Boston,
Mass., 23 Oct., 1809; d. in West New Brighton,
Stateii Maud. X. Y., 7 Nov., 1882, entered Harvard
in 1825, but left in 1828 to enter his father's count-
ing m, and engaged actively in business. In
, his health being impaired, he withdrew to
West Roxbury, near Brook Farm, where an experi-
ment in associative life, in which he was interested.
was begun under the leadership of George Ripley.
In 1847 he left West Roxbury, and, after living
more than three years upon the north shore of
Stateii island, he went to Europe with his family.
After four years he returned in 1855 to Staten isl-
and, where he resided until his death. While liv-
ing at West Roxbury he was a member of the
school committee and one of the overseers of the
poor, a justice of the peace, and president of the
first common council of Roxbury when that town
became a city. He was also foreman of the jury
of Norfolk county that first proposed the establish-
ment of the State reform-school of Massachusetts.
During his residence on Staten island he was a
trustee of the village in which he lived, a trustee
of the Seaman's retreat and of the S. R. Smith in-
firmary, treasurer of the American union of asso-
ciationists and of the Sailor's fund, president of the
Freedman's relief association and of the New York
branch of the Freedman's union commission, and
connected with various local organizations. He
was also a hereditary member of the Massachu-n t -
Soeietyof the Cincinnati. Possessed of an ample
fortune, he held it as a trust for the unfortunate.
All good causes, the help of the poor, the ignorant,
the criminal, and the enslaved, had ahay- In-
ready sympathy and his hearty support, lie wa<
the author of several translations from ([corgi'
Sand, Fourier, and Zschokke. Francis George’s son. Robert Gould, soldier, b. in Boston. 10 i >et.. 1837; d. at Fort Wagner. S. C., 18 July, 1863, entered Harvard in 1856, but left in March. 1859. He enlisted as a private in the 7th New York regiment on 19 April, 1861, became 2d lieutenant in the 3d Massachusetts on 28 May, and 1st lieutenant on 8 July. He was promoted to captain, 10 Aug., 1862, and on 17 April, 1*6:'.. became colonel of the 54th Massachusetts, the first regiment of colored troops from a free state that was mustered into the I". S. service, lie was killed in the assault on Fort Wagner while leading the advance with his regiment. A bust of him has been made by Edmonia Lewis, the colored sculptor, and a portrait by William Page is in Memorial hall at Harvard university. In .May. 1897, a handsome equestrian monument by Augustus St. Gauden, was unveiled with appropriate ceremonials on Boston Common.
