My Genealogy Hound

LORIN A. SHAW, an enterprising farmer of Amherst, was born in Belchertown, February 17, 1848, son of William and Elvira (Thayer) Shaw. Mr. Shaw’s father was a native of Belchertown, where he had a farm that he successfully cultivated. He was a stone mason by trade, which calling he also followed with much profit to himself. He was a good workman and at different times was employed in the construction of railroads and the erection of public buildings. In politics he was a Republican. He served in the Civil War as a private in Company H, Forty-sixth Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers. William Shaw died in Belchertown over sixty years old. His wife, who was born in Belchertown, bore him five children, as follows: Mary and Horatio W., both deceased; Lyman A., a carpenter, who resides in Georgia; Lorin A., the subject of this sketch; and Sarah J., who married Dwight Gibbs, and resides in Georgia. The mother, who still survives, resides with her son in Amherst.

Lorin A. Shaw grew to manhood in Belchertown, and received his education in the public schools. At the age of twenty-one he went to Michigan, where he acquired a knowledge of the lumber business, and became familiar with the duties of a lumber inspector. He returned East, and was for a time employed in a lumber yard in Northampton. He then went again to Michigan, and was engaged in lumbering for some years. He finally returned to Massachusetts, and followed different occupations until 1888, when he purchased his present farm of one hundred acres in Amherst. Here he has since resided, conducting general farming. He also keeps a dairy with sixteen finely bred Jersey cows, besides other stock. His undertakings are nearly always successful. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Grange.

On October 22, 1883, Mr. Shaw was united in marriage to Anna L. Dickinson, who was born upon the farm where she resides, and is a daughter of Bela and Pamelia Dickinson, who were both natives of Amherst. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw have two children, namely: Ethel D., born July 13, 1885; and Ezra I., born December 28, 1890. Both parents are members of the Congregational church.