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From: "JUDY P." <>
Subject: Shaw History-Part 2-Morrow Co.
Date: Tue, 6 Apr 1999 08:07:36 -0400

Part II of Shaw History (Aaron L. Shaw)

on Sunday morning.

But after the oil field came, then came the buck-boards. This was a buggy
with or without a topy and sometimes had a slatted bottom which they could
haul pipes and heavy wrenches used in the oil field.

This was one of the different kinds of buggies which father used as he drove
around from one farm to another. He would start early in the morning and
first go to the first bottoms and then on down to Skeeterville, then over to
our house on the prairie, and after Mother was gone he would stay and eat
dinner with me, as I always had fresh vegetables from my garden, and the
children Emery and Ethel were in school.
Father wore out many buggies, possible a dozen and about that many ponies,
but I only remember the name of old Dell. He kept going until the weather
would get too cold, then start all over again the spring.
Father had rheumatish, for a number of years, but he never talked about it
or complained although he had to use canes to get around and it got to be
quite a task to get in and out of the buggy.
I often think of this when I am complaining and am reminded of his great
courage. He certainlyu left us all a great legacy in courage.
I wonder if the children remember how anxious our parents were to give us a
good education. We were always sent to schoold regardless of the weather.
If it was too bad father would take us to school.I used to wonder why we
never got to stay at home from school, not even on butchering day which in
those days was big occasion when 5 or 6 hogs and a beef were killed and most
all of the other children stayed home on that big day.
I have often heard folks day they had to quit school and help at home or
take a job some place and I always thank our parents that was never true of
us.
I guess Father was one who did not get to finish school, but later went back
to school after he was 21 years old. Think of the nerve that would take.
We must remeber there were no laws compelling parents to keep their children
in school and in my own school days I remember some parents who owned the
most land kept their children home to work and they were the poorest
scholars in school.
I wonder if you children remember that our Father had a big thick law book
and he studied it lots when were small and practiced it later, his clients
being mostly men who had either cattle or hogs running loose either in
bottoms or prairie and someone else had claimed them. They would ride up to
our house on horseback, about the only way you could get around, and usually
late in the evening. I would be playing out in the yard, but soon after he
got in the house Father would call me in and tell me he wanted me to read a
verse or two in his law book and 'twas twilight and not time for us to light
the lamp and he couldn't see so well. Well, I would read verse after verse
but still not what he wanted to know so I had to keep reading till I found
it, so I got so I dreaded to see those fellews who rode up in the evening
and disturbed my play. I was about 10 years old.
Father also held a trial for a man which was held in the Marion Williams
store and the opponets lawyer was Jones from Robinson. School was in
session and I think Cash Dowell was the teacher. He dismissed school so we
could all attend. I was really concerned over the names Jones called
Father. He said he was as full of tricks as a dog was with fleas, but
never-the-less Father won the case.
Estella Shaw Baker
Note: Aaron L. Shaw was the son of Luther and Ann (Conklin) Shaw and the
grandson of Morrow County Pioneers Jonathon Shaw, Sr., b. 24 Jan. 1787, d.
23 November 1852 and Ruth Welch, b. 12 Aug. 1786 , d. 21 Jan. 1853.-

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• Shaw History-Part 2-Morrow Co. by "JUDY P." <>