William Shaw, CSA, Alabama

[Allie]

Having looked further, I think the whole "Indian guide" thing is pure nonsense caused by some hopeful researchers mistakenly combining two people to get the result they wish for. There seems to be no documentation which supports it and it can safely be ignored.

Unfortunately the William Shaw of the 5th Alabama has very little in his record, and nothing to confirm where he's from. If you have confirmation that his brother's middle name was Sanford, then that's evidence this William may be your man, although William was in a different company.

James Sanford had a leg amputated at the middle thigh.

There is also a RW Shaw in this regiment.

This is the only additional info from William of the 5th's combined service record.

I did not find an Alabama pension for William or his widow.

The 1921 Census of Confederate soldiers says this William lived until 1921, whereas your William died around 1880. It's not looking as if any of the other details match either - he was born in Alabama, not Georgia, for instance.

 

[Dasher]

I have finally discovered the entire name of my ggg gf: William S Shaw. He was married to Matilda "Mattie" Farrar...his cousin. I have his pension record but I need help deciphering his unit and service. I think he was a Private. Attached is that pension record. Can anyone help me make sense of his unit and service from this? I don't know where to go next. Many thanks!

 

[ErnieMac]

Company F, 22nd Missouri Infantry and Company E, 24th Missouri Infantry. He served with two different units at different times. These are Federal pensions, not Confederate.

 

[Zella]

I have finally discovered the entire name of my ggg gf: William S Shaw. He was married to Matilda "Mattie" Farrar...his cousin. I have his pension record but I need help deciphering his unit and service. I think he was a Private. Attached is that pension record. Can anyone help me make sense of his unit and service from this? I don't know where to go next. Many thanks!

View attachment 258722

Congratulations!

My suggestion would be to try to get a hold of his service records from both units. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like his files are available on Fold3. You might try contacting the National Archives to see if you get those records. (Must confess I've not done that before so not entirely sure how it works.)

 

[Taylin]

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76660427/william-sidney-shaw Find a Grave page for the fellow in the pension, doesn't seem to line up with the info in your first post though. Keep in mind Find A Grave isn't always reliable unless you can source info from actual records. Also, the dates on his pension file don't make sense if he died in 1880, as he receives a pension in 1887 and doesn't actually die until 1910, where his wife applies for a pension. I found an ancestry page about this William Shaw and the records the person has brought together are from different people with the same names.

On the 1860 census there's a William and Matilda Shaw in Cherokee County Alabama. William is 33 and Matilda 31, says he was born in Georgia as well so I think that's your best bet. Cherokee neighbors Calhoun County and a city (Piedmont) is in both of the counties.

 

[Dasher]

Thank you for the kind reply. Yes, the find-a-grave page has similar names but are not my ancestors or line. The William and Matilda you reference from the 1860 census ARE my ancestors, though. For some reason, all my research says that William died 1880-1883. I also wondered about the discrepancy but the card shows he didn't die till 1910. Most of my ancestry is filled with those who lived anywhere from 90 years to 105 years. I hope their genes transferred to me.

I'll keep digging...