Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-10-17
THE LATE HENRY w, SHAW.

Henry W. Shaw, Josh Billings) the cham
pion phonetic speller and popular humorist,
who died Wednesday at Monterey, CAL, was
undoubtedly one of the quaintest writers OF
his time, and, although his works are not
likely to be immortal, they have been and
still are widely read, and have afforded in
nocent mirth for thousands. He came of q
very good family. His grandfather and
father were both members Of Congress. His
father was on intimate terms with Henry
CLAY, and managed his political business in
New England. Henry w. Shaw was born
in Lanesboro Berkshire county, Mass,
about 1915. He went TO school until he was
fourteen, and at one time it was intended to
make him private secretary to John Quincy
Adams. His disposition was that of rover,
and all the plans that his anxious relatives
made TO give him lift in the world were
knocked on the head by his starting out to
the West He joined an enterprising party
animated with the resolve to cross the plains
to the Pacific ocean and colonize under the
Mexican government. The project failed and
Young Shaw, with varying luck, pursued the
avocation offrontersman, turning his hand to
everything but making little more than a bare
living. AS proprietor of a country store,
keeping everything from o needle to bun
die of hay. and as cattle drover and farmer
he had strange ups and downs. He also
tried his hand as captain of q steamboat on
the Missouri, but the company that owned
the boat burst, or the boat itself burst, it is
not quite certain which. He reached CAL
ifornia in 1S49, but did not remain long.
At the age of twenty-seven he paid
visit TO his father, aud married. Civilization
had no charm for him, and accompanied by
his young New England wife he soon start
ed again for the West. Very little is known
Of his life out there. He was not successful,
though his energy was undoubted. Finding
himself at the age of forty with three young
and growing daughters, with no facilities
for their education, he came East and set.
tied at Poughkeepsie, on the Hudson, where
he took up the business of an auctloneer
and dealer in real estate. He made cap
ital auctioneer, but the resources of the
town were not very large, neither was his
income Poughkeepsie had small daily
newspaper, and its editor upon hearing the
words of wit and wisdom that fell from Mr..
Shaw's lips while engaged in his calling In.
vited him 10 write for his journal. He
consented. and contributed about forty
articles, among which was his famous
essay on the mule. They were publish
ed and made no sensation at all.
They were spelled properly and with due
regard to ull lexicography. AIR. Shaw felt
that his journalistic aspirations were cestin-
cd to he nipped in the bud. bright idea,
however, struck him He read one of the
amusing sketches by Artemus Ward and
asked himself if it was not the peculiar
spelling that had made that authors fame.
He took down his essay on the mule,
''slewed round the spelling" as be express
ed it, and mailed it with the signature
Josh Billings" to the New York Era. 1t
was published and went the round of the
press. AS soon as he saw that the article
had been reprinted, he thought he ought to
begin to make money out of his writings.
He sent off one of his best short essays TO
Boston paper. Its editor replied that he
could only afford to give him $3.50 for it.
"Josh Billings did not regard this as big
pay, but he accepted it, little dreaming at
that time that his pen was about to prove so
valuable source of riches to him.
From the day that he altered the spelling
of the mule essay his luck began to change.
An enterprising New York weekly gave him
500 week for half column Of his essays
and savings. "Josh Billings" became in
tensely popular. His matter" obtained a
good price, and Mr.. Shaw made hay
while the sun shone He discovered that
he was good lecturer, and as such COM
manded high prices, secured large audiences
and what is more, amused them and sent
them home delighted. In New England
was published Thomas Old farmers AL.
manac." 1t had been issued for eighty
years. It's pages offered splendid oppor.
tunity for burlesque, and Mr.. Shaw de-
termined to take it in hand. In 1871 he
bought out his burlesque, with the following
title:
"Josh Billings Farmers Allminax for the
Year 1870; Being tew years since leap year,
and 81 years since the American people left
Crate Britain tew take care ov herself, and
and started snug little business ov their
own, which I am instructed tew state is
payin we'll Containing all that il neces-
sary for an allminax, and good deal be-
Sides"
Of course, the full extent of the humor ol
the burlesque could only be appreciated in
circles where Thomas Old Farmers AL.
manac" had been read for generations But
it sold we'll, and for ten years appeared reg
ularly, and it has been estimated that Mr.
Shaw made $4,000 one way and another
out of his "Allminax."
Mr.. Shaw looked like a very melancholy
man. He wore grotesque clothes and long
pray hair. His latter days were far happier
| than his first. He lived to amass consid
erable fortune, to acquire fame as q humor
Gus author and lecturer, and to see hi:
daughters we'll married. He had many
warm friends, who speak in the highest
manner of his excellent qualities of heart
| and head.