Shaw, James Barron, 1813-1902
Biography
SHAW, James Barron (1813-1902), London-born son of a Scotch father, Angus Shaw (c. 1771-1821 London) and an English mother, Sarah Manley (1786- ), second wife of Angus. James B. Shaw was graduate of the University of Glasgow (1836) and the Royal College of Surgeons. Shaw made three trips around the world, serving as ship’s surgeon on a variety of sailing vessels, before arriving in Santa Barbara on January 6, 1850. He practiced medicine and became the first president of the Santa Barbara County Medical Society. In 1851 he began paying the taxes on Santa Cruz Island on behalf of island grantee, Andres Castillero.
In May 1852 Shaw traveled to Tepic, Mexico to visit friends and relatives. When he returned a year later, Shaw began managing Santa Cruz Island for island grantee, Andres Castillero. Shaw continued as manager when the island sold to William E. Barron in 1857, and for the next twelve years, until its sale to the Santa Cruz Island Company in 1869. Shaw was one of the investors in Santa Barbara’s first wharf, built at the foot of Chapala Street, prior to the construction of Stearn’s Wharf. He also invested in a number of ranches, including Los Alamos, La Laguna de San Francisco, La Patera and the Ortega ranch in Montecito.
On May 16, 1861 in San Francisco, Shaw, 47, married Helen Augusta Green, 30. William Eustace Barron, owner of Santa Cruz Island, served as best man. The Shaws had four sons, only one of whom survived to adulthood, James Barron Shaw Jr. (1862-1935). William E. Barron and Thomas Bell served as godfathers.
James B. Shaw, Jr. married Alice Teresa Perkins in Santa Barbara on March 29, 1886. They had three children (grandchildren to James Barron Shaw), all of whom married, but none of whom had children. James Barron Shaw died on January 6, 1902 at 88 years of age and is buried in Santa Barbara Cemetery, along with his wife and namesake son. The large brick Georgian-style Shaw home was located at 231 State Street and took up the block between Montecito and Yananoli streets. It was extensively landscaped, and here the family lived in luxury.
Today the Santa Barbara train depot and the Neal Hotel occupy the former Shaw land. From Islapedia.com
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
A pioneer who did many things here, 1982-02-07
Six scrapbooks contain all thirty years of the weekly local history columns written by Mrs. Rouse for the Santa Barbara News-Press newspaper. Numbering approximately 1,500, the articles are cataloged by keywords in the Gledhill Library Subject Index. See Arrangement note for date range of articles within each scrapbook.
Early physician became a local rancher, 1982-01-03
Six scrapbooks contain all thirty years of the weekly local history columns written by Mrs. Rouse for the Santa Barbara News-Press newspaper. Numbering approximately 1,500, the articles are cataloged by keywords in the Gledhill Library Subject Index. See Arrangement note for date range of articles within each scrapbook.
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