Albert
S.
Shaw

ALBERT S. SHAW was the son of former City Marshal Edmund Shaw and his second wife, the former Catherine Biddle. Edmund Shaw's first wife, Frances, had died in 1850, leaving him with four children. Edmund Shaw and family were living in South Camden as early as 1850. The elder Shaw, who appears in records at time as (Edward, Edwin, and Edmond) was a carpenter by trade. In 1859 he was elected to a one-year term as City Marshal, the equivalent of Chief of Police. He later served as a Justice of the Peace. Albert Shaw's half-brother, also named Edmund Shaw, was an original member of the Camden Fire Department, serving from 1872 until 1881, much of it as the driver of Engine Company 1. Camden City Directories from 1863 to 1874 show Edmund Shaw at 312 Pine Street. Edmund Shaw and his family begin appearing at 311 Division Street in Camden City Directories in 1876, and maintained a presence at that address until 1913.

Not long after the 1880 Census, Albert Shaw married Louisa Yeager. The young couple lived with Louisa's parents, Louisa and Sophia Yeager. Three children came in short order, Alice, Louis, and Emma. Sadly, Louisa Yeager Shaw passed away on December 12, 1893. It had been a hard year, as Albert Shaw's brother, Edmund Shaw, drowned when his boat capsized in the Delaware River off Gloucester on August 6, 1893. Albert Shaw's children went to live with Louisa's sister at 318 Sycamore Street. Albert Shaw moved to 311 Division Street where his brother William Shaw lived with his wife and children. He stayed at that address until 1899. One member of the Shaw family or another lived at 318 Sycamore Street or at 322 Sycamore Street until 1927.

Albert Shaw was appointed to the Camden Police Department on April 16, 1894 during the administration of John L. Westcott. His excellent record of service kept him working through the years when policemen were hired and fired according to which party was in power at the time. 

Albert Shaw married Mary Ellis on October 9, 1894 at Union Methodist Episcopal Church in Camden. He was 34, she was 22. The Shaws made their home as early as 1896 at 328 Pine Street. Albert Shaw's son Louis and daughter Alice came to live with them not long after the 1900 Census. 

Albert Shaw's marriage did not work out, as Mrs. Shaw left her husband, then sued for divorce. The divorce was not granted, but the couple does not appear to have reconciled. Albert Shaw remained at 328 Pine Street into 1904, then moved in with his brother William at 311 Division Street, his son Louis stayed at 328 Pine Street into 1906. Albert Shaw stayed at 311 Division Street as late as 1913. The 1914 City Directory lists him at 218 Mt. Vernon Street, and he is listed at 319 Mt. Vernon Street from 1915 to the fall of 1918,

Much of Albert Shaw's career as a policeman was spent working the area around the Kaighn Avenue Ferry, not all that far from his home. Albert Shaw retired on pension on August 1, 1917.

On August 10, 1917 it was reported that Albert Shaw's son, Louis Shaw, a member of the Camden Fire Department, had transferred over to the Police Department. Louis Shaw served until retiring in 1944, much of it as a detective, and was one of Camden's best-known and most effective detectives in his day. Albert Shaw's nephew, John P. Shaw, had also served with the Camden Fire Department, from 1916 to 1920 before moving to Haddon Heights where he served for 23 years with the Haddon Heights Police Department. Another nephew, Charles H. Elfreth, worked 43 years in Camden's city government, for the most part in the tax office.

The 1920 Census shows Albert Shaw, retired, living at 864 Mt. Ephraim Avenue with his daughter, Mrs. Sadie Tenner, son-in-law George Adam Tenner, and granddaughter Alberta Tenner. George Adam Tenner was the son of former Camden Fire Department member Christian Tenner. They all were at that same address in April of 1930. Not long after the Census, Albert Shaw moved in with his son Louis Shaw at 1437 Kaighn Avenue, where he lived out his days.

Albert Shaw passed away on February 25, 1933. He had been ill for the past two months. 

Albert Shaw's great-nephew, Second Lieutenant John P. Shaw Jr., was killed in France when the plane he was co-pilot of collided with an RAF plane on July 18, 1944. 

Camden Post
April 14, 1894

John L. Westcott - George D. Borton
Samuel Iszard - Charles H. Ellis
James Hanson Jr. - Charles Hewston
James Elberson - Charles Wilbur
Samuel Sheer - John Sinclair
Elwin Steen - Albert Shaw
Charles H. Fitzsimmons - Abraham Jackson
Alfred Sayers - Edward S. Hyde
Thomas Buchanan - Jacob Hicks

Camden Daily Telegram * April 14, 1894

...continued...

John L. Westcott - George D. Borton
Samuel Iszard - Charles H. Ellis
James Hanson Jr. - Charles Hewston
James Elberson - Charles Wilbur
Samuel Sheer - John Sinclair
Elwin Steen - Albert Shaw
Charles H. Fitzsimmons - Abraham Jackson
Alfred Sayers - Edward S. Hyde
Thomas Buchanan - Jacob Hicks

Thomas Reed - Joseph Peall - George Horner John Beard - Thomas Mullane - John Painter

Police Commission - Benjamin Braker
Joseph Potter - Joseph B. Fox
Charles Sayrs - Arthur Bedell
William C. Figner 
William D. Brown - Frederick A. Rex
James R. Carson - William J. Bradley
Harry Miller - Henry Moffett

Philadelphia Inquirer
October 4, 1895

John Foster
James H. Hunt
Albert Shaw
Joseph DeMarco
Philip DeMarco
Nicholas Walpa

Samuel Dodd - Michael Fleming
South 2nd Street 
William Comley - Edward Powell
 Richard Golden - John Sinclair
William Selby - Edward Hartman
Albert Meyers - Ralph Bond
Jules Bosch - Caleb Williams
Albert Shaw - Jacob A. Hicks
Isaac Shreeve