34 - The Shaw Family Grocers

Thomas David Shaw was the head of household 34. He was born in Croughton, Cheshire, near to Chester. He married Elizabeth Sarah Penny from Wheatley, Oxfordshire in 1865. Elizabeth already ran her own business as a provision's dealer and had a servant who lived with her.

They settled down in Chester and by 1871 they had 4 children; Wilfred Thomas, Vida Elizabeth, Amy Blanche and Walwin Loftus. They moved to Romiley around 1870 and opened their Grocery business.

The family only stayed in Romiley for one year, and soon emigrated to America where they settled in Junction City, Geary County, Kansas. They opened a new grocery store there. Sadly not long after arriving Walwin Loftus passed away, but they went on to have Vivian Vermont, Agatha Penny and Mildred.

Elizabeth died in 1900 aged 64 and on the census of that year Thomas was working as a Grocery merchant with his eldest child Wilfred working as a salesman in the business. Vida Elizabeth was working as a school teacher and Vivian as a farm labourer. Mildred and her husband George Palmer, a clothing salesman, were also living there with their one month old child.

10 years later little had changed, with Thomas and Wilfred continuing to work as merchants and Vida as a school teacher. Amy and Agatha were unemployed. The form also tells us that Thomas owned his house with a mortgage.

That mortgage was paid off by 1920 when we find the family still living in Junction City. At 77 years of age Thomas was still working as a merchant with a general store. Vida was still teaching at a public school and Wilfred was a partner with his father. 2 of the Palmer grandchildren were also living with Thomas, their mother Mildred having died aged just 32.

Thomas died aged 79 in 1922.