James Shaw was born in Wisconsin, on October 9, 1855, being the son of Jerry and Cynthia (Cartwright) Shaw, natives of New York. They were married in New York and came to Wisconsin and there farmed. In 1862 the family removed to Minnesota, where James grew up and was educated in the district schools, remaining at home until he was twenty. Then he went to the Black Hills, Dakota, and there prospected and mined for two years and then made his way to the Northern Pacific, where he labored for two years. In 1884 he came to Walla Walla. Here he labored on the ranches for two years more and then repaired to the Palouse county where he operated a meat shop in Colton until 1895. 1893-94 broke his business and he left that country with over six thousand dollars on his books. He came to the reservation upon its opening and located his present home place, about one mile south of Rosetta, where he settled. Mr. Shaw commenced the battle here without capital and he has made a truly commendable showing. He has now one hundred and ten acres of fine crops. Flax, seventy acres, and the cereals, vegetables and fruit the balance. Mr. Shaw has one brother, Milford, in Minnesota, and three sisters, Edwina, Emma, Ida.

On February 19, 1889, at Colton, Washington, Mr. Shaw married Miss Clara B. Harrington, a native of California. She has one brother and four sisters, Arthur, a farmer, Viola, single, Myrtle, wife of Mr. Holton, a railroad man; Ruth, wife of Charles Swain, Susan, wife of Riley Holden, all residing in the Grande Ronde valley.