Biographies
from
The History of Otsego County, New York
1740-1878
D. Hamilton Hurd
Published by Everts & Fariss, Philadelphia
SHAUL, John D., Col. - Springfield
In every department of life there are those whose achievements
become monuments of the possibilities of man. They are not
confined to any profession, but are found in every trade or business,
or wherever the genius of success, which measures heroism, is
unfettered in life and action. While those sterling virtues, sobriety,
perseverance and energy, will carve success in every enterprise, it
is not often that a more successful career is presented than that of
Colonel John D. Shaul. He was born in the town of Stark, Herkimer
Co., N.Y., Dec. 18, 1814, and is descended from good old Revolutionary
stock. His grandfather, John Shaul, was a soldier in the Revolutionary
war, and was captured by the Indians, and kept a prisoner five years,
suffering untold hardships. He made his escape, hotly pursued by
the Indians, and reached the nearest fort only an hour or two in
advance. His father, Daniel Shaul, served in the war of 1812. When
a mere boy he evinced a decided taste and aptitude for military
matters. At the age of eighteen he was considered a good
disciplinarian, and was appointed corporal of a company of militia,
from this time he made rapid advancement, and successfully filled
every position, with the except of captain, to that of commanding
officer of the regiment.
In 1839 he removed to the town of Springfield, where he has
since resided. Here he commenced a successful career of agricultural
operations, and is regarded as one of the successful enterprising
farmers of the county.
In 1850 he was elected colonel of the Thirty-ninth New York
State militia, of which he was in command at the breaking out of
the rebellion. When the war had actually commenced he used
every endeavor to get the consent of the regiment and the permission
of the governor to take it out as an organization.
On the first of October, 1861, he received an order to place his
men in camp at Cherry Valley, and commenced recruiting at that
place. The order was promptly complied with, and the companies
first organized were soon after mustered into the United States
service. He closed up his large farming interests at a great pecuniary
loss, and directed his attention to the reorganization and recruiting
of his regiment. In addition to the large amount of money he was
obliged to advance in recruiting, he lent his credit to a large amount
to secure the payment of the necessary camp expenses. In January,
1862, the regiment, only some six hundred strong, were ordered to
Albany, and shortly after their arrival were consolidated with the
Seventy-sixth New York Volunteers, in which Colonel Shaul took
the position of lieutenant-colonel. The regiment went out with
GREEN as colonel, and in February, 1862, he was relieved, and
Colonel Shaul was left in command of the regiment until the last
of June of the same year, when he was relieved by Colonel William
P. WAINWRIGHT. During the time that Colonel Shaul was in
command of the regiment he had, by an honest administration of
military rule, and by his gentlemanly and upright conduct, gained
the esteem and good-will of both his officers and men. For about
three months he had command of five forts in the defense of
Washington, D.C. In May the regiment was ordered to Fredericksburg,
and again divided into detachments for guard duty; and it was while
in camp in this place that the colonel was taken sick, and he was
ordered to report to Surgeon CLYMER at Washington, where he
remained some four weeks, when, being desirous of rejoining the
regiment, the surgeon, after much objection, consented, and he again
took command at Sharpsburg, but, to the great disappointment of
himself and friends, he had a relapse, and was sent to the Seminary
Hosptial at Georgetown.
On the twentieth of November, 1862, he was honorably discharged
on account of physical disability. From this sickness he has never
fully recovered, but is able to superintend his large farm of over 400
acres, which is appropriately named the "Soldiers' Retreat." We
regret that we are not able to give in this article a more extended
sketch of the colonel's connection with the Seventy-sixth, but will
refer our readers to the history of the regiment elsewhere in this
work.
In 1834 he was married to Miss Betsey S. CARROLL, daughter
of Davis and Phebe Carroll. Mr. Carroll was an officer in the war
of 1812, and served with distinction. In 1817 her parents emigrated
from the town of Thompson, Windham Co., Conn., where she was
born May 22, 1817. She is still in the prime of life, and a worthy
helpmeet of her affectionate husband. They have not been blessed
with children but have reared and educated several orphans.
Colonel Shaul is emphatically a self-made man. Beginning life
with only his natural resources for his capital, and the limited
education afforded by the ordinary district school of a new country,
he has worked himself up to a point attained but by few; he has
achieved success in every department of life, and stands forth an
example to young men of the capabilities of character and manhood.--
Excerpt from History of Otsego Co., NY, opposite page 328