George Washington Shaver | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 2, 1832 |
| Died | October 26, 1900(1900-10-26) (aged 68) Portland, Oregon, US |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder ofShaver Transportation Company |
| Spouse | Sarah Dixon (1836–1910) |
George Washington Shaver (March 2, 1832 – October 26, 1900) was an Oregon pioneer, and, with his sons, a founder ofShaver Transportation Company. He is typically referred to as George W. Shaver or G.W. Shaver.
George Washington Shaver was born in Campbell County, Kentucky on March 2, 1832.[1]
George W. Shaver arrived in Oregon 1850.[2] Shaver had first gone overland to California for the 1849 gold rush.[2] Shaver settled briefly inWaldo, Oregon, inJosephine County, where he tried gold mining again.[1] This did not prove successful, so he relocated toPortland, Oregon, arriving there on February 2, 1854.[1]
About this time he was married to Sarah Dixon (1836–1910), whose parents, James and Susan Dixon, were residents ofRoseburg.[1] The Dixons had originally come from Kentucky.[3]
Following the marriage, Shaver resided with his wife on a farm inMarion County, Oregon.[1] They had four children together when they lived on the farm.[1] After relocating to Portland in 1860 they had six more children.[1] They lived in what is now known as the Irvington addition in Portland.[1]
The Shaver residence in Portland was located between Crosby and Larrabee Streets and Cherry and Broadway.[3] It was still in existence in 1910.[3]
Shaver entered the business of supplying wood to steamers for use as fuel, including both riverine and ocean-going vessels.[1] This resulted in the clearing of large timber tracts.[1]
In 1880, Shaver, with his son Capt. James W. Shaver, H.L. Corbett (later a U.S. Senator), and Capt. Charles Bureau, became a partner in the People's Freighting Company and also in the small stern-wheel river steamerManzanillo, which ran on theColumbia River betweenPortland andClatskanie, Oregon.[2]
In 1884 the Shaver family bought out all the non-family shareholders in the firm.[2] They built two new steamboats. First was theG.W. Shaver, named after George Washington Shaver, and theSarah Dixon, named after his wife.[2]
Shaver Transportation Company was incorporated in 1893 and took over all the assets of the People's Freighting Company.[2] The stockholders were George W. Shaver and his sons, Captains James W. "Jim" Shaver (1859–1922) and George McClellan Shaver (d. January 11, 1950).[2] Shaver had another son, Capt. Lincoln "Link" Shaver (d.1922).[2] Capt. Delmer "Del" Shaver was another son.
George Washington Shaver was the president of Shaver Transportation Company, while his son James M. Shaver was secretary and treasurer.[1]
Jim and Lincoln Shaver were killed in 1922, in a collision between an automobile and an electric train.[2]
In May 1886, the Democratic Party ofMultnomah County, Oregon nominated George W. Shaver for the position of county commissioner.[4]
Children of George W. Shaver and Sarah Dixon included:
George Washington Shaver died on October 26, 1900.[1] His body was buried in Riverview Cemetery.