Trying to lay a doctor to rest: Dr. E.D Shaw and wife Alice Thomas (brickwall)

Question

Dr. E.D Shaw (not Ed Shaw) was a person of color born approximately 1877 in an unknown location. He lived in Poplar Bluff in 1926. He married his wife Alice Thomas (b. 1886) June of that year. They were married until he was killed in the tornado of May 9, 1927.

He was a physician and most likely had a practice in his house.

Where was Dr. Shaw born?

Who were his family?

When and where did he obtain his doctorate?

What was his actual name?

I would also like to know where Alice was born and who her family was.

Comments

Is there any information on his death certificate?

Missouri Death Certificate 14317
Killed by tornado

---

Some data here but not sure if it will help

https://books.google.com/books?id=Jg1XSaI-rlEC&pg=PA75&lpg=PA75&dq=tornado+that+hit+Poplar+Bluff+on+May+9,+1927.&source=bl&ots=HVr3qmS2Us&sig=SZy4KCLx0ZhLZy8CQyIvVsiInDc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjulLWy2aHcAhU1HDQIHQwoADc4ChDoATAKegQIBxAB#v=onepage&q=tornado%20that%20hit%20Poplar%20Bluff%20on%20May%209%2C%201927.&f=false

---

For what it's worth (which isn't much), I had tried to find more info, but that was before I saw that Betty was on the trail - she's an absolute miracle worker at digging up info - if I'd seen her comments then i would have known better than to make my feeble (and unsuccessful) attempt.

Great to see you back in action Betty - I've missed seeing you around for a while!

---

Thanks for the help. Even if some attempts are unsuccessful, I still appreciate it.

About his death certificate, unfortunately, it's a dead end. Actually, it's worse than a dead end because it doesn't even have his name right. I was on a wild goose chase looking for people named Ed. His initials are E.D. So I can see how the mistake was made. I ended up finding him by looking in city directories with the help of Shirlea, another wikitreer.

---

I'm circling around to data about the tornado. I'm hoping some newspaper somewhere had his name and family. Either that or some information about his doctoring business. From what I've read, the tornado tore up most of the business district so I thought he might have been in his business at the time. If I can find the name of his business, that might help.

---

I think he may have had a practice in or near his home. He lived on 5th Street and the tornado hit 5th street. I think it may even have been one of the first areas hit.

---

https://www.nytimes.com/1927/05/11/archives/hunt-bodies-at-poplar-bluff-storm-deaths-225-with-925-injured.html

This is a pay site so I can't see what's written.

---

The article I posted yesterday lists a Dr. Bond and a Dr. J. Lee Harwell. Perhaps look them up?

---

Ok. I perused the 1930 Poplar Bluff census and found:

Ann(a) Shaw female white 61 widowed b. Illinois

George Shaw 31 b Illinois

his wife Minty Shaw 31 b. Illinois

Charles Shaw 41

His wife Leara 37

His daughter Jardena or Tardena 10

his other daughter Anna 3 1/2

Perhaps these are relatives?

---

E D Shaw

 in the Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957

No Image
Text-only collection

• Report issue

Name:	E D Shaw
Gender:	Male
Age:	32
Birth Year:	abt 1877
Residence:	Waldo, Columbia, Arkansas
Spouse's Name:	Loner Sims
Spouse's Gender:	Female
Spouse's Age:	26
Spouse's Residence:	Spring Hill, Webster, Louisiana
Marriage Date:	20 Apr 1909
Marriage License Date:	19 Apr 1909
Marriage County:	Lafayette
Event Type:	Marriage
FHL Film Number:	1004496

---

Loner Sims died in Arkansas in 1910

Loner Sims

Birth	29 Sep 1874
Death	7 Aug 1910 (aged 35)
Burial	Spring Branch Cemetery Taylor, Columbia County, Arkansas, USA
Memorial ID	112753547 · View Source

---

Ranging far and wide now.

 

Photo added by Kimberly (Gates) Mansker

Added by BALN

Advertisement

Willie T Shaw

Birth	2 Nov 1928 Swift, Pemiscot County, Missouri, USA
Death	2 Apr 2015 (aged 86) Broseley, Butler County, Missouri, USA
Burial	Poplar Bluff City Cemetery Poplar Bluff, Butler County, Missouri, USA
Memorial ID	144963498 · View Source

• Memorial
• Photos 2
• Flowers 0

Willie T. Shaw, 86, of Broseley, Mo., died April 2, 2015 at his residence. He was born November 2, 1928 in Swift, Mo. to the late Joe Willie Shaw and V.S. Giles Shaw. Willie was a long time resident of the Morocco Community. He graduated from Wheatley High School. He was of the Methodist faith under the guidance of his grandfather, Rev. Monroe David Giles.

He married Myrtle Woods in 1948. She survives.
Willie worked for several years for Sly and Clara Resnik's Tractor Co.,Poplar Bluff …

---

Family Members

Parents

• Joe Willie Shaw

  1906–1934

Spouse

• Myrtle Woods Shaw

  1930–2017

Children

• 

  Belinda Shaw Gilmore

  1962–2012

---

Alice Shaw

 in the Web: Missouri, Death Certificates, 1910-1962

Report issue Name: Alice Shaw Death Date: Aug 1951 Death Place: Poplar Bluff, Butler, Missouri, USA Certificate Number: 26256 URL:

---

https://health.mo.gov/data/vitalrecords/applications.php

Thirteen dollars for a record there. I couldn't search for Alice on the ancestry record.

---

Thanks for all the help, Betty. I think you've opened up some really valuable avenues to find out more about Dr. Shaw. I'm going to do more research on Loner and on Willie and his family as well.

---

This article lists dead and mentions a Dick Shaw

https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=16325181&fcfToken=446c4b75583556545569593933334c55344b534d6e442b34506b3054485364624c346a635662303272504b6836764e4e4b35686254744659517854696f384932

---

Two hospitals were listed in the article as well a Brandon Hospital and a Lucy Lee Hospital. Both were destroyed in the tornado. Dr. J. W. McPheeters was listed in the article as well. I think Dick might be our guy.

You suppose that is a nickname for Richard?

---

Maybe Dick is his middle name.