Scipio Shaw

Quick Facts

Significance:

Patriot of Color at the Battle of Bunker Hill

Place of Birth:

Danvers, Massachusetts(?)

Date of Birth:

Circa 1751

The following is from the 2004 National Park Service study Patriots of Color researched and prepared by George Quintal:

Scipio Shaw was born circa 1751^I and was a servant to the widow Hannah Shaw of Danvers.^II

He joined the eight month’s service from Danvers (MA) on 14 June 1775 in the 9^th company of Capt. John King, in Col. (Benjamin) Ruggles Woodbridge’s regiment. On 23 October 1775, he was listed on an ‘order for bounty coat or its equivalent in money dated Camp Prospect Hill.’^III

In 1776, he enlisted into Capt. Joseph Butler’s company, in Lt. Col. Thomas Nixon’s regiment. This unit served in the New York Campaign and was probably at the Battle of White Plains. A regimental return of 9 November 1776 records him as serving at North Castle (now Mt. Kisco, NY). He served his term until December 1776, then evidently served an extra month at Springfield (MA).^IV

On 25 August 1777, he enlisted into the company of Capt. Samuel Flint, in Col. Samuel Johnson’s Essex County (MA) militia. This company was in the thickest of the fight at the 2nd Battle of Saratoga on 7 October 1777, at which his Captain was killed. He was discharged on 30 November 1777, making his long march of 200 miles home from Scarsdale (NY).^V

He was married on 22 August 1777 in Danvers to Filis, ‘servant to widow Elisabeth Buxton.’^VI

Footnotes:

1. Birth date backwardly-computed, based on average age of marriage of 26 (per study of compiler).
2. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Danvers, 331. It is important to note that he was listed as a servant at the time of his mariage in 1777 and after serving in the Army for two years prior.
3. Secretary of Commonwealth. Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War (1896-1908), 14:67. Also 2-CD Family Tree Maker^TM set “Military Records: Revolutionary War.”
4. Ibid 14:68.
5. Ibid.
6. Vital Records to 1850. Births, Marriages and Deaths. Vols for most Massachusetts towns, Danvers, Marriages under ‘Negroes,’ 331, listed as ‘Sipio.’

Learn more about Quintal's study.