In 1903, Stanley Wilbur Shaw established Shaw Manufacturing in the rented space of an old drug store. It was a dual-purpose retail space. Shaw was also a watch dealer. He sold Elgin and Waltham watches.
Shaw was creating small air-cooled engines, which he received a patient for in 1905. One intended use for his engines was to convert the power away from manual pedaling bicycles. Shaw soon had 13000 in production. Shaw created stationary and marine applications.
Shaw created a car in 1908 in which he deamed the Shaw Mobile. The small six foot long two-seater was capable of speeds reaching 25 mph.
Shaw wasn’t the only one creating motorized bicycles. William Harley and Arthur Davidson were building their version in a garage in Wisconsin during the same time period.
1911 Shaw Manufacturing was feeling growing pains. Stanley discovered a factory for sale in Kokomo, IN. Stanley considered a move, but his father deeply influenced him to stay in Kanssas. Instead of a move to an existing factory, Shaw relocated in Galesburg.
Shaw built a factory and garage on his home property. He used a stationary engine of his own design to power the shop
In the early 1920s Shaw improved the car he created, deeming it the Shaw Speedster. The new model was produced until 1930. The car had very impressive fuel consumption. Did Shaw have a premonition that fuel economy woulde become an issue?
Also, during the early twenties, Shaw’s factory created tractors using Ford, Chevrolet,and Chrysler cars. From my resealch on Henry Ford, I doubt Ford was impressed with competition building tractors with HIS cars.
Shaw’s conversion kits were originally sold through Montgomery Ward’s catalog. Later the conversions where sold in one three ways. If the customer lived near by they were able to bring the unit to the factory, a kit would be shipped, with detailed instructuons, if the distance was to great. The third option was to purchase the completed conversion tractor. My article, Creative Conversions discusses them further
For convenience, Shaw began using other manufacturer’s engines. He kept Briggs & Straton in business during the depression. Shaw Manufacturing was ordering a railroad box car every week.
Shaw might have read Ford similarly. In the 30s, he began to build garden tractors. His first models were walking behind. His first tractors received a patent in 1924. Further research has proved Shaw still built conversions as he expanded his operation to his own builds.
After Shaw began building riding tractors, his engine sources were expanded to include Wisconsin and Stover. I haven’t confirmed it for truth in my research, but some walk behinds were powered by Harley Davidson.
The company expanded into a larger building in the late 20s. This would be the final home, for Shaw Manufacturing, until 1962 when Stanley sold the business to Bush Hog, a company based in Alabama.
Shaw stipulated that Bush Hog would continue using the factory and employing the local community. Bush Hog honored that until 1986, five years after Shaw’s death.
Sadly, the original building that Stanley’s father built no longer stands. The concrete slab is all that’s left
I recently traveled to Galesburg, KS. The Historical Society graciously gave me the VIP treatment, opening the museum and archives for my research. I want to thank the staff for their continued help as I do further research. I have aspirations to write my first non-fiction book, a biography of sorts. My blog articles are only the abridged view. I will attempt an even deeper and more extensive writing of Shaw’s story.
Stanley Wilbur lived an amazing life. With help from his family and the Galesburg community, he created an international company. I would argue that Shaw can be viewed as an original architect of the garden tractor.
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