The father of Riley C. Shaw, of Novi, was born in the year of Cornwallis' surrender. 1781, in Dighton, Massachusetts, from whence he removed to Ontario county, New York, where he married Chloe Foster. He remained in Ontario county until 1829, when he removed to Michigan, having quite a large amount of money for those days, and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land in sections 21 and 22, in the township of Novi, upon which he lived until liis death, which occurred October 4, 1876, at the age of ninety-six years and seven months. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, a Democrat in politics, and a Universalist in religion. He had been the father of eleven children, of whom three only are now living, all in Novi. viz. : William F., Nancy J., and Riley C. Shaw.