328 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications
high character and mechanical execution
of its pred-
ecessors in the series which is
generally recognized as the
monumental work on the The Mythology
of All Races.
JOSH BILLINGS ONCE LIVED IN NORWALK,
OHIO
The special edition of the Sandusky Register
pub-
lished December 21, 1922, abounds in
interesting history
of Sandusky, Erie County and adjacent
territory. One
contribution proves clearly that the
noted humorist,
Henry Wheeler Shaw, known as "Josh
Billings," lived
for a time in Norwalk, Ohio. He was
not, however, a
native of this state. We quote briefly:
In 1863, Henry W. Shaw commenced writing
short essays
in phonetic character style, signing
"Josh Billings," the first
being "On the Mule" for which
he received $1.50, and from
that time onward until his death
continued to write and lec-
ture, until his writings were known and
appreciated as those
of one of the happiest and most pleasing
humorists in the
country. As a young man of leisure about
town, he was always
full of wit and ready at repartee. At
one time he commenced
studying law with Boalt and Worcester,
prominent lawyers of
Norwalk, but after a few weeks he did
not appear at the office,
and Mr. Boalt meeting him on the street
one day said to him,
"Henry, I haven't seen you at the
office lately." "No,"
said
Henry, "I think the office has
moved away, I haven't been able
to find it," and that was the last of
his studying law.
Henry Wheeler Shaw was born at
Lanesborough, Mass.,
in 1818 where he spent his early youth.
For a short time he
attended school at Hamilton College, but
went west without
completing his course, and remained for
twenty-two years, fol-
lowing the most varied occupations,
working on farms, on steam-
boats, and finally in Norwalk becoming
an auctioneer. He later
returned to the east, settled in
Poughkeepsie, New York, and
in this period did the writing which
made him famous. He con-
tributed to the Century magazine
and published his Farmer's
Allminax and wrote for various
newspapers. He died in 1885.
The Huron County records show that Henry
W. Shaw
bought the house on Whittelsey Street,
Norwalk, which is still