JOHN PORTZ SHAW was born in Camden, New Jersey on September 16, 1882. He was the son of William H. Shaw and Sarah Portz, who had wed on November 6, 1879 at Union Methodist Episcopal Church. His father was politically active in the Fifth Ward and worked twelve years as superintendent of collections in Camden's Highway Department.

John P. Shaw's grandfather was former City Marshal Edmund Shaw.  Edmund Shaw and family were living in South Camden as early as 1850. The elder Shaw, who appears in records at time as (Edward, Edwin, and Edmond) was a carpenter by trade. In 1859 he was elected to a one-year term as City Marshal, the equivalent of Chief of Police. He later served as a Justice of the Peace. John P. Shaw's uncle, also named Edmund Shaw, was a member of the Camden Fire Department, serving from 1872 until 1881, much of it as the driver of Engine Company 1. Another uncle, Albert Shaw, served as a Camden policeman from 1894 to 1917, and Albert's son Louis Shaw served Camden as a firefighter and as a policeman from 1917 to 1944. A first cousin, Charles H. Elfreth, worked 43 years in Camden's city government, for the most part in the tax office.

Edmund Shaw and his family begin appearing at 311 Division Street in Camden City Directories in 1876, and maintained a presence at that address 

until 1913. Edmund Shaw drowned when his boat capsized in the Delaware River off Gloucester on August 6, 1893.

The 1900 Census shows William and Sarah Shaw at 311 Division Street with children May, 19, John P., 17; and William H. Jr., 14. John P. Shaw first appears in Camden City Directories at 311 Division Street in 1902. He worked as a blacksmith and horseshoer until May of 1916, when he was appointed to the Camden Fire Department

On April 20, 1904 John P. Shaw married Mary E. Johnson at Union Methodist Episcopal Church. On November 17, 1904 a son, Albert Jarvis Shaw, was born. The Shaws are listed at 316 Division Street in the 1905 and 1906 Directories, then moved to 816 Line Street for 1907 and 1908. John P. Shaw had a blacksmith business at Ferry Avenue and the White Horse Pike in these years. The 1909 Directory shows the Shaws at 241 Spruce Street. The 1910 Census and 1911 City Directory lists the Shaws at 320 Chestnut Street. In 1913 John P. and Mary E. Shaw are listed at 331 Liberty Street. From 1914 to 1916 the family was at 1210 South 3rd Street.

John P. Shaw's father, who resided at 286 Mt. Vernon Street, died in 1916. John P. Shaw and family moved to 286 Mt. Vernon Street to be with his mother. On May 18, 1916 John P. Shaw was appointed to the Fire Department to replace William E. Laird, who had been injured at a fire in Collingswood, New Jersey and forced to retire. John P. Shaw served with Engine Company 7 on Kaighn Avenue.

The family stayed at 286 Mt. Vernon Street for a year or so. By September of 1918 they had moved to 322 Sycamore Street. Another son, John P. Shaw Jr., was born on February 1, 1918 and baptized at Kaighn Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church on June 8, 1919.

John P. Shaw left the Fire Department in 1920. He worked as a blacksmith for a time at South Front Street and Kaighn Avenue. Late in 1922 or early in 1923 he moved to Haddon Heights, New Jersey where he became a police officer. He served for 23 years with the Haddon Heights Police Department. 

John P. Shaw's son, Second Lieutenant John P. Shaw Jr., was killed in France when the plane he was co-pilot of collided with an RAF plane on July 18, 1944. 

John P. Shaw retired in 1946. He passed away at his home, 1937 Sycamore Street in Haddon heights, on January 4, 1947. He had been a member of Ionic Lodge No. 94, Free and Accepted Masons.