The Newtown bee., 1891-02-27
GEN WILLIAM TECUMsEH sHERMA

GEN WILLIAM leu MSEH StfERMAN
The people of Woodbury. have an inter
est in the glory and fame of the grand
hero, Gen Sherman, beyond that of the
citizens of the country at large, arising
from the fact that he WAS a descendant
of Woodbury. stock on the paternal line.
He was of the famous Sherman blood
which furnished Roger Sherman, signer
of the Declaration of Independence, COM
ing down from the three eminent men,
Hon Samuel Sherman, Rev John, his
brother, and Capt John, his first cousin
who emigrated from Dedham, Essex
county, England, arriving at Watertown,
Mass, in 1854. Rev John and Capt John
settled at WATERFOWL and Samual at
Stratford, Conn.,, whence his son, Capt
John, enigrated to Woodbury. with the
first settlers in 1872. The descendants
of these, in all the succeeding years, have
been among the leading and honored men
of the nation. OF this blood and closely
related to Gen Sherman during his life
were Senator EvartS of New l Ork, Sena-
tor Hoar of Massachusetts, Hon Simeon
E. Baldwin and Prof Thatcher of New
Haven and Hon Chauncey Mitchell De-
pew of New York, who is of Woodbury.
descent, both in the Sherman and Mitch
ell lines. Gen Sherman was the great
grandson of Judge Daniel Sherman, who
was contemporary of "Roger the Sign
er's Judge Sherman was member of
the Committee of Safety all through the
Revolutionary war, justice of the quor-
UNI % years, county court judge five
years, judge of probate for the district of
Woodbury. 81 years, a member of the
General Assembly 80 years, during two
of which he occupied the speakers chair
and Il member of the State convention to
ratify the constitution of the United
States. Gen Sherman was also a great
grandson of Rev Anthony Stoddard, see
ond pastor of The First church and his
name appears on the presentation tablet
of the Fathers Monument, as contribu-
tor to it's expense. He was also descend
ed from Hon William Preston, the first
Judge of the county court for Litchfield
county. Being thus descended from
many early prominent Woodbury. famil-
les, its people may well cherish an hon
est pride in his magnificent achievements.
Gen Grant, his best and nearest friend,
was also of Woodbury. descent, in the fe-
male line, being the sixth in descent from
Grace Minor. daughter of Capt John Mi
nor, a leading founder of Ancient Wood
bury, who was married to Samuel Grant,
Jr, grandson of Dea Matthew Grant OF
Windsor. Conn, April IL, 1858. The
ashes of Capt John Minor, who was also
a deacon and the first Deacon John Sher-
man, lie near each other in our ancient
cemetery. They were close friends in
life, as were their descendants. Gen Grant
and Gen Sherman. The people of Con.
necticut will never forget that in the
closing year of our civil war, when the
final grapple came on, we had Grant be-
fore Richmond, Sherman in the South
west and Terry in the Southeast working
at the rebels trunk and giant limbs,
while officers and men were in their besl
lighting trim. As they looked on the
struggle, they recalled with pardonable
pride the fact that these three soldiers
J Grant, Sherman and Terry-Who had be
come the supreme hope of the nation il
i its hour of agony had sprung from a long
line of ancestors, who were born on thu
.. soil and trained in the district schools O
Connecticut. And old Woodbury. haf
/ the proud satisfaction of having furnish
ed the lineage of two of them-Grant anG
] Sherman. In April, 1887, Gen Sherman
!. and his brother, Senator John Sherman
of Ohio, paid visit to the writer for tn,
especial purpose of having shown to then
} the ancient dwellings and the graves o
{ their ancestors. This was done to thei
] evidently great satisfaction. Mayo
Boughton Of Waterbury gave them al
: invitation to stop over a day in Water
,, bury to visit the manufacturing estab
!. lishments of the city. This they wer
| following card
J waterbury, Conn. April %, 1887. To Hnl
I Henry 1. BOughton, Mayor-My dear sir w,
: have received your kind note and thank yol
i for the profered courtesy. We are on visi
! to ancient Woodbury. and its historian, M
Cothren. are limited as to time and will b.
busy city. We are the more Obliged for you
Z meeting rs at the depot, conducting US to on
9 bury. With great respect wv. 4. sherman
1 general; John sherman"