The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17

tention TO the fact. which has been generally
overlooked. that, eleven years before this de-
bate. Mr.. Sherman proposed substantially tho
same plan In the Continental; Congress. when
discussing the Articles OF Confederation. II Il
also pointed out that OF the members OF tho
Philadelphia Convention who signed tho Con-
sti,uiion. Mr.. sherman was the only onc WHO
had also signed the three other great national
conpacts. namely. the Association OF 1874. the
Declaration Of Independence. and the Articles
OF Confederation We should add that. nsido
from Mr.. Shcrman's relation TO our Federal
Constitution which Will be the particular sub
jcct Of Ia 8 notice IL was high time that u COM
pct nt bioGrnpher should describe with rs much
~ illness as existing materials allow the career
OF n man whose public lifo covered tho entire
period of that most important part OF our po-
litIenl history. extending from tho beginning OF
tho French and Indian war to tho close Of tile
hrst Admini>tration Of Washington. and who
was one OF tho most conspicuous figures In that
formative period OF our national life.
Bora in Newton. Mass. April 10. 1921. Roger
Sherman died Ia New Haven. Conn. on July 81.
1903. His father moved In iTa3 to Stoughton.
Mass. ard here Roger Sherman lived TIL he was
90 years old. From his father no learned the
trade OF q shoemaker. and he worked beside
him N the shop and on the farm. So far as Is
known. he had 10 other assistance in his eduoa-
tion than that which the common country
schools OF that time afforded. In snch Intervals
OF leisure. however. n he could secure. he edu-
Gated himself, and II was while living at
Siouglton that he acquired the habits OF study
which enabled him eventually to become pro.
fci-nt in logic, geography, history and
mathematics. in the general principles
OF philosophy and geology, and especially
In law and politics. witch were his
fnrorite studies, and In which he ~particu-
larry eXcelied. II In recorded OF him that ho
was accustomed to sit at his work OIL the shoe
makers bench with an open book before him.
d.No;!nc to strdy every moment that his eyes
could be spared from the occupation IN which
hc was engaged. IL he gained any knowledge
OF Latin or Greek II was probably very slight.
He doubtless learned. however. the meaning of
the Latin words anil phrases that were CON-
mnaly encountered In his law books, and II Is
certain that he knew how to write the Greek
characters. In June, l743. the sherman
family move / to New Milford. Conn, and
It Is said tina: Roger performed the
Journey OH foot, carrying tho tools OF
his trade with him. He had qualified
himself for o different business. however. and,
ia l.I5. ne was appointed Surveyor OF Lands
for ahe county Of New Haven" This was ais first
oi!cial position and he continued In 1t till Itch
field county wRs organized. In ice. when he
Wa NJ pointrd to the same office In that county.
. posiion which lie held till 1853. The ofico Of
surveyor was more than ordinarily lucrative In
those days. and his employment by the colony
and nv private individuals brought him n re-
muperation that but few people obtained at that
time. lie made investments In land, and ulti-
mntcly became one OF tile largest buyers and
sellers OF land in New Milford. Before he had
benin that town seven years he was the owner
OF severnl hundred acresof land and IA dwelling
house TOR which hc paid In old tenor money
t2,ooo. After tho purchase OF this property
lie began to take an active part in town
Affairs. and held all sorts of town Offices.
carrying on. Mt the same time. the business Of n
general country merchant. This he continued
until 1880. In 1850 he began the publication
OF a series of almanRcs. for which lie was espe-
ciaily qualified by mathematical and sstronomi-
cal knowledge. Admitted to practice at tho
bar In February, 1884. he was appointed In the
following year q Justice OF the Pence. and. be-
coming In 1859 a Justice OF the Quorum, he be-
came n member Of the County Court. Mean
while. In May. 1893. ha was chosen TO represent
hI, and r,,, ,b. .x,o,,n,. =, =. -, -
val. was reelected to that orlce. until lie removed
to New Haven in 1901. Thus. at the az. Of "a.
did he begin his political career, which was 10
continue, with but slight ipterruptiops. until his
death. There Ia no doubt that tho experIence
which he acquired In tho Connecticut Legisla.
turc fitted him for the active and impor.
tant part which he took In the Continental
Congress during the Revolutionary War.
After removing TO New Haven In June. 1871. he
gave up the practice OF tho law, but continued
to engage in mercantile pursuits. In 1894 he
WINS elected n deputy from New Haven to tho
Legislature. and was reelected to that onlce in
the two following years. lie was chosen an
a~ssistant or member OF tho upper house OF thu