The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1900-10-27
THE LATE JOHN SHERMAN.
Sketch of the Life and Public Servs
ices of John Sherman, the
Deceased Statesman.

Deceased Statesman.
Washington, Oct. 24.-The follow
ing sketch of the life and services of
John Sherman is compiled from the
public records:
John Sherman was born at Lancaster.
O., May 10. 1873. His paternal ancestors
emigrated from the County of Essex,
cut. His grandfather, Taylor Sherman.
OF Norwalk, Conn, was an accomplished
scholar and able jurist. He went to Ohio,
dar ,sV Questions st and located in Iis Huron coun-
ty. He married Elizabeth S~toddard. a
lineal descendant of Anthony Stoddard,
Who emigrated from England to Boston
father. was a native of Norwalk. Conn.,.
where he was brought up n admitted to
the bar. He married Mary Hoyt and soon
after settled at Lancaster, O.. where he
practiced law and was elevated ny the
legislature to the bench of the supreme
court. He died suddenly at Lebanon, D.,
years Of age. Mrs. Sherman, having
eleven children and but small means, her
family was gradually scattered among
John Sherman, took his namesake to
Mount Vernon, O., where he remained
four years. Young Sherman's progress at
returned to- Lancaster inc attended
Homer's academy.
His Early Life.
He afterwards accepted an offer from
Col. Curtis to become Junior rOdman on
she "Muskingum Improvement" with a
corps of engineers engaged in construct
ing the Ohio system of canals, and he
was assigned to work at Lowell, .. In
1885 he was placed temporarily in charge
Of the work at Beverly, where he re-
manned during the rest Of his service on
the improvement. In 1898 the Wing party
having lost the state election, he lost his
rnlnRn lIn afrnA 20 nnl
shortly went to Mansfield to study law
with his brother Charles. After the nrst
year he was entirely s~elf-supporting. On
at Springfield, o., and entered into part
nership with his brother. In 1861 he Wis
tied Washington and remained a month,
men of the day, especially with Stephen
A. Douglas, Of Illinois, In 1Ss he was
sent as a delegate to the national wing
convention at Philadelphia, and was made
a secretary of that body. Mr.. Sherman
supported the nomination of Zachary
Taylor for president of the United States
and canvassed a portion of Ohio for Iii
Foundation of His Fortune.
On August 30. 1sis, ne married Cecilia
of Mansfield. He was h a prosperous
man. having added to his income from
Law practice the profits incident to the
an establishment which he had set in
operation. In 1926 he was a delegate to
the WING national convention at Balti-
dent. Cen. Wsinfield Scott. In lsSs-54 he
opened a law office in Cleveland. When
the congressional anti Nebraska convene
ton" made up Of members of the demo-
held, great difficulties existed in forming
q fusioE Of the opposing, elements. Tne
choice for candidate finally fell upon Mr..
against 5,7si for his democratic OPP.
ponent. He was president of the first
Ohio Republican state convention, in 1855,
which nominated Salmon P. Chase for
governor. He also participated in the or
ganization of the National republican par
ty. after which he took his seat in the
fourth congress. six years before the civil
war. The territory of Kansas had be-
come a battle ground between the slavery
and anti-slavery elements, and on March
Is. 1856. the house voted to have the
speaker appoint a committee of three to
proceed to Kansas and collect evidence in
regard to the troubles there. The APP
pointment of Mr.. Sherman as a member
of this committee was a turning point in
his political career. When the committee
was at Leavenworth a band of despera-
does threatened to burn the town, and the
presence of United States troops at Fort
t~eavenworth probably saved the lives Of
committee submitted to congress became
the basis of the campaign of 1856. In that
campaign Mr.. Sherman supported John c.
Mr.. Sherman was invariably a firm ad-
vocate of economy in public expenditures.
He always closely scrutinized bills appro-
rriating money, and by his prominence in
OsniZed as one of its foremost men. He
was appointed chairman of the committee
on ways and means of the Thirty-sixth
congress. He introduced a resolution,
which was adopted, providing that the
subject of a railroad TO the Pacific coast
be referred to a committee of fifteen
members, with leave to report by bill or
otherwise. He secured the passage of the
bill authorizing the issue of what have
since been known as the United States
he first saw Abraham Lincoln. then pres
ldent elect, at Washington, and from that
time until Lincoln's death the friendship
When Salmon P. Chase resigned the Unit
ed States senatorship from Ohio, in
March, 1861. to become secretary of the
treasury, Mr.. Sherman was elected mis-
successor.
Services in the Civil War.
When the civil war broke out he Joined
some Of the Ohio troop and rendered his
aid to Gen. Robert Patterson in any way
served as the generals aid-de-camp with
out pay until congress met in July. 1861.
He recruited, largely at his own expense.
two regiments of infantry. a squadron of
cavalry and a battery of artillery. In the
summer of 1862 he took charge of the ma
tioral banking bill. During the war he
often NlSlltu lHe SOluicTS ou the Ilelu.
After the war, when he had been re-elect-
ed to the senate, he became chairman of
the senate committee on finance. He took
tn. most prominent part in all the finan-
cial bills which became laws.
In President Hayes Cabinet.
In December, 1874. he initiated, at Wash
tnGton. the movement for the resumption
of specie payments. and was chosen to
the United States senate for he third
time. President Hayes. who was inau-
Eurated March 4, 1871, appointed Mr..
Sherman secretary of the treasury. and
in six months he had so raised the credit
of the country at home and abroad that
he was enabled to sell four per cent.
bonds at par. In later years he was re-
SponSible for many important financial
measures. In 1880 he was a candidate for
the presidential nomination before the
National republican convention at Chi
cago, his name being presented to the
convention by James a. Garfield, who
ultimately received the nomination. In
the national convention of 1855 he received
229 votes for the presidential nomination
on the first ballot, and 2i9 on the second.
In 1892. after an exciting contest, Mr..
Sherman was again chosen senator. After
the election of President Mckinley he re-
signed from the senate and was appoint
ed secretary of state. He was succeeded
in the senate by NJ. A. Hanna. At the
commencement of hostilities with Spain
his health began to fail and the admins
tration was compelled to depend TO a
then assistant secretary of state. Mr..
Sherman finally resigned from office and
retired into private life. He was sue
caeded in the cabinet by Judge Day.