History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

Connecticut, first to Wethersfield, and from thence to Stratford. Here he nared his family of eight sons and one daughter, all or nearly all heads of fami- lies, having their representatives in all parts of the country. At the risk of digression, it may be of interest to note here that John, one of the sons of Samuel, who went from Stratford to Woodbury, Conn., wiis the ancestor of W. T. Sherman, General of the United States army, and of the distinguished Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. John Sherijian, of Ohio, their father and grandfather having removed to Cleveland about 1820. The family line of Isaac Sherman may be given as follows : In England, Henry Sherman, of Dedham, England, married Agnes Rutler. He died loSO. In England, sou Edmund first married, in 156!), Ann I'cllett; second marriage, in 1584, to Ann Clark. In lOngland, son Edmund married, in Kill, Judith Angler; came to this country in 1634; some time in Watertown, Ma.ss., and died at New Haven, Conn., in 1641. In Stratford, first, Samuel, baptized IGIS; married Sarah Mitchell. In Stratfield, second, .Matthew, born ll>45; married ilauiiah . In Stratfield, third, Lieut. David, born 1692; married, second, Sarah Thompson. In Stratfield, fourth, David, born 1736; married Mary Sterling. In Stratfield, fifth, David, borii 1757; married Rebecca French. In Stratfield, si.\th, Isaac, born 178S; married, 1810, Maria Burroughs, The children of Isiuic and Maria (Burroughs) Sher- man were as follows, none of whom survive: Mary, born 1H12, died 1857; David, born 1814, died 1S15; Elizit, born 1H16, married Darwin Warner, died in 1845; Jane F^leanor, born 181il, married Rowland B. Lacey, died iu 1857; Harriet, born 1825, died 1825. Very early in life Mf. Sherman compiled and ex- ecuted quite arti.stically a genealogical chart, showing at a glance his descent, on his father's side, from Matthew Slicrman (son of Samuel) and .Tacob Ster- ling, and on his mother's side from .Samuel French and .lohn Edwards, heads of four families of first settlers here, with the collateral branches in each generation. At the lower right-hand corner is represented the log house of the original settler, a large group of chil- dren with the mother at the door, and at a short dis- tance in the clearing is the husband and father, with uplifted a.ve felling the forest-tree. At the left hand, .surrounded by significant em- blems, is engrossed the following: "This genealogical table was designed and executed by Isaac Sherman . , . from motives of duty and filial afl'ecticm for his ancestors, whose names are remem- bered with respect and luuior in this new country, of which they were among the first settlers." This tribute, which is preserved and cherislied by 5Ir. Sherman's descendants, .shows a drift of mind which Wiis more fully develo])ed in after-years, and will be again referred to. The son was not wanting in resjjcct for his father, but Mr. Sherman was accustomed to acknowledge his indebtedness to his mother more than to any earthly friend for the formation of his character and the foundation of his religi<ms life. His school education was limited, such only as was afforded by the district school at the four corners (now of Park ami North Avenues). It had been the intention of his father to give him a liberal education, but the loss of a valuable vessel and cargo crippled him financially, and the idi m was abandoned. .Vlmost the only avenue open to an aspiring young man without capital was the .sea. Despite its risk-. Isaac betook himself to this, with the apjirobation oi his parents, at the age of sixteen years. He followed it with varying success for upwards of four years, having twice been shipwrecked on the New Jersi\ coast, with the loss of all things cxceiit his daunth— purpose to rise. At the end of this period he cam. out with ninety-five dollars ahead. To this his good mother ad<led five dollars, thus giving him a capital oi one hundred dollars. Observant of his manly qualitie-. his excellent uncle. Dr. James Elaton Beach, furnished nine hundred dollars adilitional capital, and thu- started the firm of Beach & Sherman, locateil on Water Street, in a grocery business, conducted .soh^ly bv Mr. Sherman. So successful was he that tin capital of the firm was doubled by his profits the fir-i I year. Shortly after, his brother, Capt. Sterling Sherman, was admitted :isa partner, with additioiuil capital, and the business was continued succe«stnlly up to ISU, :i period of seven years in all. At the close of tin second war, commonly known as the war of 1812, tli. political and internatiimal situation was not favorable for mercantile and maritime pursuits in this country, and there followed f<ir Mr. Sherman a year of enforced ■\V, ^&^^^ a^ BllIDGEPORT. 149 <|iiirt, wliirli (■oiii|ilctrl\ lurccl liini.as lir s:iicl, "iilCvrr chiiiiis liy the requisite ipmcils fVe(|iU'iitly iiiviilvcil :in ■wisliiiiir to spend any part uf his lite in idlrness." amount of investigation and ]ierseveriiit;- labor almost In Deeendter. 1X10, he marrieil JIaria. the eldrst iiieredil)h'. He never uinU'rlooli doid)ttid eases. His daughter of Stephen Burroughs, Jr., and purchased ]iapers were always made onl with g)r!it eare and the house, tlu'U reeently built, on the nortlieast eoruer clearness, aud it came to lii' iimhr-.tood that their of ."Main and (iohl Streets, which was thi' only lioiiic special reliability was rccugrd/cil at the perisjcjn otlice of his iiKirricd life of fifty-three years. in Washington. This was all lie' more true as Com- In |sl."i he joineil his father-in-law in the grocery, nussioner Edwards. wIkj so long ami abl\ ailiinnistered grain, Jioston and New York coasting business, which the I'cii-ioii I'.ureau at this period, knew his personal was successfully continued up to lS:il, with the c\- wnrlli, eeptioH id' an interval of four years in partnership Thai lie was a most industrious man is amply at- with (apt, .lohii P.i ks, .Tr., in the same lini' id' liusi- tested by voluminous records, original deeds and ness. The lirm of Burroughs & Sherman owned a other i-onvcyances. wills mhiI duciimenls, which are number of vessels, and Iniilt the schoom-r " Nassau" for preserved in the archives of the town of r.ridgeporl, a lioston coaster. During her second year this \essel the Uridgeport I'robate llistrict, and the pri\ate bo.\ was sent in command id' ('apt, Txait M, llitidicock, of nearly every ju-operty-holder of his tinu- in this under charter of some merchants from New York, lo vicinity. Yet, though so bu.sy and so eliicient, those Saint Stephens, on the Tombigbce River I.Vlabanial. who knew him well remcnd)er his i|uiet imuuu'r, and On this triji, June, 1817, she was the first .Vnu'rican how, if he ever hasted, he seemed to illustrate the vessel to enter the port of ^Mobile after it c.iiih' into maxim, ''Make haste slowly," the i)OSsession of the T'nited States, She continued This part of our sketch would not be com]ilete or to run to Mobile under the same command, with good .just withoid allusiim to the last contiibiil ion made by success about fouryears, when the trade had increased -Mr, Sherman, for the bencHt of those who shoiihl come so natch as to require lar.ser vessels. after him. His long life in this comnuinity and his In lS;i2, Mr. Shernniu retired from active cummer- extensive personal acquaintance, his f'amiliarit\- with cial life, but mit from active usefulness. Indeed, he the chnrcli and jiarish records, his respect for his own never ceased to be iisefid. While jihysical streni;th ancestry — already noticed — and his genealogical remained he was busy, according to the jjrim-iple i.'X- studies, his intercourse with and foiulness for old peo- pressed in his journal; " I believe it best for nu' to ]ile, his extensive business iiitereoiirse, his invcstiga- <'.\erci.se myself in some honest and iisefid employ- tio!is for the e.stablislunent ol' ])ensioM claims, his inent as long as healtli will permit." experience in connection with the setthanent and .\s early as the yi'ar 1819, Mr. Sherman had been distribution of estates, all contributed lo furnish appointed justice of the peace, and this ollice he re- bis observant and retenti\e mind with a tutul of in- tained after his retircmeid from business, and until tormation regarding the early settlennail and history 18.')1. In the sanu' year of his withdrawal from mcr- of Stratticld and I'.ridgeport. lie could give the cantile business he became town clerk, ami held the exact location of the old fandly homes, ami much office sixteen years by successive aiiniud elections, about the descendants, the settlement of the New- He was also town treasurer twenty-two years by fields (now the city of Uridgeport I, the rise and prog- the annual suffrages of his fellow-eitizenR, and during i'i-*-< of business, the business lirnis, how eomiioscd, this period liis office was headquarters for convev- how located, and whether successful or othciwisc. eti\ aneing, and indeed all ]iublic business. l,:iter he was ^'o one had attempted to cover the lield, and mi one for a time judge of Probate and recorder of the city. living could do it as he coidd, and unless by him He seemed nductant to take part in the adndnis- committed to ]iaper, at his decease it was certain that tration of the city govcrnim'Ut. Having once been very nuich would be inevitably lost. This considera- elected ahlernuui he declined to qiialifv, as is sup- 'ion was I'rcquently urged iqion him foi- years without posed, from a disinclination to attend the evening success. After his retirement from public business, to sessions iif the Conunon ( 'ouiicil, often very much ]iro- the quiet ol' an otlice improvised under the domestic traeted, yet he was not wanting in interest in muid- I'ool, the sitnalion seemed favorable, and his consent cipal ali'airs. In the trying times of i.S44 he was a to enter upon the work was gained. The plan was member of the council of safety, appointed by the laid out for him, and he entered upon it tinudly. as