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Subject: [IA-CIVIL-WAR] 1903 Bio of Hoyt Sherman
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2003 06:33:35 EST

HOYT SHERMAN, son of Charles R. Sherman, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio,
was born in Lancaster County, November 1, 1827, and is the younger brother of
John Sherman, the distinguished Ohio statesman, and of General William T.
Sherman of Civil War fame. Until eighteen years of age, Hoyt's time was divided
between school and the printing office. In the spring of 1848 he came to Fort
Des Moines, Iowa, then far out on the western frontier. In 1849 he was
admitted to the bar and began to practice law, and also engaged in real estate
business. In March of that year he was appointed by President Taylor postmaster
of Des Moines, holding that position until the inauguration of President
Pierce, when he resigned and was elected clerk of the District Court. In 1854 he
was the senior member of the baking house of Hoyt Sherman & Co., and upon the
establishment of the State Bank of Iowa he became cashier of the Des Moines
branch and was one of the directors on part of the State to supervise the system
and guard the public interests. When the Civil War began Mr. Sherman was
appointed by President Lincoln paymaster in the Union army with the rank of major,
holding the position for three years. He was one of the organizers of the
Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa and for many years its general manager.
That institution owes much of its stabililty and high standing to the fine
executive ability and unquestioned integrity of Major Sherman. In 1866, Major
Sherman was a member of the House of the Eleventh General Assembly where he was
chairman of the committee on railroads and a member of the committee of ways
and means. In 1886 he was one of the founders of the Pioneer Lawmakers'
Association and has always been one of its most influential members, serving as
president and long a member of the executive committee. He has contributed
valuable historical articles to the Annals of Iowa on "Early Banking in Iowa," and
on the "State Bank of Iowa." For many years he was the executive officer of
the Associated Charities of Des Moines.



Debbie Clough Gerischer
Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County
http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/
IAGENWEB: Special History Project:
http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm
Gerischer Family Web Site:
http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/

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