Hello readers! I could not conjure up a more exciting title. My name is Robert Sherman and I am a direct descendent of the Sherman family of Fairfield, Vermont. It is my honor to write this for the Fairfield Historical Society. First, I have been asked many times if I am related to the Civil War General, William Tecumseh Sherman. I have found no family link to the General, despite our common Surname. When conversing with anyone from Georgia, I find it good to mention this. General Sherman is not fondly remembered in the light of his ransacking Atlanta on his march to the sea.
I have known for years that my Great Grandfather, Elijah B. Sherman, was a Civil War Veteran. When I was a child, his battle and dress swords were affixed somewhat unceremoniously to a concrete wall near my father’s workbench in the damp basement of the house on the south side of Chicago. I can’t recall any sort of discussion as to his Civil War Service.
Fortunately, these swords were passed on to me. I have kept them through many moves and life events. Along the way, I was given his uniform belt buckle as well. I also acquired a photo of Lt. Elijah B. Sherman in uniform, given to me by my sister Nancy.
I have learned from inscriptions on the swords that he was a member of the 9th Vermont Volunteers Regiment. I think it likely that he was in a calvary assignment, since he was an officer and had a battle sword. A little research found that he grew up in Fairfield, Vermont, and had graduated from Middlebury College, also in Vermont. He must have been living there when he volunteered to serve in the Union Army.
Historical notations said that, after being taken prisoner at Harpers Ferry and enduring a period of forced idleness, he resigned his commission and returned to civilian life. He went on to become an attorney and later a judge in the Chicago area, playing a key role in establishing the Illinois Bar Association.
These sketchy facts posed many more questions. I became intensely curious. What happened at Harper’s Ferry? What happened when he was taken prisoner? What was “forced idleness?’ How did a young man from Vermont end up in Chicago and have a distinguished career in law? Moreover, how would I find the answers to these questions?
The opportunity presented itself when my Bride Marie & I began planning a 2023 two-month trip to New England to participate in four auto racing events put on by the Pennsylvania Hill Climb Association. Each event would be separated by two weeks. This would allow time to visit many historic locations, several of which would hopefully provide some answers to my questions. Having a motor coach for travelling would make this more convenient, as we always had a comfortable place to stay and to eat.
It seemed logical to begin my search right where Lt. Elijah B. Sherman was born and raised. I located the town of Fairfield Vermont and found it certainly was a small settlement, not too far from St. Albans. I had also learned that several relatives, including my Great Great Grandparents, we buried at the Fairfield-Herrik Cemetery. We drove to the area and found the Fairfield Village Hall, a modern building, which was sited at a rural crossroads. Arriving on a Saturday, we found it closed and thus there was no line of enquiry there.
Marie saw that on the other side of the parking lot was a ramshackle building, A sign indicated “Chester’s Bakery,” and there were several cars parked there. Ready for coffee and snack, and seeking a possible source of information, we went inside.
We entered and instantly sensed this was a community gathering place. Everyone seemed to know each other. Several women were at work baking and preparing homemade items to serve. The old linoleum on the floor was so worn in places that the concrete was exposed. Furniture was a collection of whatever tables and chairs might have been available at the time. Chester’s is an absolute treasure.
We asked one of the ladies if she knew where the Fairfield-Herrick Cemetery was located. She said it was quite near and introduced us to a family having their breakfast of delicious baked goods. I introduced myself as Bob Sherman, a decedent of the Shermans of Fairfield. The fellow smiled and said that he and his family lived on and worked the “Old Sherman Family Farm!” Wow! We had a conversation and he told us exactly where the cemetery was, very close by. He said that once we got to the cemetery to look out toward their house and we would see the old farm properties.
We enjoyed our snacks and conversation. Thanking everyone, we left and made our way to the cemetery. We learned even more from exploring the grave markers. We found the graves of my Great Great Grandparents. From other markers, we learned that Elijah B. Sherman had two sisters, Polly and Cynthia. Each had married into other local families, which one would expect in a small mid-1800’s community. (Polly Wilmarth Sherman Abell, Cynthia Page Sherman Herrick) Numerous photos were taken and the relevant ones accompany this writing.
Further research from other sources found that Lt. Elijah Sherman also had a brother, Captain Linus E. Sherman, who was also a 9thRegiment Vermont Volunteer soldier. He is said to be the first man in Franklin County, Vermont, to volunteer for service. He is buried in Colorado Springs, Colorado. More about Captain Linus Sherman later.
These facts allow me to draw a conclusion about what happened with the Sherman Family farm. The disruption created by the Civil War also created opportunities for the Sherman brothers. Neither one appeared to have returned to farm life. Having said that, each had pursued higher education and war or not, it is not likely farming would be in the life of either brother. The family remaining in Fairfield consisted of Polly and Cynthia. As noted, they had married locally and besides, in those days women certainly would not operate a farm. It appears that, with no males to continue farming, Elias and Clarissa Sherman must have sold the farm.
I cannot at this point determine how or where Lt. Elijah B. Sherman was assigned before the Battle at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, in September, 1862. Thus, our next visit was to Harper’s Ferry. It was a good time to visit since the major tourist season was over. After parking, we went to the welcome building staffed by park rangers. I explained that I was the great grandson of Lt. Elija B. Sherman, 9th Regiment Vermont Volunteers. The ranger was very happy to meet me and was very helpful. He pointed out on a map where the 9th Regiment surrendered. It was in an area of the expansive park called Boliver Heights. I read that the commander had faced some criticism for surrendering. However, the superior cannon fire and sheer numbers of the Confederate forces would have made defeat certain and the loss of life great. But for this decision, Lt. Sherman may have become a casualty and I would not be here.
Before proceeding to Boliver Heights, we took the shuttle to Haper’s Ferry proper. We heard an informative talk from a park ranger and explored the historic town and historical markers. Harper’ Ferry was a very important place in the war, largely due to the location at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. Rivers were of strategic importance for moving men and materials. Some of the displays in a building made note of the 9th Vermont Volunteers and their roles.
Following this, we took the shuttle back to the visitor lot and drove to Boliver Heights for our final stop at harper’s Ferry. I was able to walk on the same ground and look at the same mountains as my Great Grandfather did in 1862. This was a very moving experience for me.
Now that I had been to the place he was captured, I needed to figure out how he ended up in “forced idleness” and resigned his commission. Both sides of the conflict had to deal with what to do with prisoners once they were captured. The answer is found in the “Napoleonic Code.” Lt. Sherman and other prisoners took an oath not to take up arms again against the confederacy, until such time as a prisoner exchange was completed. They were thus “paroled.” In the interim, they were placed on trains and shipped to Chicago, where an internment facility, “Camp Douglas,” had been set up in a marshy area just south of the city. (Now the near south side, about 1862)
Research told me this had been a dreadful place, with unhealthy conditions including a population of rats. Apparently, negotiations between the Union and the Confederacy for the prisoner exchange were going slowly. The soldiers kept at the camp, awaiting this having little to do and being stuck living in poor conditions. This is what was meant by “forced idleness.” It must be that Lt. Sherman figured there was no point waiting until he could go back to war, and that he should move on with his life.
This explains how my Great Grandfather found himself in Chicago. He secured a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1864 and became an attorney. He met a woman named Miss Hattie G. Lovering, from Iowa Falls, Iowa Nothing is known about how they met. In 1880, having become a successful lawyer, he built a house at 3985 Drexel Blvd, Chicago, 60653. (Oakland Neighborhood) Oddly, this is not far from where Fort Douglas was located. The house still stands today and is in great shape, having been converted into two separate living units. It is in what is now a high demand/value area of Chicago. Lt. Sherman was instrumental in founding the Illinois Bar Association and became a well-respected Judge in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of Illinois. He and Hattie are buried in Evergreen Cemetery on the North Side of Chicago. His death was May 1, 1910, and Her’s was January 28, 1916.
The Sherman’s Civil War would not be complete without including a discussion about Captain Linus Sherman, also of the 9th Regiment Vermont Volunteers. Captain Linus Elais Sherman is said to have been the first person to enlist in the 9th Regiment Vermont Volunteers from Franklin County, Vermont. He, as was his brother Elijah, captured at Harper’s Ferry.
Captain Linus Elias Sherman was born at Fairfield, Vermont, on June 30, 1835. During his service, he served in several battles and was captured at Harpers Ferry on September 13, 1862. As was the case with his brother, he was paroled to Camp Douglas in Chicago, on September 28, 1862. At some point he rejoined his regiment and was promoted to Captain on May 24, 1863. He was mustered out on June 13, 1865.
Available records indicated two marriages. One to Jennie Sherman (1843-1877), and a second to Louise B. Gould Sherman (1845-1901). More information on these will be added as I find it.
More information indicates that later in life Captain Linus E. Sherman was a pension attorney in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Captain Linus B. Sherman died on February 17, 1912, at seventy-six years of age.
As with my enquiries about relatives in the Fairfield-Herrick Cemetery, the website “FindaGrave.com” was useful in learning where Captain Linus Sherman was buried. Having become a prominent citizen in Colorado Springs, Colorado, upon death he was buried in the city’s Evergreen Cemetery. I had jotted down some numerical references to the location of his grave. On our return trip, we routed ourselves to Colorado Springs and found the cemetery early on a Sunday morning. We were not prepared for the size and scope of the graveyard. How on earth would we ever find his grave? The office was closed, but a rack on the door provided copies of maps with reference numbers. We matched up the number I had jotted down and figured we could find the grave. We went to the area and Marie located the grave right away. Captain Sherman is buried by himself. We had a small American flag with us and planted it by his headstone. Likely, we are the only family to visit his grave in over a hundred years. I was very proud to have made the effort and said a prayer for my Great Uncle! This will conclude, for the time being, my reporting on the Sherman family history. I’ll add more information should I find more history.