- James S. Sherman
Infobox_Vice_President | name=James S. Sherman
nationality=American
order=27thVice President of the United States
term_start=March 4, 1909
term_end=October 30, 1912
predecessor=Charles W. Fairbanks
successor=Thomas R. Marshall
order2=Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York 's 23rd district
term_start2=March 4 ,1887
term_end2=March 3 ,1891
preceded2=John T. Spriggs
succeeded2=Henry W. Bentley
order3=Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York 's 25th district
term_start3=March 4 ,1893
term_end3=March 3 ,1903
preceded3=James J. Belden
succeeded3=Lucius N. Littauer
order4=Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York 's 27th district
term_start4=March 4 ,1903
term_end4=March 3 ,1909
preceded4=Michael E. Driscoll
succeeded4=Charles S. Millington
order5=Mayor ofUtica, New York
term5=1894
birth_date=birth date|mf=yes|1855|10|24
birth_place=Utica, New York
death_date=death date and age|mf=yes|1912|10|30|1855|10|24
death_place=Utica, New York
spouse=Carrie Babcock Sherman
alma_mater=Hamilton College
party=Republican
president=William Howard Taft
James Schoolcraft Sherman (October 24, 1855 – October 30, 1912) was a
United States Representative fromNew York and the twenty-seventhVice President of the United States . He was a member of theBaldwin, Hoar & Sherman family .Early life
Sherman was born in
Utica, New York . The son ofRichard Updike Sherman and his distant cousin Mary Frances Sherman, he gained his early education through private schools. Graduating fromHamilton College in 1878, he studied law for two years, then was admitted to the bar in 1880. He was a member of theSigma Phi fraternity.Law and business
Nicknamed "Sunny Jim" for his positive disposition, Sherman practiced law at the Utica firm of Cookingham & Martin and was married to Carrie Babcock in 1881. He also served as president of the
Utica Trust & Deposit Co. and of theNew Hartford Canning Co. during this period before becomingmayor of Utica in 1884.Representative
Elected to Congress in 1886 as a Republican representative of New York, Sherman served four years before losing his seat following the 1890 election to
Henry W. Bentley . Sherman would return two years later to win the first of eight consecutive elections for the seat, helping to establish his presence in the nation's capital.In 1898, he briefly became a candidate for Speaker of the House, before being offered the office of
General Appraiser of the Port of New York one year later byU.S. President William McKinley . Sherman declined the position after vocal opposition from his Utica constituents.Vice President
At the time of his 1908 nomination as the Republican candidate for Vice President on the ticket with
William Howard Taft , Sherman was Chairman of the HouseCommittee on Indian Affairs . During the ensuing campaign, Sherman endured a blistering attack from Los Angeles attorney Edmund Burke, who had claimed he was a former partner of his in theNew Mexico Lumber and Development Company . Burke alleged that Sherman had used his influential position to further a land grab deal, but his accusations would not prove to be damaging in the election.1912 election and illness
Sherman had also been diagnosed with
gallstones during this period, and was told that kidney trouble was causing his problems. By following a strict diet, he was able to manage his lingering condition after taking office on March 4, 1909. However, his strong work ethic played a major role in the deterioration of his health over the course of the 1912 presidential campaign.In June 1912, Sherman became the first incumbent Vice President to be renominated by a National Convention. The ensuing campaign saw Taft in a stiff three-way battle with Democrat
Woodrow Wilson and formerU.S. President Theodore Roosevelt , the latter candidate having previously been in a nasty feud with Sherman over control of theNew York Republican party.Death
Sherman died in Utica,
Oneida County, New York a few days prior to the election. TheRepublican National Committee provided that electoral votes Sherman would have received would go toColumbia University PresidentNicholas M. Butler . However, DemocratsWoodrow Wilson andThomas R. Marshall won in an electoral vote landslide long before this. James S. Sherman was interred in Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica.ee also
*
United States presidential election, 1908
*United States presidential election, 1912 External links
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=2716 James S. Sherman] at
Find A Grave
* [http://www.footnote.com/image/4346755 16th Amendment to the Constitution with Sherman's Signature] Image of original document
* [http://www.footnote.com/image/4346715 17th Amendment to the Constitution with Sherman's Signature] Image of original document###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Republican Party vice presidential candidate
before=Charles W. Fairbanks
after=Nicholas M. Butler (1)
years=1908 (won), 1912 (died)
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