Isaac Watts Sherman

Isaac Watts Sherman

Isaac Sherman, prominent New York entrepreneur, financier, and backstage politician. In the 1840s, he was engaged in the business of lumber and staves in Buffalo. In the spring of 1853, he moved to New York and formed partnership with Benjamin F. Romaine, and then with Henry Wibirt. He retired from active business in 1866, although he continued to invest heavily in railroads, particularly in the South. He entered state politics in the mid 1840s, and in 1847 unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Buffalo on a Democratic ticket. Sherman supported the Free Soil Party in the 1848 presidential campaign and the 1850 congressional elections. He later played an active role in the organization of the Republican Party and the first National Convention. During the 1856 presidential campaign, Sherman worked for Fremont's candidacy, effectively managing his campaign. He supported Lincoln's candidacy in the 1860 elections, and served as his unofficial advisor during the Civil War. Sherman was known as an opponent of legal tender notes, and later advocated repeal of federal income tax. In October 1874 he testified before the state Assembly on Ways and Means on taxation. In 1880, the University of Rochester conferred upon him a doctoral degree, in recognition of his contributions to the school and achievements in political economy.

Sherman's only daughter Cornelia, the sole beneficiary of his vast estate, married Bradley Martin (1841-1913). The Bradley Martins, known for their lavish lifestyle and exorbitant entertainment, achieved certain renown in New York Gilded Age society. In 1897, they moved to Great Britain to join Mrs. Sherman who had moved to London shortly after Isaac Sherman's death, and their daughter Cornelia who had married Lord Craven.

From the description of Papers of Isaac Sherman, 1832-1913 (bulk 1848-1881). (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 228738324