Major Hoyt Sherman (November 21, 1827 – January 25, 1904), a member of the prominent
Sherman family, was an American
banker
A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets.
Becaus ...
.
Biography
Hoyt Sherman was born in 1827 in
Lancaster, Ohio
Lancaster ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, in the south-central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,552. The city is near the Hocking River, about southeast of Columbus and southwest of Zanesville. It is ...
, the son of
Charles R. Sherman, Judge of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was the youngest of eleven children, brother of US Federal Judge
Charles Taylor Sherman, US Senator
John Sherman
John Sherman (May 10, 1823October 22, 1900) was an American politician from Ohio throughout the Civil War and into the late nineteenth century. A member of the Republican Party, he served in both houses of the U.S. Congress. He also served as ...
the distinguished Ohio statesman, and of Major General
William T. Sherman
William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...
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
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moine ...
, 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
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
postmaster of
Des Moines
Des Moines () is the capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small part of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines ...
, holding that position until the inauguration of President
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804October 8, 1869) was the 14th president of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. He was a northern Democrat who believed that the abolitionist movement was a fundamental threat to the nation's unity ...
, when he resigned and was elected clerk of the District Court. President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
appointed him the Army Paymaster at the start of the Civil War, with the rank of Major.
Upon his return, Hoyt teamed up with others and created Equitable of Iowa Insurance Company. During this time, he also gave his counsel, his time, and his money to ensure Des Moines had schools, including a college, a waterworks system, and many more facilities.
In 1854, he was the senior member of the banking 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
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
began Mr. Sherman was appointed by President
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
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
The ING Group ( nl, ING Groep) is a Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Amsterdam. Its primary businesses are retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, wholesale banki ...
and for many years its general manager. That institution owes much of its stability and high standing to Major Sherman's reputation for integrity and skillful management.
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 was one of its most influential members, serving as president and long a member of the executive committee. He 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 chief executive officer of the Associated Charities of Des Moines.
Sherman married Sarah Elvira Moulton (24 June 1837-1 March 1887) on December 25, 1855. One of their daughters, Adaline Moulton Sherman, was married to
Frank Bestow Wiborg, and their children included
Mary Hoyt Wiborg and
Sara Sherman Wiborg
Gerald Clery Murphy and Sara Sherman Wiborg were wealthy, expatriate Americans who moved to the French Riviera in the early 20th century and who, with their generous hospitality and flair for parties, created a vibrant social circle, particular ...
.
Hoyt Sherman Place
In 1877 Hoyt Sherman built a grand manor; the structure is now a museum and performing arts center.
The original house and gallery now display a collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings, as well as elaborately carved 17th-century furniture and other rare artifacts. The mansion, now known as
Hoyt Sherman Place
Hoyt Sherman Place, the home of Hoyt Sherman, was built in 1877 and is located in Des Moines, Iowa.
History
In 1850, Hoyt purchased five acres of land in Des Moines for $105. In 1877, Hoyt Sherman Place, the family home, was completed with the ...
, lent its name to the surrounding Des Moines neighborhood of
Sherman Hill. For many years Hoyt Sherman Place has served as the headquarters for
Des Moines Women's Club
The Des Moines Women's Club, founded in 1885 as the women's club movement swept through the United States, today serves the Des Moines community by providing scholarships, support for the local arts community, and other civic projects.
History
...
. The house and theater are now under the management of the Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation.
See also
References
External links
Sherman Genealogy Including Families of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, England"> Sherman Genealogy Including Families of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, EnglandBy Thomas Townsend Sherman
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Hoyt
1827 births
1904 deaths
American bankers
Businesspeople from Des Moines, Iowa
Politicians from Des Moines, Iowa
People from Lancaster, Ohio
People of Iowa in the American Civil War
Members of the Iowa House of Representatives
United States Army paymasters
Union Army officers
19th-century American businesspeople
Sherman family (U.S.)