Isaac Ruth Sherwood (August 13, 1835 – October 15, 1925) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and newspaper editor from Toledo,

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, as well as an officer in the

Union army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

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. He served nine terms in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

, and was a noted

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...

during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Early life and career

Sherwood was born in

Stanford, New York Stanford is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in the north-central part of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 3,628 at the 2020 census,US Census Bureau, 2020 C ...

. After attending the local public schools, he attended the Hudson River Institute in

Claverack, New York Claverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,021 at the 2010 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word “Klaverakker” for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach". In 1705, the first discovery ...

, and

Antioch College Antioch College is a private liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1852 as a non-sectarian institution; politician and education reformer Horace Mann was its f ...

in Ohio. He then studied law at the Ohio Law College in

Poland, Ohio Poland is a village in eastern Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. A suburb about southeast of Youngstown, the population was 2,463 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area. History In 1796, Poland To ...

. After finishing school in 1857, Sherwood became the editor of the ''Williams County Gazette'' in

Bryan, Ohio Bryan is a city in, and the county seat of, Williams County, Ohio, United States. It is located in the state's northwestern corner, southwest of Toledo. The population was 8,729 at the 2020 census. History Bryan was platted in 1840 by John ...

. Sherwood was married to

Kate Brownlee Sherwood Kate Brownlee Sherwood (, Brownlee; September 24, 1841 – February 15, 1914) was an American poet, journalist, translator and story writer of the long nineteenth century, as well as a philanthropist, and patron of the arts and literature. Sherw ...

(1841-1914), a writer of popular patriotic poetry, and together the couple had two children, James and Lenore. Sherwood first entered politics in October 1860 when he was elected the

probate Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased, or whereby the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy in the sta ...

judge of Williams County. Because of the Civil War, Sherwood's term as judge was short.

Civil War

Soon after 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 thro ...

's call for volunteers in April 1861, Sherwood resigned from his judgeship and enlisted as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the 14th Ohio Infantry. Sherwood transferred to the 111th Ohio Infantry, initially serving as adjutant, but mustered out with the regiment as

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. He participated in the

Carolinas campaign The campaign of the Carolinas (January 1 – April 26, 1865), also known as the Carolinas campaign, was the final campaign conducted by the United States Army (Union Army) against the Confederate States Army in the Western Theater. On January 1 ...

, the final major campaign in the Eastern Theater of the war. On February 25, 1865,

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nominated Sherwood for appointment to the grade of

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

for conspicuous service during the Battle of Franklin, to rank from February 27, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 10, 1865. After the war he became a companion of the Ohio Commandery of the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

Postbellum career

After being mustered out of the military on June 27, 1865, Sherwood moved to Toledo, Ohio. There he became the editor of the ''Toledo Daily Commercial''. He also began writing political editorials for '' The Cleveland Leader''.

Political career

Once again, Sherwood became involved in Ohio politics as a member of the Republican Party. In 1868 and again in 1870, he was elected as

Secretary of State of Ohio The Secretary of State of Ohio is an elected statewide official in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of state is responsible for overseeing elections in the state; registering business entities (corporations, etc.) and granting them the author ...

. Sherwood successfully ran for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

in 1872 and served one term. Once his term in Congress had ended, Sherwood returned to Cleveland and served as the owner and editor of the ''Toledo Journal'' from 1875 to 1884. He also remained active in politics during this era. He was elected probate judge of Lucas County in 1878 and again in 1881. In 1885, Sherwood became the editor of the ''Canton News-Democrat'', a position that he continued to hold for the following decade.

Return to Congress

In the 1870s, Sherwood had briefly supported the platform of the National Greenback Party. In 1879, he chose to identify himself with the

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with which he remained for the rest of his life. He was nominated Representative of

Ohio's 18th congressional district The 18th congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since 1954. After the 2010 cen ...

in 1896, but lost. As a Democrat, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1906. Sherwood served for seven straight terms in Congress until he failed to win reelection in 1920. When World War I began, he refused to support the United States declaration of war and refused to vote in favor of the draft. He believed that the United States should not get involved in a European war. Sherwood's pacifist views made him very unpopular in his home state, where Ohioans believed that he was being unpatriotic. He was defeated for reelection in 1920. In 1922, Sherwood was once again elected to the House of Representatives, but he was defeated in his reelection bid in 1924.

Death

After completing his term, Sherwood retired from politics and moved back to Toledo. He died there only a few months later and was buried in the city's Woodlawn Cemetery.

Notes

References

Retrieved on 2008-11-05
biography at Bivouac Books
* *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sherwood, Isaac R. 1835 births 1925 deaths American newspaper editors Antioch College alumni Mayors of Toledo, Ohio People of Ohio in the American Civil War People from Stanford, New York Union Army officers Secretaries of State of Ohio Ohio Greenbacks American anti–World War I activists Activists from New York (state) Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio