Sherman, J. T.

SHERMAN, SNELL

Posted By: Gary Norris (email)
Date: 1/29/2013 at 08:38:54

The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa
Des Moines: Union Hist. Co., 1880.

SHERMAN, J.T.—Grinnell Twp—pg 923-24. Son of Samuel and Martha Sherman. Born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, May 28, 1849. In 1854 came West with his parents to Ottawa, LaSalle county, Illinois, where he remained until 1864, when his parents immigrated to Iowa and located in Eddyville, Wapello county. Here he entered the Eddyville Star office as an apprentice and remained in the office until the paper suspended publication, when he returned to his former home, Ottawa, and obtained a situation in the Ottawa Republican office. He continued to work here for four years, when he returned to Iowa and procured a situation on the Albia Union. In 1869 became one of the publishers of the Des Moines Valley Gazette, a weekly newspaper published at Eddyville, Iowa. In 1871, in company with W.T. Bruer and Chas. Griffith, established the Macon City Republican, at Macon City, Missouri. In the fall of the same year he severed his connection with the Republican and established the Andrew County Republican, at Savannah, Andrew county, Missouri. In the spring of 1872 was united in marriage to Miss R.E. Snell, at Savannah, by Rev. Gllis, [sic] of the First M.E. Church, of that city, and after having sold his interest in the Republican in the fall of the same year, he accepted a situation on the St. Joseph (Missouri) Daily Commercial as assistant business manager and local editor. In 1874 he returned to Iowa and accepted a situation as foreman of the Albia Union. In 1875 started the Eddyville Advance and continued the publication of that journal until November, 1876, when his office was destroyed by fire. Rebuilding his newspaper press in the spring of 1877, in company with L.H. Boydston he began the publication of the Poweshiek County Democrat. Disposing of his interest in the Democrat in November of the same year, he purchased a new office and began the publication of the Grinnell Independent, at Grinnell, on January 18, 1878. After one year’s successful business he disposed of a half interest in the Independent to Michael Snyder, and the paper since that time has been published by the firm of Snyder & Sherman. Since establishing the Independent he has purchased a lot in the north part of the city and built a residence thereon. His family consists of a wife and four children, two boys and two girls.