Clarence O. Sherrill (May 24, 1876 – February 6, 1959) was an American military officer,
city manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
, and lobbyist. The son of a
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
politician and
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
veteran, Sherrill attended colleges in his home state before transferring to the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...
(West Point), graduating with a degree in
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...
. During the next decade, Sherrill briefly served as a military aide to President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...
and was stationed in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
and several U.S. cities. During
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Sherrill was stationed in France where he led the 302d Engineers. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded the ''
Croix de Guerre
The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, where he served as chief military aide to President
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...
and later President
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...
. He was appointed director of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, overseeing a large number of departments and construction projects. When one of these projects, the
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a List of national memorials of the United States, U.S. national memorial honoring Abraham Lincoln, the List of presidents of the United States, 16th president of the United States, located on the western end of the Nati ...
, was dedicated, Sherrill was responsible for having the audience segregated. He implemented this racist policy in various parks, public pools, and golf courses throughout the city. He retired from the military and left his role in Washington, D.C., in 1925, then moved to
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, where he served as
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
's first city manager. In the 1930s, Sherrill was vice president of the Kroger Grocery and Baking Company and president of the American Retail Federation (later merged into the
National Retail Federation
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the world's largest retail trade association. Its members include department stores, catalog, Internet, and independent retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, multi-level marketing companies and vendors. ...
). He later resumed his role as city manager of Cincinnati and retired in 1944. Sherrill and his wife, Gerladine, had two children. The couple died in the 1950s and were buried in
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
.
Early life
Clarence Osborne Sherrill was born on May 24, 1876, in
Newton, North Carolina
Newton is a city in Catawba County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 census, the city had a population of 12,968. It is the county seat of Catawba County. Newton is part of the Hickory, North Carolina, Hicko ...
, the third of seven children. His younger sister, Mary Lura Sherrill, became a prominent chemist and his older brother, Joseph Garland Sherrill, helped found the
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) is a professional medical association for surgeons and surgical team members, founded in 1913. It claims more than 90,000 members in 144 countries.
History
The ACS was founded in 1913 as an outgrowth of ...
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
veteran who had lost a leg at the
Battle of Spotsylvania Court House
The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes more simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania (or the 19th-century spelling Spottsylvania), was the second major battle in Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade's 18 ...
. After the war, his father was a
clerk of court
A court clerk (British English: clerk to the court or clerk of the court ; American English: clerk of the court or clerk of court ) is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining records of a court and administering oaths ...
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, who holds powers si ...
and
North Carolina Senate
The North Carolina Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate ...
, and state librarian from 1899 to 1916.
Sherrill attended
Catawba College
Catawba College is a private college in Salisbury, North Carolina. Founded in 1851 by the North Carolina Classis of the Reformed Church in Newton, the college adopted its name from its county of origin, Catawba County, before moving to its c ...
before enrolling at Trinity College (now
Duke University
Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...
). He left Trinity in 1897 to attend the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...
(West Point), where he graduated at the rank of second lieutenant in 1901 with a degree in
civil engineering
Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...
, second in his class. After graduating, Sherrill was stationed as an engineer in the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
, assisting with the construction of roads, bridges, and wharves. He was promoted to
first lieutenant
First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment.
The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...
in 1903 and moved to
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, serving as a military aide to President
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...
for one year. In 1904, Sherrill attended the School of the Line (now the
United States Army Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC or, obsolete, USACGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military ...
) at
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth () is a United States Army installation located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, in the city of Leavenworth, Kansas, Leavenworth. Built in 1827, it is the second oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C., an ...
, where he took infantry and cavalry courses for officers until graduating in 1906 with honors. After his promotion to
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
, Sherrill taught at the School of the Line for three years and wrote a military text book on
topography
Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area may refer to the landforms and features themselves, or a description or depiction in maps.
Topography is a field of geoscience and planetary sci ...
. In 1911, he served as chief engineer at
Fort Crockett
Fort Crockett is a government reservation on Galveston Island overlooking
the Gulf of Mexico originally built as a defense installation to protect the city and harbor of Galveston and to secure the entrance to Galveston Bay,
thus protecting the c ...
in
Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
, followed by stints in
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. After a successful vote to annex areas west of the city limits in July 2023, Mobil ...
, and
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
.
In 1914, Sherrill was promoted to
major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
in the
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wo ...
. When the United States entered
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Sherrill was stationed in France, where he led the 302d Engineers and served as chief of staff of the 29th and 77th Infantry Divisions. For his service, Sherrill was promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded the ''
Croix de Guerre
The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
In 1921, Sherrill was appointed chief military aide to President
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he was one of the most ...
, a role he continued during the early years of
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...
's presidency. While also serving as military aide, Sherrill was appointed director of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, beginning in March 1921. In this role, Sherrill was responsible for a large number of projects and departments. He was involved with planning the construction of several prominent sites in Washington, D.C., including the
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is a List of national memorials of the United States, U.S. national memorial honoring Abraham Lincoln, the List of presidents of the United States, 16th president of the United States, located on the western end of the Nati ...
George Gordon Meade Memorial
The George Gordon Meade Memorial, also known as the Meade Memorial or ''Major General George Gordon Meade'', is a public artwork in Washington, D.C. honoring George Meade, a career military officer from Pennsylvania who is best known for defeati ...
Arlington Memorial Bridge
The Arlington Memorial Bridge, often shortened to Memorial Bridge, is a Neoclassical masonry, steel, and stone arch bridge with a central bascule (or drawbridge) that crosses the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United Sta ...
. In addition to these projects, an article in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described Sherrill's enormous list of responsibilities, including upkeep of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
, the State, War, and Navy Building, and other government buildings.
He was nicknamed the "Czar of Washington" by U.S. Representative Thomas L. Blanton, who was a critic of Sherrill's influence in the city. Blanton spent $260 to print and deliver a 27-page pamphlet to a large number of residents which criticized Sherrill. Blanton wrote that Sherrill presides "arrogantly and pompously as the sole and exclusive dictator, lawmaker, law enforcer, contract letter, concession granter, employee hirer, employee discharger, money disburser, judge, jury and executioner from whose iron decree there is no way of escape." The feud had apparently begun after Blanton criticized Sherrill's management skills which in return Sherrill called him a "busybody."
In addition to the aforementioned projects, Sherrill played a large role in development of the
Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway
The Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway, informally called the Rock Creek Parkway, is a parkway maintained by the National Park Service as part of Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. It runs next to the Potomac River and Rock Creek (Potomac River tri ...
, which was under his jurisdiction as overseer of
Rock Creek Park
Rock Creek Park is a large urban park that bisects the Northwest, Washington, D.C., Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C. Created by Act of Congress in 1890, the park comprises 1,754 acres (2.74 mi2, 7.10 km2), generally along Rock Cr ...
. He also served as secretary of the
United States Commission of Fine Arts
The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) is an independent agency of the federal government of the United States, and was established in 1910. The CFA has review (but not approval) authority over the "design and aesthetics" of all construction wit ...
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
in 1925 and replaced with the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, which Sherrill oversaw.
As the person who oversaw a large number of local projects and agencies, Sherrill was able to implement racist policies without much pushback. According to historian and author Eric S. Yellin, Sherrill was an "avid segregationist" and was responsible for segregating the dedication ceremony of the Lincoln Memorial. Sherrill also implemented segregation policies in the city's parks, pools, and picnic areas, by requiring installation of signs that said "white" and "colored". An article in '' The Durham Morning Herald'' reported: "Negroes in the District of Columbia have requested President Harding to remove Col. C. O. Sherrill, aide to the president, because the latter is charged with segregating the races at public gatherings in Washington." Although some members of Congress were able to step in and have some of Sherrill's policies reversed, Harding did not remove him from office.
Some of the middle-class black residents of the city agreed to Sherrill's policy of only letting them play on two of the city's golf courses at specific times. ''
The Baltimore Afro-American
The ''Baltimore Afro-American'', commonly known as ''The Afro'' or ''Afro News'', is a weekly African-American newspaper published in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the flagship newspaper of the ''AFRO-American'' chain and the longest-running Africa ...
'' published an article urging them "to remove every vestige of discrimination and to get rid of Colonel Sherrill", and that by adhering to this policy, it would "put herrillin position to say that he is giving the colored people what they want." One local black resident, Hattie Sewell, had won a contract to operate the Pierce Mill Tea House in Rock Creek Park. Her business was successful, but a local white resident who wanted "an experienced white person" to run the tea house convinced Sherrill to not renew Sewell's lease. Sherrill obliged and the lease was given to the Girl Scouts Association. Sherrill also had signs posted around Peirce Mill that segregated the area, but these were removed after the local
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...
protested. Sherrill's tenure as head of local parks and public buildings ended in December 1925 when he retired from the
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
and was succeeded by
Ulysses S. Grant III
Ulysses Simpson Grant III (July 4, 1881August 29, 1968) was a United States Army officer and planner. He was the son of Frederick Dent Grant, and the grandson of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army and President of the United ...
.
Cincinnati
Sherrill left Washington, D.C., to work as the first
city manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
of
Cincinnati
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
,
Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
. He served in this role from 1926 to 1930, earning $25,000 per year. After Grant III declined to take over the role when Sherrill left, Clarence Addison Dykstra was named the new city manager. Sherrill worked as vice president of the Kroger Grocery and Baking Company from 1930 to 1935, assisting with the company's advancements in
supply chain
A supply chain is a complex logistics system that consists of facilities that convert raw materials into finished products and distribute them to end consumers or end customers, while supply chain management deals with the flow of goods in distri ...
management. His military background and success at Kroger was the inspiration for a character in '' Once an Eagle'', a novel by Anton Myrer.
Sherrill left Kroger to co-found the American Retail Federation (later merged into the
National Retail Federation
The National Retail Federation (NRF) is the world's largest retail trade association. Its members include department stores, catalog, Internet, and independent retailers, restaurants, grocery stores, multi-level marketing companies and vendors. ...
) with lobbyist Harold R. Young and
Filene's
Filene's was an American department store chain founded in 1881 by William Filene. The historic Filene's Department Store in the Downtown Crossing district of Boston, Massachusetts housed the flagship store and headquarters, while branch store ...
chairman Louis E. Kirstein. Sherrill served as the organization's president, and according to academic author Michael J. Hicks, was instrumental in thwarting attempts to stop the "anti-chain store movement" by utilizing advertisements and placards. Hicks believes Sherrill's strategies were probably used years later by
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
when that company rapidly expanded. Sherrill left the American Retail Federation to return as city manager of Cincinnati, working in this role from 1937 until his retirement in 1944.
Personal life
While studying at the School of the Line, Sherrill married Geraldine Caldwell Taylor, granddaughter of former U.S. Senator
Alexander Caldwell
Alexander Caldwell (March 1, 1830May 19, 1917) was a U.S. Senator from Kansas.
Early years
Born in Drakes Ferry, Pennsylvania, he attended public schools, and in 1847 enlisted as a private to serve in the Mexican–American War. He moved to ...
, on November 30, 1905. The couple had two children, Clarence Caldwell, born August 15, 1911, and Minnie Elizabeth, born January 27, 1916. Sherrill was a member of the
Army and Navy Club
The Army and Navy Club, commonly known as The Rag, is a private members' club in London that was founded in 1837 for officers of the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines.Washington Home for Incurables. She died on May 31, 1957, at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, and was buried in a shared plot at
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia.
...
. Sherrill died on February 6, 1959, at The Christ Hospital and was buried alongside his wife in Section 6, Grave 9542-1. Sherrill Drive in Rock Creek Park is named in his honor.