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

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politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and newspaper editor from

Toledo Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, Or ...

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, as well as an officer in the Union army during the

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 ...

. He served nine terms in the

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, and was a noted

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ''a ...

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 ...

Early life and career

Sherwood was born in

Stanford, New York Stanford is a town in the north-central part of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 3,628 at the 2020 census,US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Report, Stanford town, Dutchess County, New York https://www.census.gov/search-re ...

. 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 6,058 at the 2020 census.US Census Bureau, 2020 Census Results, Claverack town, Columbia County, New York QuickFacts https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/claverackt ...

, and

Antioch College Antioch College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1850 by the Christian Connection and began operating in 1852 as a non-secta ...

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

Poland, Ohio Poland is a village (United States)#Ohio, village in eastern Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,463 at the 2020 United States census. A suburb about south of Youngstown, Ohio, Youngstown, it is part of the Mahoning Vall ...

. 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, Ohio, Toledo. The population was 8,729 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Histo ...

. 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 In common law jurisdictions, 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, in the absence of a legal will, the e ...

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 the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

'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 recorded ...

in the 14th Ohio Infantry. Sherwood transferred to the 111th Ohio Infantry, initially serving as adjutant, but mustered out with the regiment as lieutenant colonel. He participated in the Carolinas campaign, 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 brigadier general for conspicuous service during the

Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, in Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin–Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate L ...

, 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 military order organized on April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Union Army. The original membership was consisted ...

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 ''The Cleveland Leader'' was a newspaper published in Cleveland from 1854 to 1917. History The ''Cleveland Leader'' was created in 1854 by Edwin Cowles, who merged a variety of abolitionist, pre-Republican Party titles under the ''Leader''. Fr ...

''.

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 autho ...

. Sherwood successfully ran for the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

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

Ohio's 18th congressional district The 18th Ohio Congressional Districts, congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Republican Party (United States), Republican Bob Gibbs. The district voted for the majority party in the House of R ...

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 Woodlawn Cemetery is the name of several cemeteries, including: Canada * Woodlawn Cemetery (Saskatoon) * Woodlawn Cemetery (Nova Scotia) United States ''(by state then city or town)'' * Woodlawn Cemetery (Ocala, Florida), where Isaac Rice and fa ...

Notes

References

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

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sherwood, Isaac R. 1835 births 1925 deaths Journalists from Ohio 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 Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Toledo, Ohio) 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives