Introduction To The SHERMAN PIONEERS IN MICHIGAN April 1 2001 Compiled By: SHERMAN RESEARCH CENTER & ARCHIVES Alonzo Joseph Sherman, Curator 308 W Dwight St Oscoda MI 48750-1406 Phone, 989-739-3650 Email, <shermanaj@hotmail.com> Web Site, <www.sherman-roots.com> Copyright © 2001 By Alonzo Joseph Sherman PREFACE This manuscript is a compilation of Sherman Pioneers in Michigan and some of their descendants. It is derived mostly from public records such as: population censuses; birth, marriage, divorce, naturalization, death and land records; military service records; newspaper obituaries; cemetery recordings; county histories; atlases; and published family genealogies. A few Shermans were reportedly born in Michigan in the 1700s. However, the earliest Shermans shown in census records in Michigan were in the 1820 Federal Population Census. The largest number of Shermans who came to Michigan during the Westward migration that started in the early 1800s came from New York State. Also large numbers of Shermans came from the New England States and Ontario, Canada. Lesser numbers of Shermans came from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois etc. Other Shermans came directly from overseas, mostly from the British Isles and Western Europe. Since these Shermans varied greatly in their lineage, where they came from geographically and their occupations, they can probably be considered representative of most of the Michigan pioneers. Therefore their history can be used as a representative historical chronicle of Michigan pioneers. MANUSCRIPT This manuscript includes about 19,500 names, 13,000 being Sherman names and 6,500 being allied names. The manuscript is about 1,500 pages. The manuscript is not complete, it is an ongoing project. It is available through our web site at <www.sherman-roots.com>. I am attempting to identify and compile a general survey of the early Sherman families in MI and their descendants, with emphasis on the pioneers. I am not attempting a detailed family history for these families. The initial purpose of this research was to identify those Sherman families who were related to my family. Since all Sherman families had to be researched to determine which ones where related, it became a logical course of events that all Sherman pioneers should be recorded in this manuscript. The minimum information I am seeking for each pioneer family is: Their lineage; their names; dates and places of birth, marriage, death; place of burial; place of residence; occupation; and military service. And the same information for their descendants. However to date, not much time has been spent researching and recording information on persons born after WW-1. Any information that is not collated to a pioneer family is listed as uncollated at the end of each county. The manuscript is first organized alphabetically by the Michigan Counties. Secondly the Sherman family progenitors are listed alphabetically by their given name within the primary County in which they settled in Michigan. All of the progenitor's descendants are listed directly under the progenitor, regardless where they lived. The proper way to find any person in this manuscript is to find the person in the index, and then find the person in the manuscript. All variations of the Sherman name are included such as Shearman, Shereman, Sharman, Shirman, Scherman, Scheuerman, Schurman etc. Also included are Shuman and Schuman, which may not be a variant of Sherman. These variable spellings are included because it is many times too difficult to interpret the hand written records to be certain if it is a Sherman or a variant spelling. Sometimes a person is clearly recorded as variant spelling, and next time clearly as a Sherman. The data in this manuscript is recorded exactly as it is written in the source documents, whether correct or not. No attempt is made to determine if the data is correct. The compiler has selected what appears on the surface as the best name spelling and date of birth, but only for the purpose of paragraph titles and for the indexes. Links to the Sherman Pioneers in individual Michigan Counties Choose from an alphabetical listing or from a map.

For information only: Maps showing the development of county names in Michigan

Sherman Given Name Index A-F (MS Word .99 MB)

Sherman Given Name Index G-L (MS Word 825 KB)

Sherman Given Name Index M-Z (MS Word .97 MB)

Allied Surname Index A-K (MS Word 779 KB)

Allied Surname Index L-Z (MS Word 730 KB)

Sherman Pioneers in Michigan Newsletter's

INDEXES The indexes are considered the compiler's working indexes. They were developed when the manuscript was started, kept updated, and used during the compilation of the manuscript. Names shown in the indexes are underlined in the manuscript to facilitate finding them in the manuscript. The indexes work very well in this format, and will not be converted to the conventional page number index. The compiler's indexes use the sequential county and progenitor organization of the manuscript. That is, they refer to a county and a progenitor rather than a page number. Generally this reference will get the reader to within one page of the name they seek. And in the cases where the progenitor has more than one page of text it is further divided: "James -1" eg indicates the name being searched for is under the 1st child of James.. And in the few cases where a progenitor's child does not get the name being searched for to within a page of manuscript it would indicate "James -1.4" which is the fourth child of Jame's 1st child. When there are two or more progenitors with the same given name in a county the date of birth is shown. For example in Ionia County there are two progenitors named James. One is shown as James b1819 and the other as James b1843. There are two separate indexes: Sherman Given Name Index, includes all Shermans (including variant spellings) shown in the manuscript, ordered by the their first name, and then ordered by year of birth The year of birth for each person is shown as this helps to separate the multiple entries for a specific first name: For example there are over 200 entries for the names Mary and William. The middle initial or middle name is shown, but has no effect on the sequence. The left column, titled "sort, " is included only for sorting the list in alphabetical order. This allows all variable spelling to be treated equally. For example Joe & Jos all sort together with Joseph. Similar male & female names are often stored together, as handwriting often makes it difficult to determine which it is. A good example of this is Frances and Francis. Link to Sherman Given Name Index A-F Link to Sherman Given Name Index G-L Link to Sherman Given Name Index M-Z Allied Surname Index, includes all non-Shermans in the manuscript, ordered by their surname, then by their given name, and then random. Link to Allied Surname Index A-K Link to Allied Surname Index L-Z The "Note" Column. If the year of birth is not known or estimated (eg 185x indicates an estimated date of 1850 plus or minus 5 years), then the year of the event which reports the name is shown in the "Note" column. The prefix in front of the year indicates: a = alive, an event other than birth, death or marriage d = died m = married If the person served or is serving in the military the following codes in the column titled "Note" indicate: +1 = World War 1 1914/1919 +2 = World War 2 1939/1945 +8 = War of 1812 1812/15 +C = Civil War 1861/65 +K = Korean War 1950/53 +M = Mexican War 1846/48 +R = Revolutionary War 1754-1783 +S = Spanish American War 1898 +V = Vietnam War 1954/75 +X = Military service, no specific war: A suffix to the above codes indicated: d = died in service p = prisoner of war s = surgeons' discharge w = wounded ARCHIVES Any Michigan Sherman family information is gratefully accepted. Especially needed are bible, obituary, probate, and cemetery records, and other Sherman family records with names, locations and dates. This information will be used in research, added to the computer manuscript, and then properly indexed and stored. Arrangements can be made to pick up this material anywhere in Michigan, especially if there is too much to mail. FINANCING The Research Center and Archives is funded by the fees charged for individual research, sale of publications and newsletter, and donations. VISITORS Visitors are welcomes, by chance or appointment.

This link is not part of the Sherman Pioneers in Michigan, but it has some of the interesting points in Michigan history. Compiled by the Webmaster.