James S. Sherman

James S. Sherman
Sherman in 1909
27th Vice President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1909 – October 30, 1912
PresidentWilliam Howard Taft
Preceded byCharles W. Fairbanks
Succeeded byThomas R. Marshall
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New York
In office
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1909
Preceded byJames J. Belden
Succeeded byCharles S. Millington
Constituency25th district (1893–1903)
27th district (1903–09)
In office
March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891
Preceded byJohn T. Spriggs
Succeeded byHenry Wilbur Bentley
Constituency23rd district
Mayor of Utica, New York
In office
March 1884 – March 1885
Preceded byJohn T. Spriggs
Succeeded byThomas E. Kinney
Personal details
Born
James Schoolcraft Sherman

(1855-10-24)October 24, 1855
Utica, New York U.S.
DiedOctober 30, 1912(1912-10-30) (aged 57)
Utica, New York, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery
Utica, New York, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
(m. 1881)
Children3
Parent
EducationHamilton College (BA)
Occupation
  • Attorney
  • politician
SignatureCursive signature in ink
NicknameSunny Jim

James Schoolcraft Sherman (October 24, 1855 – October 30, 1912) was an American politician who served as the 27th vice president of the United States under President William Howard Taft from 1909 until his death in 1912. A member of the Republican Party, Sherman was previously a United States representative from New York from 1887 to 1891 and 1893 to 1909. He was a member of the interrelated Baldwin, Hoar, and Sherman families, prominent lawyers and politicians of New England and New York.

Although not a high-powered administrator, he made a natural congressional committee chairman, and his genial personality eased the workings of the House, so that he was known as 'Sunny Jim'. He was the first vice president to fly in an airplane (1911),[1] and also the first to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game.

Sherman was the seventh and most recent vice president to have died in office.

  1. ^ Brooklyn Daily Eagle, July 12, 1911