SHERMAN, ROGER ( 1721-93). An American patriot, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, born in Newton. Mass. He was a shoemaker for a number of years: removed to New Milford, Conn., in 1743: became county surveyor of lands in 1745; after 1750 engaged in mercantile pursuits; studied law, and in 1754 was admitted to the bar. Ile then served suc cessively as member of the Connecticut Legisla ture, justice of the peace, judge of the Common Pleas, and treasurer of Yale College. In 1766 he was appointed judge of the Connecticut Su perior Court, and in the same year was elected to the Connecticut Senate, continuing in the former office for 23 years, and in the latter for 19. He was an active member of the Continental and Confederation Congresses from 1774 to 1787, served on a number of important com mittees, and, in particular, was a member of the Committee of Five appointed to pre pare a draft of the Declaration of Independ ence, to which document, as finally adopted, he affixed his signature. While a member of
Congress he served (1777-79 and 1782) on the Connecticut. Committee of Safety, and in 1783, together with Richard Law, he revised and codi fied the laws of the State. From 1784 until his death he was Mayor of New Haven. to which place he had removed in 1761. While holding, this office he was an active and influential ber of the Constitutional Convention at Phila delphia in 1787. Ile took a conspicuous part in the debates before that body and presented the famous compromise relative to the systems of representation in the two Houses of Congress. He was a member of the Connecticut convention called to take action on the Federal Constitu tion, and was influential in securing its ratifica tion. He was one of the first Representatives in the Federal Congress from Connecticut, and in 1791 was transferred by appointment to the Senate. in which body he served until his death. Consult Boutelle, Life of Roger Sherman (Chi cago, 1896).