Watts Sherman (1809 - 1865)

Born 22 Feb 1809 in Utica, Oneida Co., NY

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Feb 1865 at age 55 in Island of Madeira

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Biography

New York and New England Families, New England Families, Page 717
Watts Sherman was for many years Cashier of the Albany City Bank, and at the time of his death was of the firm of Duncan, Sherman & Co., in New York City. He commenced his career as Teller of the Ontario County Bank at Canandaigua, and was Cashier of the Livingston County Bank at Geneseo, before coming to Albany, at the organization of the Albany City Bank in 1834. In 1851 he removed to New York City where he became the active manager of the banking house of Duncan, Sherman & Co. Mr. Sherman was a man of most rare qualifications for his position. His course was strictly governed by commercial integrity, unswayed by any bias but the interests of his firm, which he knew could be best subserved by a strict adherence to business principles. The maturity of his judgment was constantly apparent, and no man ever possessed a keener appreciation of the character of those with whom he had dealings. In his personal appearance he was slender, but his face was peculiar for its deliacacy nd masculine beauty. His hospitality was munificent.

Sarah M. Gibson, widow of Watts Sherman, died in New York, March 10, 1878. She was the daughter of the late Henry B. Gibson, of Canandaigua, one of the earliest settlers, and one of the most successful and conspicuous citizens of Western New York. FOr some years after her marriage Mrs. Sherman lived in Albany, where she held a brillaint posiiton i the society of the State Capital. In 1851 she removed to New York. Her house at the corner of Twenty-second street and Fifth Avenue became a favorite resort of the most agreeable and cultivated people of the city, and of the most distinguished foreigners who visited this country. She was fond of art, had a fine knowledge of bric-a-brac at the time when such knowledge was by far more rare than the pretense of it is now. She could, and did use her pen with piquancy and spirit. She travelled much abroad, particularly after the death of her husband in 1865. She was kind and affable to all who knew her, and her very generous nature overflowed in acts of love and charity to all.

Henry Hall, America's Successful Men of Affairs, Volume 1, p.594
WATTS SHERMAN, banker, born in Utica, N.Y., Feb. 22, 1809, died on the Island of Madeira, Feb. 20, 1865.
A descendant of one of the oldest families in the State, his first important position was that of cashier of a bank in Geneseo. Removing to Herkimer, he conducted a banking institution there. Later, he removed to Albany and became cashier and general manager of The Albany City Bank, which became one of the soundest institutions in the country under his management. In 1851, he came to New York and in partnership with Alexander Duncan founded the well known banking house of Duncan, Sherman & Co., in the active management of which he continued until about eighteen months before his death. Cultivated and refined in mind and liberal in disposition, he had a large circle of devoted friends. In politics, he sided with the Democrats. His wife, Sarah M., a daughter of Henry B. Gibson of Canandaigua, N.Y., with four sons survived him, the latter being William Watts, Duncan, Harry Gibson and Frederic Sherman. Mrs. Sherman died in March, 1878.

Sherman's book

His first wife was an adopted daughter of Hon. Erastus Corning. With his second wife he received a fortune of more than a quarter of a million dollars. He was a banker in Albany, NY until 1851 when he went to New York City and became a partner in the banking house of Duncan, Sherman & Co.

Sources