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Philip S. Sherman
January 22, 1818–September 3, 1893 |
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| Captain Philip S. Sherman died last Sunday morning, the 3rd inst. after a long and severe Illness. The funeral services were conducted at the family residence last. Monday afternoon by Rev. J. W. Davis, In the presence of a large concourse of family friends, and the remains were interred in the Bowen's Prairie cemetery.Philip S. Sherman was born at New Bedford, Massachusetts, January 22, 1818, and was consequently more than 8O years old at the time of his death. He was an only child and came of a seafaring, ancestry. When a few mouths short of sixteen he put to sea as a cabin boy from Newport, Rhode Island, In whaling vessel, of which his father was first mate. He felt at home on the tossing waves of the briny sea, and there was no music to him, like the roaring of a tempest, no sport like the dangerous chase after a school, of spouting whales. He rapidly rose in the service of the good ship "Harrison" to first mate, and later as captain of the "Marcus" which sailed from Fairhaven in 1850. In 1854 he was shipwrecked In the Arctic Ocean, but was most fortunately rescued and returned home by the "Shooting Star." On one or those voyages be was nearly killed by a maddened whale, which struck and shivered to pieces the boat containing himself as chief harpooner and his companions. On account of this injury and the shipwreck he had experienced, Mr. Sherman concluded to abandon the sea, and in 1855 he came to this township and settled on a farm. He had been twice around the globe, and encountered numerous adventures which furnished him the materials for many an Interesting tale, and made him an entertaining story teller.Mr. Sherman was married in May, 1840 to Miss Caroline H. Hillersten, a native of Sweden, who survives him after more than fifty three years of pleasant companionship. During the first fifteen years of married life, because of the long whaling voyages, they were together but little. The shortest voyage that Mr. Sherman made was twenty-two months, and once the young wife strained her eyes In gazing out over tho blue horizon for five long years, before her sailor returned. The length of these trips was determined by the success of the vessel in scouring the Arctic or Antarctic seas for whales. In those days the industry was very important, and gave employment to hundreds of vessels and thousands of sailors, but of late years, with the advent of better illuminating fluids than whale oil, It has greatly declined.Captain Sherman was a resident of Jones County for about 88 years. Here he led a quiet farm life until 11 years ago when he relinquished the labors of the farm and moved, to Monticello, where he and his good wife might spend the evening of life in quiet contentment. They were the parents of no children, but their kind hearted dispositions gave protective care to several orphans. Many may have thought the Captain Gruff in his manner, but it was only a seeming trait inherited from life on the sea. He was a kind hearted man, full of sympathy, and sociable In fellowship. He will be missed by his neighborhood companions, and the old time friends of a third of a century's standing. The old sea Captain has gone on his last voyage, and the widow will look In vain for his return, but the burden is made lighter by her faith In a reunion beyond the grave.
Submitted by: Steve Hanken
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