Sherman, John (2)

Sherman, John (2), a Unitarian minister; was born in New Haven, Conn., June 30, 1772; entered Yale College when not far from sixteen years of age, and graduated in 1792. He studied theology partly under president Dwight, but mainly under Rev. David Austin, of Elizabeth, N.J. He was licensed to preach by the New Haven Association in 1796; and was ordained and installed pastor of the First Church, Mansfield, Conn, Nov. 15, 1797. Not long after his settlement he began to doubt the doctrines he had been accustomed to believe and preach, especially that of the Trinity. On Oct. 23, 1805, he received a dismissal from a council called for the purpose, and became pastor of the Reformed Christian Church (Unitarian) at Oldenbarneveld (Trenton village), N.J., March 9, 1806. After preaching a short time, he established an academy in the neighborhood, which occupied his attention for many years. In 1822 he built a hotel at Trenton Falls, into which he removed the next year. He died Aug. 2, 1828. He published, One God in One Person Only, etc. (1805, 8vo), the first formal and elaborate defense of Unitarianism that ever appeared in New England: — A View of Ecclesiastical Proceedings in the County of Windom, Conn. (1806, 8vo): — Philosophy of Language Illustrated (Trenton Falls, 1826, 12mo): — Description of Trenton Falls (Utica, 1827, 18mo). See Sprague Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 8, 326.