tinued there till the time of his death； in 1829。 I have no doubt that he was in the first instance attracted to Lancaster by the natural beauty of its scenery； and the charms of its already established society。 He continued in the practice of his profession； which in those days was no sinecure； for the ordinary circuit was made on horseback； and embraced Marietta； Cincinnati； and Detroit。 Hardly was the family established there when the War of 1812 caused great alarm and distress in all Ohio。 The English captured Detroit and the shores of Lake Erie down to the Maumee River； while the Indians still occupied the greater part of the State。 Nearly every man had to be somewhat of a soldier； but I think my father was only a commissary； still； he seems to have caught a fancy for the great chief of the Shawnees； 〃Tecumseh。〃
Perry's victory on Lake Erie was the turning…point of the Western campaign； and General Harrison's victory over the British and Indians at the river Thames in Canada ended the war in the West； and restored peace and tranquillity to the exposed settlers of Ohio。 My father at once resumed his practice at the bar； and was soon recognized as an able and successful lawyer。 When； in 1816； my brother James was born； he insisted on engrafting the Indian name 〃Tecumseh〃 on the usual family list。 My mother had already named her first son after her own brother Charles； and insisted on the second son taking the name of her other brother James； and when I came along； on the 8th of February； 1820； mother having no more brothers； my father succeeded in his original purpose； and named me William Tecumseh。
The family rapidly increased till it embraced six boys and five girls； all of whom attained maturity and married； of these six are still living。
In the year 1821 a vacancy occurred in the Supreme Court of Ohio； and I find this petition：
Somerset； Ohio； July 6； 1821。
May it please your Excellency：
We ask leave to recommend to your Excellency's favorable notice Charles R。 Sherman； Esq。； of Lancaster； as a man possessing in an eminent degree those qualifications so much to be desired in a Judge of the Supreme Court。
》From a long acquaintance with Mr。 Sherman； we are happy to be able to state to your Excellency that our minds are led to the conclusion that that gentleman possesses a disposition noble and generous； a mind discriminating； comprehensive； and combining a heart pure； benevolent and humane。 Manners dignified； mild； and complaisant； and a firmness not to be shaken and of unquestioned integrity。
But Mr。 Sherman's character cannot be unknown to your Excellency； and on that acquaintance without further comment we might safely rest his pretensions。
We think we hazard little in assuring your Excellency that his appointment would give almost universal satisfaction to the citizens of Perry County。
With great consideration； we have the honor to be
Your Excellency's most obedient humble servants； CHARLES A。 HOOD； GEORGE TREAT； PETER DITTOR； P。 ODLIN； J。 B。 ORTEN； T。 BECKWITH； WILLIAM P。 DORST； JOHN MURRAY； JACOB MOINS； B。 EATON； DANIEL GRIGGS； HENRY DITTOE； NICHOLAS McCARTY。
His Excellency ETHAN A。 BROWN； Governor of Ohio； Columbus。
He was soon after appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court； and served in that capacity to the day of his death。
My memory extends back to about 1827； and I recall him； returning home on horseback； when all the boys used to run and contend for the privilege of riding his horse from the front door back to the stable。 On one occasion； I was the first； and being mounted rode to the stable； but 〃Old Dick〃 was impatient because the stable…door was not opened promptly； so he started for the barn of our neighbor Mr。 King； there； also； no one was in waiting to open the gate； and； after a reasonable time； 〃Dick〃 started back for home somewhat in a hurry； and threw me among a pile of stones； in front of preacher Wright's house； where I was picked up apparently a dead boy； but my time was not yet； and I recovered； though the scars remain to this day。
The year 1829 was a sad one to our family。 We were then ten children； my eldest brother Charles absent at the State University； Athens； Ohio； my next brother； James； in a store at Cincinnati； and the rest were at home； at school。 Father was away on the circuit。 One day Jane Sturgeon came to the school； called us out； and when we reached home all was lamentation： news had come that father was ill unto death； at Lebanon； a hundred miles away。 Mother started at once； by coach； but met the news of his death about Washington； and returned home。 He had ridden on horseback from Cincinnati to Lebanon to hold court； during a hot day in June。 On the next day he took his seat on the bench； opened court in the forenoon； but in the afternoon； after recess； was seized with a severe chill and had to adjourn the court。 The best medical aid was called in； and for three days with apparent success； but the fever then assumed a more dangerous type； and he gradually yielded to it； dying on the sixth day； viz。； June 24； 1829。
My brother James had been summoned from Cincinnati； and was present at his bedside； as was also Henry Stoddard； Esq。； of Dayton； Ohio； our cousin。 Mr。 Stoddard once told me that the cause of my father's death was cholera； but at that time； 1829； there was no Asiatic cholera in the United States； and the family； attributed his death to exposure to the hot sun of June； and a consequent fever； 〃typhoid。〃
》From the resolutions of the bench； bar； and public generally； now in my possession； his death was universally deplored； more especially by his neighbors in Lancaster； and by the Society of Freemasons； of which he was the High…Priest of Arch Chapter No。 11。
His death left the family very poor； but friends rose up with proffers of generous care and assistance； for all the neighbors knew that mother could not maintain so large a family without help。 My eldest brother； Charles； had nearly completed his education at the university at Athens； and concluded to go to his uncle； Judge Parker； at Mansfield； Ohio； to study law。 My； eldest sister； Elizabeth； soon after married William J。 Reese； Esq。； James was already in a store at Cincinnati； and； with the exception of the three youngest children； the rest of us were scattered。 I fell to the charge of the Hon。 Thomas Ewing； who took me to his family； and ever after treated me as his own son。
I continued at the Academy in Lancaster； which was the best in the place； indeed； as good a school as any in Ohio。 We studied all the common branches of knowledge； including Latin； Greek； and French。 At first the school was kept by Mr。 Parsons； he was succeeded by Mr。 Brown； and he by two brothers； Samuel and Mark How。 These were all excellent teachers； and we made good progress； first at the old academy and afterward at a new school…house； built by Samuel How； in the orchard of Hugh Boyle； Esq。
Time passed with us as with boys generally。 Mr。 Ewing was in the United States Senate； and I was notified to prepare for West Point； of which institution we had little knowledge； except that it was very strict； and that the army was its natural consequence。 In 1834 I was large for my age； and the construction of canals was the rage in Ohio。 A canal was projected to connect with the great Ohio Canal at Carroll （eight miles above Lancaster）； down the valley of the Hock Hocking to Athens （forty…four miles）； and thence to the Ohio River by slack water。
Preacher Carpenter； of Lancaster； was appointed to make the preliminary surveys； and selected the necessary working party out of the boys of the town。 From our school were chosen ____Wilson； Emanuel Geisy； William King； and myself。 Geisy and I were the rod…men。 We worked during that fall and next spring； marking two experimental lines； and for our work we each received a silver half…dollar for each day's actual work； the first money any of us had ever earned。
In June； 1835； one of our school…fellows； William Irvin； was appointed a cadet to West Point； and； as it required sixteen years of age for admission； I had to wait another year。 During the autumn of 1835 and spring of 1836 I devoted myself chiefly to mathematics and French； which were known to be the chief requisites for admission to West Point。
Some time in the spring of 1836 I received through Mr。 Ewing； then at Washington； from the Secretary of War； Mr。 Poinsett； the letter of appointment as a cadet； with a list of the articles of clothing necessary to be taken along； all of which were liberally provided by Mrs。 Ewing； and with orders to report to Mr。 Ewing； at Washington； by a certain date； I left Lancaster about the 20th of May in the stage…coach for Zanesville。 There we transferred to the coaches of the Great National Road； the highway of travel from the West to the East。 The stages generally travelled in gangs of from one to six coaches； each drawn by four good horses； carrying nine passengers inside and three or four outside。
In about three days； travelling day and night； we reached Frederick； Maryland。 There we were told that we could take rail…cars to Baltimore； and thence to Washington； but there was also a two…horse hack ready to start for Wash