A member of one of the oldest and most prominent Newport families, Mr. Sherman is a native and lifelong resident of this city. Here he commenced his career as a banker, immediately following the completion of his college education and here he began his publishing career, in 1918, as the owner of the “Newport Daily News.” He has been for many years one of the outstanding figures in financial, business, public, and social affairs. In all of these phases of the community’s life he has taken a prominent and effective part. Every movement, tending to advance civic progress and to increase the welfare and prosperity of his native city, has always received Mr. Sherman’s energetic and helpful support, and much of his work has been of lasting value to the community.
Edward A. Sherman was born in Newport, July 16, 1879, a son of Albert Keene and Mary Eliza (Barker) Sherman, and a direct descendant of several of the leading pioneer settlers of this city, including Philip Sherman, James Barker, and Governor John Coggeshall. Mr. Sherman received his early education in the public schools of his native city and then attended Harvard College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1901, and from which he also received the degree of Master of Arts in 1902. In the latter year he returned to Newport and became connected with the Newport Trust Company, with which he is still prominently identified. His first position was as a bookkeeper. His exceptional ability and his constant devotion to the interests of this well known financial institution gained him numerous promotions to positions of ever increasing importance and responsibility. In 1908 he became treasurer and in 1918 vice-president, which latter position he still occupies, being also a member of the board of directors. Though the major share of his time and attention is devoted to the publishing of “The Newport Daily News.” Mr. Sherman has also been prominently active in the affairs of several other financial and commercial enterprises. He is secretary and a director of the Newport Gas Light Company, treasurer and a director of the Aquidneck Realty Company, a trustee of the Savings Bank of Newport, a director of William Leys Dry Goods Company, and president, treasurer, and a director of the T. T. Pitman Corporation. The latter owns the “Newport Daily News,” which newspaper Mr. Sherman bought in July, 1918, from the late Mr. T. T. Pitman and of which he has been the publisher since. Under his able and progressive management, this publication has extended its influence, increased its size, features and circulation, until today it is one of the leading daily newspapers of Rhode Island.
Public affairs, too, have received much of Mr. Sherman’s time and for many years he has been one of the recognized leaders of the Republican party in Newport and in Rhode Island. During 1904-10 he served as a member of the Newport School Committee, and during 1907-19 and again during 1920-26 as a member of the Representative Council of the city of Newport. He is now a member of the Sinking Fund Commission and of the Mothers’ Aid Commission of the city of Newport, and since 1922 he has been a member of the Republican City Committee, to which he also belonged from 1904 until 1920. In the latter year he was a delegate to the Republican National Convention from the First Rhode Island District, this convention, held at Chicago, nominating the late Warren G. Harding for President. In the same year Mr. Sherman also was a presidential elector on the Republican ticket. For many years he was prominently active in the Young Men’s Republican Club of Newport, serving as its secretary during 1904-08, as vice-president during 1908-10, and as president during 1910-12. During 1908-14 he served on the personal staff of Governor Aram J. Pothier with the rank of colonel. For a number of years Mr. Sherman has given much time to the Redwood Library, serving as its treasurer and as one of the directors. He is a member and a former president of the Rhode Island Society, Sons of the Revolution, and he also maintains membership in numerous Masonic bodies up to and including the thirty-second degree, Rhode Island Consistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite.
Mr. Sherman married, October 22, 1913, Hazel Erma Poole, of Milton, Massachusetts. Mr. and Mrs. Sherman, who make their home at Newport, are the parents of two sons:
- Edward A. Sherman, Jr., born June 19, 1915.
- Albert K. Sherman, born January 12, 1918.
Source: Carroll, Charles. Rhode Island: Three Centuries of Democracy, vol 3 of 4. New York: Lewis historical Pub. Co., 1932.