Sherman

The community that became known as Sherman developed around a tavern built in 1812 by Louis Myers who held a large land grant in the area as the result of his services to Virginia during the American Revolution. The tavern and surrounding land was sold in 1832 to Lois Cason, whose descendants owned the property until 1975 when it was purchased by Dr. John Flege. The tavern is described as having a long recessed porch in front, with a waiting room at either end and a door opening into these waiting rooms. A door also opens from the center of the porch into a large, long, high-ceiling office and barroom, with a door opening into these same waiting rooms. Behind the office is a large dining room and beyond that is a storage room. An open, roofed walkway led from this porch to a long cabin beyond the left of the inn, where slaves cooked the food and then served it to the guests in the dining room. There is a long hall in the center of the upstairs with doors opening from either side into the bedrooms. The inn was heated by several large fireplaces built of Kentucky limestone rock. Logs were used for fuel.

The development of the community and increased population prior to the Civil war is evidenced by the building of the Sherman School District 6 in 1858. School trustees R. H. Dickerson, B. F. Dickerson and B. F. Day purchased for $150 an acre tract on Sugar Creek Road from W. L. Collins. A U. S. Post Office was opened in 1865 with Hayden Kendall as the first postmaster. According to one repot the office was discontinued in 1869, re-established in 1870 with postmaster Lewis Myers and discontinued again in 1871. It was re-established in 1873 with Robert Brown as postmaster and offered continuing service until 1969 when the office was permanently discontinued. Postmasters serving after Robert Brown were:

The 1876 Kentucky State Gazetter published by the R. L. Polk Company of Louisville reported that Sherman was settled in 1840 and that in 1876 it had a population of 40. Its businesses included:

The first of five churches known to have been located in the community was the Holiness Christian Church, also known as the Pilgrim Holiness Church and the Mt. Calvary Church. In 1912, 1/8 acre on Newtown Pike was purchased from Charles Kells and wife. The church's trustees were James W. Rankin, H. L. Vallandingham, Charles Kells, Mont Baird and Archie Clemons. One minister was Reverend Harry Dickerson of Indianapolis who married Mabel Goodall of Sherman. In 1923 the church decided to moved to Crittenden and sold the property on Newtown Pike. The trustees at the time were Herbert Hendricks, J. E. Doud and Fred Reed. In 1926 Dr. W. J. Zinn, age 97, died at his home in Sherman. His closest relatives were D. J. L. Price of Sherman and Dr. W. J. Zinn of Williamstown.

The second church to be establish in the community, the Sherman Baptist Church, started with a Sunday School in 1922 which met in the Sherman School House on the Sherman-Mt. Zion Road. It was organized with thirty-eight charter members.

History of Grant County, Kentucky.
John B. Conrad, Editor
Article by L. J. Arnold & P. R. Perkins

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