Roger Sherman was the epitome of the American dream, rising from humble beginnings to become a successful shopkeeper, shoemaker, surveyor, and later a lawyer.

Newtown Historical Society, in conjunction with C.H. Booth Library, will look at Sherman's rise to the top of America's Revolutionary leaders on Monday, October 16. The program will begin at 7:30 pm, and will be the community room of the library, 25 Main Street.

"Roger Sherman: Our Forgotten Founding Father" will be offered one week later in the month than historical society programs are usually done due to Columbus Day holiday a week earlier. John Jenner will be the guest speaker.

Sherman spent his adult life in Connecticut, moving here in 1743. He quickly became a successful shopkeeper, and began his involvement in public life. He taught himself surveying, later studied law, and without any formal schooling, he was admitted to the Connecticut bar.

He later left the New Milford area and moved to New Haven, where he again became a successful shopkeeper, and also served as treasurer of Yale College. He became more active in public affairs, serving in the colonial legislature and as a justice of the peace, an office with much more jurisdiction in those days than it has now, later serving as a judge of the Superior Court.

Sherman was an early devotee of the patriot cause, and served as head of the Committee of Correspondence for New Haven County, an important link in communications for the disparate and geographically separate colonies. He was selected a delegate to the Continental Congress, and served there throughout the Revolution, serving on several important committees.

Sherman was also selected to the Constitutional Convention, and is generally credited  with negotiating the Connecticut (Great) Compromise, which allowed states equal representation in the Senate, but retained proportional representation in the House. He is the only official to sign the four great documents of the founding years, the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.

John Jenner is a longtime member of Sherman and Kent Historical Societies. He is a former antiques dealer with a lifelong interest in history.

He has adopted Roger Sherman as a special project, working on a new exhibition area at Sherman Historical Society devoted to Sherman's career. Mr Jenner's pet project is to attempt to form an Historical Corridor from Sherman to New Haven, celebrating not only Sherman himself, but all the local history of which towns along the way are so proud. He will be speaking of those efforts and their progress also.

Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the program.

For additional information call 203-426-5937 or visit newtownhistory.org.

[mappress mapid="1007"]