Gazlay Family History
James L. Sherman
DIRECT DESCENDANT OF JOHN GAZLAY (from England c.1715)
James L. Sherman6 (Ann Gazlay,5 Daniel Gazlay,4 John Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
James L. Sherman6 (Ann Gazlay,5 Daniel Gazlay,4 John Gazlay,3 John Gazlay,2 John Gazlay1)
Parents
| Father | Nicholas Sherman (ca. January 1805 - 8 September 1848) |
| Mother | Ann Elizabeth Gazlay (9 October 1806 - 3 July 1847) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 1 May 2011; Last Edited: 19 November 2021 |
| Person ID | 2328 |
| Name | James L. Sherman |
| Gender | Male |
| Born | ca. 1847 in Illinois1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
| Married | to Lasira ‘Sarah’ Cotten3, 4 |
| Died | 7 January 18967 |
| Buried | in Waucoma Cemetery, Waucoma, Fayette County, Iowa7 |
Biography
Although proof is lacking, it seems likely that Nicholas and Ann (Gazlay) Sherman are the parents of James Sherman, based on his surname and his prolonged association with the Gazlay family. James was born around 1847 in Illinois, apparently shortly before Nicholas and Ann died, also in Illinois. The 1850 and 1860 U. S. Census records suggest that James was raised in Iowa by his maternal aunt, Cornelia (Gazlay) Baker, both before and after her marriage to John Baker. The 1870 and 1880 U. S. Census records show that after James married, he and his family lived in Iowa next door to his uncle Erasmus Gazlay. James was a carpenter by trade. He relocated his small family across the border to Minnesota around 1888 where they continued to live for several years after.
James died in 1896 and was buried in the same Lot 39 of Waucome Cemetery, Iowa, that his uncle Erasmus was buried.7
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  Lasira ‘Sarah’ Cotten |
| Born | ca. 1854 in New York |
| Married | to James L. Sherman |
| Children | of James L. Sherman and Lasira ‘Sarah’ Cotten: |
| +1. | Leroy Elmer Sherman |
| Born | February 1870 in Waucoma, Fayette County, Iowa |
| Married | ca. 1894 to Elizabeth Maud ‘Lizzie’ Bohen |
| Died | 19 February 1927 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota |
| 2. | Dell Sherman (born (unidentified)) |
| Born | ca. 1870 in Iowa |
| Adopted | (child of unidentified parents, adopted by James L. Sherman and Lasira ‘Sarah’ Cotten) |
Sources
- U.S. Federal Census, 1850, Illinois, Cook County, Maine, family of John Gasley (33, NY, farmer); Mary Sa. Gasley (40, NY) [this is believed to be John’s sister Mary Louise]. Also, family of Erasmus D. Gasley (38, NY, farmer); Cornelius Gasley (30, NY, farmer, male) [this is strongly believed to be Cornelia (female), a sister of John, Mary, and Erasmus]; James Sherman (2, Illinois) [this is believed to be the orphaned child of Ann (Gazlay) and Nicholas Sherman; Ann is another sister of the above siblings]; M. L. Gasley (23, NY) [the identity of this male has not been determined but may be a heretofore unknown brother of the above siblings].
- U.S. Federal Census, 1860, Iowa, Fayette County, Township of Eden, Page No. 17, family of Johnson Baker (24, Pennsylvania, farmer); Cornelia Baker (38, New York); James Sherman (12, Illinois); Lodina S. Baker (2, Illinois); Erasmus D. Gazley (48, New York).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1870, Iowa, Fayette County, Eden Township, Page No. 5, family of J. L. Sherman (22, Illinois, farmer); L. A. Sherman (16, New York); L. E. Sherman (5/12, Feb, Iowa). This is James Sherman, presumed son of Ann (Gazlay) Sherman and John Sherman. They are living next door to E. D. Gazlay (i.e., Erasmus) and M. L. Townsend (i.e., Mary Louise) (presumed uncle and aunt of James).
- U.S. Federal Census, 1880, Iowa, Fayette County, Eden Township, Enumeration District 197, Page No. 8, family of Jas Sherman (32, Illinois, farmer); wife Lasira Sherman (26, New York); son Leroy Sherman (10, Iowa); adopted daughter Dote Sherman (10, Iowa). They are living next door to his presumed uncle and aunt, E. D. (i.e, Erasmus) Gazley and Mary (Gazlay) Townsend.
- Iowa State Census, 1885, Fayette County, Eden Township, Page 274, family of James L. Sherman (37, Illinois, farmer); L. A. Sherman (31, New York); L. E. Sherman (15, Fayette County, Iowa); G. E. Cotton (23, Illinois, farmer).
- Minnesota Territory and State Census, 1895, Wright County, Annandale, Page No. 3, family of James L. Sherman (48, Illinois, carpenter); Sarirah Sherman (41, New York) [although her name is clearly written, it does not match the name of James’ wife, Lasira, as shown in other records; one of these could be her middle name]; Leroy E. Sherman (25, Iowa, carpenter); Lizzie M. Sherman (20, Iowa).
- Iowa WPA Graves (website). The information contained on this website was originally recorded by Iowa WPA (Works Progress Administration) workers during late 1930s. In 2006 it was transcribed into a searchable electronic format. Sherman, James; Died: 7 Jan 1896; Born: age 50; Cemetery: Waucoma, Fayette County, Iowa, Lot 39. This is the same lot where his presumed uncle, Erasmus Gazlay, was buried.