BIO:  William MCSHERRY, Germany Township, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Page 427

WILLIAM MCSHERRY, farmer, P.O. Littlestown, was born in that place April 14, 
1821, a son of James, who was a son of Patrick McSherry, a native of Ireland.  
William McSherry, when thirteen years of age, became a student in Mount St. 
Mary’s College, in Maryland, from which he graduated in 1840.  In 1841 he began 
reading law with Gen. James M. Coale, of Frederick City, Md.; was admitted to 
the bar in 1842, and practiced law at Gettysburg from 1842 to 1846.  Hon. James 
Cooper, subsequently United States Senator, was a partner with him during a part 
of that time.  In 1847 our subject was elected to the Pennsylvania House of 
Representatives on the Whig ticket, and in 1849 was elected again to fill a 
vacancy caused by the election of Gen. James Cooper to the United State Senate; 
was again elected as representative in 1851; and was elected in 1862 and 1871 to 
the State Senate, serving both terms.  He has been his county’s unanimous 
candidate for Congress on several occasions, but it being the smallest county in 
the district, did not receive the nomination in convention of conferees.  In 
1882, contrary to his own expressed wishes, he was run as an independent 
Democrat against the regular nominee, and, although defeated, received 1,100 
majority in Adams County.  During all his official life he served with marked 
ability.  He was for years president of the Littlestown Railroad Company, and 
has during his whole life been an active promoter of all useful enterprises in 
his community and county.  He is now, at the age of sixty-five years, in robust 
health, and to all appearance in the prime of life.  He is the owner of several 
valuable farms, to the management of which he devotes the most of his time.  He 
is still frequently called upon by his fellow-citizens for legal advice and 
counsel, which is freely given without price, as he has not followed the regular 
practice of his profession for years.  During his legal practice he was noted 
for never advising parties to go to law, but rather counseled an amicable 
settlement, which he often effected.