Another Bit of Family History

This is a photo of Richard Sherman bottling wine in 1880.  (He's on the left) I think it is a rather informal, candid photo for the time.  The writing on the back is rather shaking and the spelling isn't too good, but it does give the important information.  The newspaper clipping listing the presidents I found in Richard's common book which he started in 1836 when he was just 20 years old.  That would make him 21 in 1837, so he probably voted in the 1837 presidential election for the first time.  I am pretty sure he would have voted for Van Buren since Van Buren was from New York and, more importantly, a staunch abolitionist.  Being a Quaker, Richard would have valued that.  His Meeting House, which was near the Hudson River, was a stop on the Underground Railroad years later.

Van Buren was the first US president not of English ancestry.  He was 100% Dutch.  Richard lived in Dutchess County with a lot of population being of Dutch ancestry.  Imagine, when he was born in 1816 there had been only 4 presidents!  I wonder what he would think of our current "president"?  With his gentle Quaker manner, I suspect he would be appalled.  My grandfather always spoke of Richard with such affection.