You don’t hear about the nation’s 27th VP, James Sherman, too often. Here are some interesting facts about William Howard Taft’s second-in-command…

• James Sherman dressed dapper, always seen in suits, ties and bowler hats.

• Before becoming VEEP, Sherman served as Mayor of Utica, New York from 1884 – 1886 and represented New York’s 23rd, 25th and 27th districts in the House of Representatives from 1887 to 1909.

• He declined the job of General Appraiser for the Port of New York, offered by President McKinley in 1889.

• Sherman chaired the Indian Affairs Committee and was a member of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce. Though he never held a leadership position, his colleagues said he was a strong ally of “Old Guard” Conservatives and had great parliamentary knowledge.

• His father was a Democrat who owned a canning factory and was displeased that James became a Republican.

• Taft chose Sherman to run on the ticket with him as a compromise to appease Conservative Republicans and help him carry New York — a Democrat stronghold.

• Taft tried to use Sherman to reach out to members of Congress like Joe Cannon. However, Sherman testily replied that “acting as messenger boy was not part of the duties as Vice President.”

• Sherman believed that Progressive Republicans should be punished for straying from party values.

• He battled Roosevelt to win the ability to select the party’s nominee for New York Governor but was sorely defeated, which was viewed as a major defeat for the Taft administration.

• Sherman was the first VP to fly in an airplane. The year was 1911.

• In 1912, he was the first incumbent Vice President to be renominated by a National Convention.

• Sherman and Taft lost re-election when Roosevelt decided to run as a third party candidate, thus splitting the Republican voters and giving Woodrow Wilson and Thomas Marshall an easy victory.

• Sherman died on October 30th, 1912 of Bright’s Disease, a type of kidney illness.

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