Roger Sherman completed building his house.

Posted on by Arthur Mullen
-Image courtesy of the Internet Archive, The Library of Congress, “The homes of our forefathers. Being a selection of the oldest and most interesting buildings, historical houses, and noted places in Rhode Island and Connecticut,” by Edwin Whitefield, 1882

“The house was completed in 1770, in which year Mr. Sherman moved into it. Within its walls, preceding the Revolution, were held many discussions as to the best manner of meeting the impending difficulties with the mother country; and here, doubtless, were considered the outlines of various articles, the substance of which at length appeared in the United States Constitution, of which Roger Sherman was one of the framers.”
-Excerpt courtesy of the Internet Archive, Yale University, “Yale and the City of Elms,” by William Emery Decrow, 1882. (Top) Image courtesy the Internet Archive, “Sherman genealogy… the descendants of Honorable Roger Sherman,” by Thomas Townsend Sherman, 1920

“Res of Roger Sherman New Haven Conn. Picture shows two houses on a diagonal to the picture plane; man walking on sidewalk before second house, tree on far right.” -Image courtesy of the New Haven Museum, Documentary Objects Collection, “Residence of Roger Sherman,” Engraving by unknown artist, circa 1860s-1870s

“The original house stood on the present site of the Union League Club, 1032 Chapel Street. Subsequently Sherman built another house on the same home lot, a little westward, 1050 Chapel Street, now occupied by stores, where he lived and died in 1793.”
-Excerpt courtesy of the Internet Archive, “The Fourteenth Annual Congress,” by the Sons of the American Revolution, New Haven, Conn., April 30 and May 1, 1903

-Image courtesy the Internet Archive, “Sherman genealogy… the descendants of Honorable Roger Sherman,” by Thomas Townsend Sherman, 1920

Published by Arthur Mullen

Roger Sherman, also of Connecticut, was known to have given one of the shortest speeches in history at a bridge dedication ceremony when he said, "I think it will hold up all right," while testing the strength of the bridge with one foot.

4 thoughts on “Roger Sherman completed building his house.”

  1. Good morning Arthur,
    A few months ago, my husband and I met you at the Union League Cafe and you kindly gave us your card. I am now writing a paper for my Historic Preservation class and would like to include the history of the building. I have a gap in my research regarding the time when the building became the Sherman’s Taverne..or maybe I confused the Sherman Taverne with the Union League Cafe building? Would you please clarify this for me? Thank you,
    Mercedes

    1. Absolutely Ms. Chiquillo and sorry for the delayed response just reading your comment now (May 4): Sherman’s Taverne was the first French restaurant in the former Union League Club building at 1032 Chapel Street. Sherman’s Taverne by the Green opened in the spring of 1977, owned and operated by Ernest Nejame, a year after Neil and Colin Shaw had finished a gut-rehab on the interior of the building and greatly expanded the bar space. The Shaw brothers had intended to open a restaurant in the space in 1976, but for one reason or another, it did not seem to get off the ground. Prior to the Shaw brothers in 1976, there was a short-lived period in 1970 where the Union League Club building was going to become a free health clinic; this project seemed to run into funding challenges. Otherwise the building sat empty, AFAIK, from 1963 when the Union League of New Haven moved out, until 1976. Sherman’s Taverne by the Green closed in 1985: the building, then owned by Joel Schiavone in 1985, underwent a historic renovation. Robert Henry’s opened in the former Union League Club building in 1987: the owner, Madame McKenzie, retired from the restaurant six years later. Madame McKenzie’s daughter, Robin McKenzie, and her husband French Chef Jean-Pierre Vuillermet, took over the Robert Henry’s lease, and opened the Union League Cafe in 1993. Sorry for the long answer, I hope it’s helpful and not too confusing! Please let me know if I can clarify / if I answered the right question. Thank you for writing; next time it won’t take me so long to respond!

      1. Mr. Mullen, is Ernie Nejame still living? I met him so many years ago, both in Sherman’s Taverne and Poor Lad’s. My aunt and uncle in Hamden were big fans of his.

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