SHERMAN D. CANFIELD.

SHERMAN D. CANFIELD.
Interesting and venturesome has been the career of Sherman D. Canfield, who since March 3, 1915, has ably served as postmaster of Sheridan. In the discharge of his duties he has come in contact with practically all the people of the city, and it may be said that there is hardly a one who does not speak Of him in the highest terms of praise, either as regards the discharge of his official duties or his private activities as a citizen. Mr. Canfield was born September 3, 1865. in Cuming county, Nebraska, and is a son of George and Lucy (Rhodes) Canfield. His preliminary education he received in the public schools of Omaha, Nebraska, where he prepared himself to enter college. In 1880, when only fifteen years of age, he became a student in the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and there continued until 1883, when he decided to pass up his studies in order to enter business life. From 1883 until 1887 he held a clerical position in the office of the general superintendent of the Union Pacific Railway at Omaha, thus becoming acquainted with the rudimentary principles underlying the management of a great corporation and general commercial life. The railroad position, however, did not quite seem to suit his venturesome mind and, looking for other fields of endeavor, he became personal representative and confidential secretary of Colonel William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) in Europe and America, holding this important and interesting position in 1887 and 1888 and also from 1890 until 1893. During the intervening years. from 1888 to 1890, he served as superintendent of railroad facilities for the Union Stock Yards Company of South Omaha. In 1892 Mr. Canfield located in Wyoming, becoming manager and one of the proprietors of the famous Sheridan Inn at Sheridan. Wyoming. one of the foremost hostelries of the west and at that time a member of the W. F. Cody Hotel Company. In this connection he remained from 1893 until 1896, doing much to spread the fame of the Sheridan Inn and make it a hospitable place of abode. In the latter year, however. Mr. Canfield decided upon a new line of activity and engaged in the cattle business on Powder river, continuing thus from 1896 until 1904. During part of this time, from 1900 until 1901, he purchased horses for the British government, to be used in the Boer war, which was then raging. Subsequently he became a timber contractor in connection with the Shoshone forest reserve from 1904 to 1905. During the next three years, from 1906 until 1909, Mr. Canfield acted as general agent of the Wyoming Coal Mining Company and as such rendered service which contributed in no small measure to the growth of this enterprise. In 1909 to he was superintendent of preliminary surveys of the proposed railroad between Miles City, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming, and in 1911 became a partner in the Union Lumber Company of Sheridan, continuing thus until 1912. Since 1911 Mr. Canfield has been secretary and treasurer of the Libby (Mont.) Waterworks, Electric Light & Power Company, and in the management of this corporation has contributed much toward its success. Mr. Canfield has always taken an interest in public and semi-public enterprises and in official capacities has done much toward upbuilding his city. From 1895 until 1899 he was a member of the Sheridan city council and supported all measures which he considered of lasting value to the city. Always progressive, he has done much toward the advancement of Sheridan along more than material lines. In 1911 he was elected one of the first commissioners of the city of Sheridan under the commission form of government, a testimonial from his fellow citizens which he well deserved, and that he discharged his duties in good faith and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned is evident from the fact that he was reelected in 1913. On March 3, 1915, he was appointed postmaster of Sheridan and on that account resigned the city commissionership. Since becoming a member of the federal government he has done much toward systematizing his office and increasing its facilities. While a disciplinarian and exacting the full mete of dutiful devotion from his employes, he yet is kind to them and well liked by all. That Mr. Canfield takes a vital and helpful part in the progress of Sheridan is evident from his membership in the Chamber of Commerce, the projects of which institution find in him a warm champion and supporter. Fraternally he belongs to the Masons, in which he holds high rank, being a Knight Templar and a Shriner, and he also is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In official, social and fraternal circles Mr. Canfield has made for himself a foremost place and his activities rank him with those citizens of Sheridan who have done much toward making this beautiful little city one of the first of the state.

Interesting and venturesome has been the career of Sherman D. Canfield, who since March 3, 1915, has ably served as postmaster of Sheridan. In the discharge of his duties he has come in contact with practically all the people of the city, and it may be said that there is hardly a one who does not speak Of him in the highest terms of praise, either as regards the discharge of his official duties or his private activities as a citizen.
Mr. Canfield was born September 3, 1865. in Cuming county, Nebraska, and is a son of George and Lucy (Rhodes) Canfield. His preliminary education he received in the public schools of Omaha, Nebraska, where he prepared himself to enter college. In 1880, when only fifteen years of age, he became a student in the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and there continued until 1883, when he decided to pass up his studies in order to enter business life. From 1883 until 1887 he held a clerical position in the office of the general superintendent of the Union Pacific Railway at Omaha, thus becoming acquainted with the rudimentary principles underlying the management of a great corporation and general commercial life. The railroad position, however, did not quite seem to suit his venturesome mind and, looking for other fields of endeavor, he became personal representative and confidential secretary of Colonel William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) in Europe and America, holding this important and interesting position in 1887 and 1888 and also from 1890 until 1893. During the intervening years. from 1888 to 1890, he served as superintendent of railroad facilities for the Union Stock Yards Company of South Omaha. In 1892 Mr. Canfield located in Wyoming, becoming manager and one of the proprietors of the famous Sheridan Inn at Sheridan. Wyoming. one of the foremost hostelries of the west and at that time a member of the W. F. Cody Hotel Company. In this connection he remained from 1893 until 1896, doing much to spread the fame of the Sheridan Inn and make it a hospitable place of abode. In the latter year, however. Mr. Canfield decided upon a new line of activity and engaged in the cattle business on Powder river, continuing thus from 1896 until 1904. During part of this time, from 1900 until 1901, he purchased horses for the British government, to be used in the Boer war, which was then raging. Subsequently he became a timber contractor in connection with the Shoshone forest reserve from 1904 to 1905. During the next three years, from 1906 until 1909, Mr. Canfield acted as general agent of the Wyoming Coal Mining Company and as such rendered service which contributed in no small measure to the growth of this enterprise. In 1909 to he was superintendent of preliminary surveys of the proposed railroad between Miles City, Montana, and Sheridan, Wyoming, and in 1911 became a partner in the Union Lumber Company of Sheridan, continuing thus until 1912. Since 1911 Mr. Canfield has been secretary and treasurer of the Libby (Mont.) Waterworks, Electric Light & Power Company, and in the management of this corporation has contributed much toward its success.
Mr. Canfield has always taken an interest in public and semi-public enterprises and in official capacities has done much toward upbuilding his city. From 1895 until 1899 he was a member of the Sheridan city council and supported all measures which he considered of lasting value to the city. Always progressive, he has done much toward the advancement of Sheridan along more than material lines. In 1911 he was elected one of the first commissioners of the city of Sheridan under the commission form of government, a testimonial from his fellow citizens which he well deserved, and that he discharged his duties in good faith and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned is evident from the fact that he was reelected in 1913. On March 3, 1915, he was appointed postmaster of Sheridan and on that account resigned the city commissionership. Since becoming a member of the federal government he has done much toward systematizing his office and increasing its facilities. While a disciplinarian and exacting the full mete of dutiful devotion from his employes, he yet is kind to them and well liked by all.
That Mr. Canfield takes a vital and helpful part in the progress of Sheridan is evident from his membership in the Chamber of Commerce, the projects of which institution find in him a warm champion and supporter. Fraternally he belongs to the Masons, in which he holds high rank, being a Knight Templar and a Shriner, and he also is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In official, social and fraternal circles Mr. Canfield has made for himself a foremost place and his activities rank him with those citizens of Sheridan who have done much toward making this beautiful little city one of the first of the state.