A woman dressed in white holds a folded parasol while standing facing the camera on a woodland path. Other than this photograph, nothing is known of Schermerhorn’s involvement with amateur photography.

Edward Gilbert Schermerhorn: 1864-1949

Major Edward Gilbert Schermerhorn, Military Secretary, was born in a house on the corner of 30th street and Madison avenue, New York city, November 22, 1864, and was educated in private schools of the city.

He entered business with the banking firm of Gilman Son & Company in 1882, by whom he was employed for five years. Later he was three years in the treasurer’s office of the New York Central and Hudson River railroad. In 1893 he entered the employment of the city of New York in the department of finance and for nearly twenty years was cashier in the office of the receiver of taxes of the city, which he resigned on Jan-1, 1913 to become Military Secretary to Governor Sulzer. —Excerpt: Edward Gilbert Schermerhorn: Military Secretary: The New York Red Book, 1913, p. 49

From the New York Historical Library: Edward Gilbert Schermerhorn papers

BIOGRAPHICAL / HISTORICAL

Edward Gibert Schermerhorn was born in New York City on November 22, 1864, the son of George S. and Julia Gibert Schermerhorn. He enlisted in the New York State National Guard’s 7th Regiment, Company I (also referred to as 9th Company) in 1885 and served until August 1891. He remained at the rank of private throughout that time. Subsequent to his service he held the position of adjutant for various regiments, advancing to the rank of captain, until 1899 when he was designated a supernumerary.

In 1912, Schermerhorn was appointed by Governor-elect William Sulzer to be his Military Secretary, which seems to have been a form of civilian advisor on state military matters, that is, outside of the Adjutant General’s Office. Sulzer’s tenure as governor was brief as he was removed from office in October 1913 after being impeached and convicted. Consequently, Schermerhorn left the administration, successfully petitioning the legislature to allow him to return to the National Guard’s supernumerary list with the rank of major, from which he had been removed when he entered Sulzer’s administration.

Schermerhorn was a member of various veterans and other social/fraternal organizations, including the Saint Nicholas Society, Veteran Corps of Artillery, and the Military Society of the War of 1812. He was married to Charlotte Tiedemann, who died in 1943. Schermerhorn died in Bergen County, New Jersey, in 1949.