Although not the most charismatic or eloquent Founder, Roger Sherman was highly esteemed by his contemporaries. At Sherman's death, Ezra Stiles, president of Yale College, wrote, "He was an extraordinary man-a venerable uncorrupted patriot." A talented politician, Sherman was also a man of deep religious faith who approached life seriously. Thomas Jefferson once claimed that the Connecticut statesman "never said a foolish thing in his life." A self-made man with the power of common sense and the ability to compromise, Sherman was completely dedicated to public service at both the state and national levels. He had a hand in the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution.