Sherman A Minton, Jr. was a renowned herpetologist, physician, and World War II veteran from New Albany, Indiana, which is situated at the convergence of the Ohio River and the “Knobs” region in southern Indiana. It was in this area that he spent his youth developing an appreciation of natural history, especially the amphibians and reptiles. He subsequently attended Indiana University in Bloomington where he earned a degree in Zoology. Minton continued his education at Indiana University Medical School from which he graduated with his MD in 1942. Sherman served in World War II as a medical office on a converted World War 1 destroyer outfitted to carry frog men and underwater demolition team in the South Pacific. After the war he pursued interests in herpetology and microbiology in graduate school at the University of Michigan. As testament to his outstanding contributions Sherman served as president of both the International Society of Toxicology and the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. He published more than 150 papers and books. Two popular books of note are Giant Reptiles (1973) and Venomous Reptiles (1969). Both were co-authored by his wife, Madge Rutherford Minton. Other books of note are Venom Diseases (1974), A Contribution to the Herpetology of West Pakistan (1966), and Life, Love, and Reptiles (an autobiography) 2001, and Amphibians & Reptiles of Indiana (2001). No one has contributed more to our knowledge of Indiana amphibians and reptiles than Minton.

Reference:
Minton Jr., Sherman. Amphibians & Reptiles of Indiana, Indiana Academy of Science, 2001