Nathaniel Gorham

Nathaniel Gorham
Nathaniel Gorham
Nathaniel Gorham
by Charles Willson Peale, circa 1793
14th President of the United States in Congress Assembled
In office
June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786
Preceded by John Hancock
Succeeded by Arthur St. Clair
2nd Acting President of the United States in Congress Assembled
In office
May 15, 1786 – June 5, 1786
President John Hancock
Preceded by David Ramsay
Succeeded by Himself as 8th President of the United States in Congress Assembled
Personal details
Born May 27, 1738(1738-05-27)
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Died June 11, 1796(1796-06-11) (aged 58)
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Spouse(s) Rebecca Call
Children Nathaniel Gorham
Rebecca Gorham
Mary Gorham
Elizabeth Gorham
Ann Gorham
John Gorham
Benjamin Gorham
Stephen Gorham
Lydia Gorham
Profession Politician, Merchant
Religion Congregationalist
Signature

Nathaniel Gorham (May 27, 1738 – June 11, 1796, his first name is sometimes spelt Nathanial) was the fourteenth President of the United States in Congress assembled, under the Articles of Confederation. He also attended the Constitutional Convention and was one of the signers of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Contents

Biography

Early life and family

Gorham was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the son of Captain Nathaniel Gorham and Mary Soley.[1] He was a descendant of John Howland, (c. 1599–1673) who was one of the Pilgrims who traveled from England to North America on the Mayflower, signed the Mayflower Compact, and helped found the Plymouth Colony.[2][3]

His sister, Elizabeth Gorham, who married John Leighton, was the ancestor of Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt the second wife of Theodore Roosevelt who served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1901 to 1909.[4]

Marriage

He married Rebecca Call who was a widow with 9 children[5] on September 6, 1763 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. She was born on May 14, 1744 in Charlestown, Massachusetts and died on November 18, 1812 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Caleb Call and Rebecca Stimson.[6] Nathaniel and Rebecca were the parents of nine children.[1]

Career

He took part in public affairs at the beginning of the American Revolution, he was a member of the Massachusetts General Court (Legislature) from 1771 until 1775, a delegate to the Provincial congress from 1774 until 1775, and a member of the Board of War from 1778 until its dissolution in 1781. In 1779 he served in the State constitutional convention. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1782 until 1783, and also from 1785 until 1787, serving as it's president for five months from June 6 to November 5, 1786 after the resignation of John Hancock. Gorham also served a term as judge of the Middlesex County, Massachusetts Court of Common Pleas.[7]

For several months in 1787, Gorham served as one of the Massachusetts delegates to the United States Constitutional Convention.[7] Gorham frequently served as Chairman of the Convention's Committee of the Whole, meaning that he (rather than the President of the Convention, George Washington) presided over convention sessions during the delegates' first deliberations on the structure of the new government in late May and June of 1787. After the convention, he worked hard to see that the Constitution was approved in his home state.

In connection with Oliver Phelps, he purchased from the state of Massachusetts in 1788 pre-emption rights to an immense tract of land in western New York State which straddled the Genesee River, all for the sum of $1,000,000 (the Phelps and Gorham Purchase).[8][9] The land in question had been previously ceded to Massachusetts from the state of New York under the 1786 Treaty of Hartford. The pre-emption right gave them the first or preemptive right to obtain clear title to this land from the Indians. They soon extinguished the Indian title to the portion of the land east of the Genesee River, as well as a 185,000 acres (750 km2) tract west of the Genesee The Mill Yard Tract), surveyed all of it, laid out townships, and sold large parts to speculators and settlers. In 1790, after they defaulted in payment, they sold nearly all of their unsold lands east of the Genesee to Robert Morris, who eventually resold those lands to The Pulteney Association. Phelps and Gorham were unable to fulfill their contract in full to Massachusetts, so in 1790, they surrendered back to Massachusetts that portion of the lands which remained under the Indian title, namely, the land west of the Genesee. It also was eventually acquired by Robert Morris, who resold most of it to The Holland Land Company. Morris did keep 500,000 acres (2,000 km2) for himself, and that land became known as The Morris Reserve.

Death & Legacy

Gorham died in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1796. A eulogy was delivered in his memory by Dr. Thomas Welch of Charlestown.[10] He is buried in the Phipps Street Cemetery in Charlestown, Massachusetts.[8][11]


Gorham Street in Madison, Wisconsin is named in his honor. [12]

Descendants

Nathaniel Gorham's descendants number in the thousands today.[13] Some of his notable descendants include:

See also

U.S. Constitution, nationalist organizer in Convention.

Notes

  1. ^ a b Morton, p.117
  2. ^ Haxtun, p.34
  3. ^ The Pilgrim John Howland Society: Famous Descendants
  4. ^ MMOA, p.184
  5. ^ She was descended from Anglican vicar and the first minister of Dorchester, Massachusetts, John Maverick and his royally descended wife, Mary Gye Maverick. Rev. John Maverick was born in Awliscombe, Devon, baptized there on Dec. 28, 1578, and enrolled at Oxford Oct. 24, 1595, age 18. He was the son of Rev. Peter Maverick (spelled Mavericke in old English records), the vicar of Awliscombe.
  6. ^ Waters, p.366
  7. ^ a b Morton, p.118
  8. ^ a b Morton, p.120
  9. ^ McKeveley, Blake (January 1939). "Historic Aspects of the Phelps and Gorham Treaty of July 4–8, 1788". Rochester History (Rochester Public Library) 1 (1). ISSN 0035-7413. http://www.rochester.lib.ny.us/~rochhist/v1_1939/v1i1.pdf. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 
  10. ^ Dr. Welch was a 1772 graduate of Harvard College. He served as a surgeon in the American Revolutionary War.
  11. ^ Nathaniel Gorham at Find A Grave
  12. ^ http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/odd/archives/002071.asp
  13. ^ Roberts, Gary Boyd (2000). "#54 Royal Descents, Notable Kin, and Printed Sources: Harvard, Its Presidents, and Kings". New England Ancestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society. http://www.newenglandancestors.org/research/services/articles_gbr54.asp. Retrieved 2010-04-29. 

References

  • Haxtun, Annie Arnoux. Signers of the Mayflower Compact . Publisher: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1998. ISBN 0806301732.
  • MMOA.The bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Volume 17. Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1922.
  • Morton, Joseph C. Shapers of the great debate at the Constitutional Convention of 1787: a biographical dictionary Volume 8 of Shapers of the great American debates. Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 ISBN 0313330212.
  • Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 59. Publisher: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1905.

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
John Hancock
President of the Continental Congress
June 6, 1786–November 5, 1786
Succeeded by
Arthur St. Clair

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