Gorham, an eldest child, was born in 1738 at
Charlestown, MA, into an old Bay Colony family of modest means. His
father operated a packet boat. The youth's education was minimal.
When he was about 15 years of age, he was apprenticed to a New
London, CT, merchant. He quit in 1759, returned to his hometown and
established a business which quickly succeeded. In 1763 he wed
Rebecca Call, who was to bear nine children.
Gorham began his political career as a public notary but soon won
election to the colonial legislature (1771-75). During the
Revolution, he unswervingly backed the Whigs. He was a delegate to
the provincial congress (1774-75), member of the Massachusetts Board
of War (1778-81), delegate to the constitutional convention
(1779-80), and representative in both the upper (1780) and lower
(1781-87) houses of the legislature, including speaker of the latter
in 1781, 1782, and 1785. In the last year, though he apparently
lacked formal legal training, he began a judicial career as judge of
the Middlesex County court of common pleas (1785-96). During this
same period, he sat on the Governor's Council (1788-89).
During the war, British troops had ravaged much of Gorham's
property, though by privateering and speculation he managed to
recoup most of his fortune. Despite these pressing business concerns
and his state political and judicial activities, he also served the
nation. He was a member of the Continental Congress (1782-83 and
1785-87), and held the office of president from June 1786 until
January 1787.
The next year, at age 49, Gorham attended the Constitutional
Convention. A moderate nationalist, he attended all the sessions and
played an influential role.. He spoke often, acted as chairman of
the Committee of the Whole, and sat on the Committee of Detail. As a
delegate to the Massachusetts ratifying convention, he stood behind
the Constitution.
Some unhappy years followed. Gorham did not serve in the new
government he had helped to create. In 1788 he and Oliver Phelps of
Windsor, CT, and possibly others, contracted to purchase from the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts 6 million acres of unimproved land in
western New York. The price was $1 million in devalued Massachusetts
scrip. Gorham and Phelps quickly succeeded in clearing Indian title
to 2,600,000 acres in the eastern section of the grant and sold much
of it to settlers. Problems soon arose, however. Massachusetts scrip
rose dramatically in value, enormously swelling the purchase price
of the vast tract. By 1790 the two men were unable to meet their
payments. The result was a financial crisis that led to Gorham's
insolvency--and a fall from the heights of Boston society and
political esteem.
Gorham died in 1796 at the age of 58 and is buried at the Phipps
Street Cemetery in Charlestown, MA. |
