Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

in New England, was a son of James Gorham,
and was born in 1575, at Benefield.
He died about 1643. Ralph Gorham came
to New England, settling at Plymouth,
where record is found of him as early as
1636.
(II) Captain John Gorham, son of
Ralph Gorham, was baptized at Benefield,
England, January 28, 1620-21, and came
to New England in 1635 m the ship
"Philip." He married, in 1643, Desire
Howland, daughter of John and Elizabeth
(Tilly) Howland (a "Mayflower"
passenger), and granddaughter of John
Tilly and wife, Vandevelde, who also
came in the "Mayflower." On October
4. I 6/5> John Gorham was appointed captain
of the Second Company of Plymouth
forces in King Philip's War, and died
from exposure in the Great Swamp fight.
He was buried February 5, 1675-76, at
Swansea. Desire (Howland) Gorham,
born in Plymouth, in 1623, was one of the
first children born in the colony. She
died October 13, 1683, at Barnstable,
Massachusetts. In 1646, Captain Gorham
removed to Marshfield, where two years
later he was chosen constable. He was
made a freeman in 1650, and was a mem-
ber of the Grand Inquest in 1651
; in 1652
he removed to Yarmouth. There he was
elected to the Plymouth Colony Court the
following year. He was surveyor of
wards in 1654; selectman of Barnstable
in 1673-74. In 1673 ne was appointed
lieutenant of the Plymouth force in the
Dutch War. He was a farmer and tan-
ner and also owned a grist mill. In 1669
the Plymouth Court granted him one hun-
dred acres at Papasquosh Neck, and in
1677, confirmed the grant to his heirs for-
ever for the services he had performed.
A similar grant of land in Gorham, Maine,
was also participated in by his heirs.
(III) Jabez Gorham, son of Captain
John and Desire (Howland) Gorham, was
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
216
born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, August
3, 1656. He married a widow, Mrs.
Hannah (Sturges) Grey, daughter of Edward
and Alice, or Elizabeth, Sturges.
She died March 13, 1739, and he died May
3. 1725, at Bristol, Rhode Island. He
also served in King Philip's War and was
wounded. In 1680 he was constable at
Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and on the
Grand Inquest in 1683.
(IV) Joseph Gorham, son of Jabez
Gorham, was born in Bristol, Rhode
Island. Concerning his marriage, his-
torians differ. The Gorham chart in the
"Fairfield Family Book" states that he
married Abigail Lockwood, of Fairfield,
April 7 or April 11, 1715. She was born
November 28, 1694, and died January 23,
1724-25. Orcutt's "History of Stratford"
states that Joseph Gorham married (first)
Sarah, and was then of Stratford. The
Sturges genealogy gives Sarah Sturges
as the name of his wife. There is a dis-
pute that he married a Sarah at all unless
he was thrice married. He married (second
or third) Deborah Barlow, daughter
of John and Abigail (Lockwood) Barlow,
on January 13, 1725-26, and she was born
May 3, 1705-06, and died January 25,
1778. He removed from Bristol to Stratford,
Connecticut, as early as 1715, and
was a cordwainer by trade.
(V) Jabez (2) Gorham, son of Joseph
Gorham. was born March 22, 1718, and
died February 26, 1764. He married, November
2~, 1752, Mary Couch.
(VI) Jabez (3) Gorham, son of Jabez
(2) Gorham, was baptized May 23, 1762.
He lived in Redding, and died there, June
2 5» 1 &S2>- He married (first) August 5,
1784, in Redding, Sarah Morgan, by
whom he had four children. She died
March 9, 1797, and he married (second)
in the same year, Hannah Beers. The
third child of the second marriage was
David Gorham, of whom further.