The Gorham Brothers

George W. Gorham's store, courtesy F. Wesley

I have already written about Martha J. Gorham and her infant son Henry, and the two children of Charles and Caroline Gorham. I now have new information on the Gorhams, which I found in Methodist Memoirs and Village Vignettes, which was written by Shirley B. Porter, the church historian, in 1987. The book identifies Lyman B. Gorham (the husband of Martha J. Gorham), David Fletcher Gorham, and George W. Gorham (whose grocery store is pictured in this post) as brothers. Three children of George W. Gorham and his wife Mary Smith are buried in the cemetery - all in the 1860s, which was really one of the worst decades to be a child, according to my charts.

The Gorham brothers were the sons of farmer David Gorham of Westport, Connecticut. His wife Sally, shown here in the 1850 census, was probably not the mother of George W. Gorham, who would have been born when she was 12. David and Lyman, who were born in 1841 and 1850 respectively, could have been Sally's sons. David and Sally also had two daughters, Julia and Sarah.

1850 US Federal Census

George W. Gorham 

George W. Gorham was born in Connecticut in 1829 and married Mary A. Smith in 1851. He was a tinsmith and owned a hardware store in the village for 50 years; it was later taken over by his son John. Unlike his brothers, George Gorham was a Presbyterian.

1860 US Federal Census

As you can see in the 1900 census below, George and Mary Gorham had eight children, only five of whom were then living.

1900 US Federal Census

David Fletcher Gorham

David Fletcher Gorham was born in Westport in 1841, and married his wife Emily Elizabeth in 1864. In 1880, Gorham partnered with Joseph Henry Crane to found a furniture store. Though Crane married Gorham's daughter Julia in 1882, the business partnership ended in 1883. Subsequently, Crane and Gorham each operated his own furniture store; Crane's is still in business today. My great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents have all bought furniture at Crane's furniture store.

1880 US Federal Census

None of David Gorham's immediate family is buried in the cemetery. His and Emily's infant son, who died in 1866, is buried in the nearby Union Cemetery.

Grave of Infant Gorham (Source)

Shirley B. Porter calls David Gorham an "enthusiastic prohibitionist." His 1907 gift to the village, a water trough topped by a statue of an Indian, is inscribed with the prohibitionist message "God's only beverage for man and beast." According to Porter, the area around the David Gorham residence was known as "Prohibition Park."

Gorham was a trustee of the village from 1880 to 1881 and a trustee of the Methodist Church from 1905 to 1934. He and his wife donated one of the stained glass windows of the church - with the message "To the Glory of God" - in 1919.

Gorham was also a Free Mason, and was elected Master Mason of the local Lodge in 1891, 1892, and 1893 - a position later held by my great-grandfather.

The Gorhams' only other surviving child, Edith Gorham, married Harry V. Fish.

Lyman Beers Gorham

Lyman Beers Gorham was born in Westport in 1850, joined the Methodist Church in 1873, and married Martha J. Reynolds, the daughter of Newman Reynolds, in 1878. In 1884, Martha gave birth to a son, Henry. He died on May 9, and Martha died on 1884. You can read my previous post about Martha and Henry Gorham here.

Lyman later married Sarah Hendrick and lived in Stamford and South Norwalk, Connecticut. He was a photographer and an engraver.

1. David Gorham (1804-) m. (1) Unknown; (2) Sally A. (1817-)
1. George W. Gorham (1829-) m. Mary A. Smith (1829-) in 1851
1. Aaron D. Gorham (1852-1922) m. Charlotte L. Avery (1852-1913)
2. Mary S. Gorham (1854-)
3. George Starr Gorham (1857-1860)
4. Lillian Harriet Gorham (1858-1860)
5. John E. Gorham (1860-)
6. Ralph Gorham  (1871-)
7. Fred Gorham
8. Louise Gorham
9. Josie Gorham (1867-1868)
2. David Fletcher Gorham (1841-1934) m. Emily Elizabeth (1844-1928) in 1864
1. Julia Gorham (1865-) m. Joseph Henry Crane in 1882
2. Edith Gorham (1870-) m. Harry V. Fish
3. Infant Son (1866-1866)
3. Lyman Beers Gorham (1850-1927) m. Martha J. Reynolds (1851-1884); (2) Sarah Hendrick (1862-1919)
1. Henry Gorham (1884-1884)
4. Sarah Gorham (1853-)
5. Julia Gorham (1856-)