Gorham Thurber

  General notes:

Silversmith

  Events in his life were:

• Goblet
Private Collection
h: 6¾" tall
d: 2-15/16" (base)

Engraved Mrs. Green Clay Smith / from / a friend of Green Clay's for Caroline Virginia (Duke) Smith who married Green Clay Smith about 1846.
Green Clay Smith was a Representative from Kentucky; born in Richmond KY, July 4, 1826; pursued academic studies; served in the Mexican War; commissioned second lieutenant in the First Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, June 9, 1846; was graduated from Transylvania University, Lexington KY, in 1849; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1852 and commenced practice in Covington KY; was school commissioner 1853-1857; member of the State house of representatives 1861-1863; commissioned colonel of the Fourth Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Cavalry, April 4, 1862; brigadier general of Volunteers July 2, 1862; resigned December 1, 1863; brevetted major general of Volunteers March 13, 1865; elected as an Unconditional Unionist to the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth Congresses and served from March 4, 1863, until his resignation in 1866; chairman, Committee on Militia (Thirty-ninth Congress); appointed by President Johnson as Governor of Montana Territory and served from July 13, 1866, until April 9, 1869, when he resigned; moved to Washington, D.C., where he was ordained to the Baptist ministry; was the candidate of the National Prohibition Party in 1876 for President of the United States; pastor of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., from 1890 until his death, June 29, 1895.

• He was a partner from 1850 to 1852 with John Gorham in Providence RI as GORHAM & THURBER, which later became the Gorham Manufacturing Company. . ¹

• Alternate Mark

• He was a partner from 1852 to 1875 with John Gorham and Lewis Dexter in Providence RI as GORHAM & Co. Dexter retired in 1861. Gorham declared bankruptcy in October 1875. The firm was continued in other hands and he remained as a general employee. In 1878, he appealed for re-instatement, but was declined.
'Was some yrs ago Prest. of the Gorham mfg. Co. but failed badly in 1875, there being nothing for the unsecured creditors. For a time was in the employ of the company. It is not known how he gets a living. Is in no bus. & has no means. Is of considerable ability but quite sanguine & speculative. These peculiarities were the curse of his fortune.' (Dunn Report, 25 Sept. 1880)

⁴

• He was a partner from 1856 to 1878 with John Gorham and Henry T. Brown in Providence RI as GORHAM, Co & BROWN. ³

• Cup by GORHAM & Co, 1863
Private Collection
h: 3 3/8"
d: 3" (of lip)
wt: 144 grs
Engraved Cha' Frederic Graff / -- From His -- / Grandmother Graff / Dec, 5th 1863

• He was a partner from 1878 to 1879 with Henry T. Brown and Henry Tilden in Providence RI as HENRY T. BROWN & Co. ³

• He was a partner in 1880 with Henry T. Brown and Henry Tilden in Providence RI as TILDEN-THURBER & Co, formerly HENRY T. BROWN & Co.
¹⁰

• He appeared on the 1880 census taken at Providence RI, listed as a silverware manufacturer.

• Tradecard, c 1880
Private Collection

Gorham married Lydia Lancaster Herbert on 11 Apr 1848 in Providence RI. (Lydia Lancaster Herbert was born on 22 Nov 1829 in Rowley MA and died on 26 Sep 1905 in Rowley MA.)