of the Laws of the United States " (Philadelphia, 1837); "History of Pennsylvania from its Discov- ery to 1776 " (1823) ; " History of New Jersey from its Discovery to 1789" (Trenton, 1831: 2d ed., 1834) ; " History of America " (Philadelphia, 1831) ; "Cabinet of American History"; "History of Ancient Mexico " (1832); "Gazetteer of New Jer- sey " (Trenton. 1834) ; " Gazetteer of New York " (1836 and 1847) : and " Gazetteer of Pennsylvania " (Philadelphia, 1839).
GORDON, William, clergyman, b. in Hitchin,
England, in 1728 ; d. in Ipswich, England, 19 Oct.,
1807. He was settled over a large independent
society at Ipswich, and afterward at Old Gravel
Lane, Wapping; and came to Massachusetts in
1770. After preaching a year to the Third church
in Roxbury, he became its pastor, 6 July, 1772.
During the Revolution he took an active part in
public measures, and while chaplain to the Pro-
vincial congress of Massachusetts preached a fast-
day sermon, strongly expressing his political sen-
timents. He was dismissed from his post, as the
legislature regarded his prayers as intended rather
to dictate their measures than to implore the
•divine direction on them. He returned to Eng-
land in 1786, and published his "History of the
Rise, Progress, and Establishment of the Inde-
pendence of the United States," a minute and gen-
erally faithful narrative (4 vols., London, 1788).
The value of this work was somewhat impaired by
the expurgation of such passages as might incur
prosecution. He subsequently settled at St. Neot's,
Huntingdonshire. Besides his history, he pub-
lished " A Plan of a Society for making Provision
for Widows by Life Annuities" (1772); "First
Anniversary Sermon after the Declaration of In-
dependence. 4 July, 1777 " ; and an " Abridgment
of Edwards's Work on ' The Affections.' "
GORDON, William Robert, clergyman, b. in
New York city, 19 March, 1811. He was gradu-
ated at the University of the city of New York
in 1834, studied theology in the New Brunswick
seminary, and was graduated and licensed to
preach in 1837. He lield Dutch Reformed pas-
torates in North Hempstead in 1838-'43. in Flush-
ing in 1843-'9, in Houston street. New York city,
in 1849-'58, and in Schraalenburgh. N. J., till 1880,
when he resigned on account of failing health, but
•continues to preach occasionally and edits the
"Sower and Mission Monthly." The degree of
S. T. D. was conferred on him by Columbia in 1859.
He has been a constant contril)utor to various the-
ological journals, and published, besides sermons
and essays, " Supreme Godhead of Christ " (New
York, 1844) ; " Particular Providence, proved by
the History of Joseph" (1855): "Threefold Test
of Modern Spiritualism " (1856) ; " Christocracy "
(1867) ; " The Church and her Sacraments " (1870) ;
" Life of Henry Ostrander, D. D." (1875) ; and
" Revealed Truth Impregnable " (1878).
GORE, Christopher, senator, b. in Boston,
Mass., 21 Sept.. 1758 ; d. in Waltham, Mass., 1
March, 1827. His father, John (1719-'96), was
prosecuted and banished as a loyalist in 1778, but
was restored to citizenship in 1787 by act of legis-
lature. The son was graduated at Harvard in
1776, studied law with Judge Lowell, and soon ac-
quired a lucrative practice in Boston. In 1789 he
was appointed by Washington the first district at-
torney for Massachusetts, which oifice he held un-
til 1796. In that year he was appointed, with
William Pinckney, commissioner to England under
John Jay's treaty to settle the American spoliation
claims, and succeeded in obtaining the restitution
•of a large amount of property. He remained in
London for eight years, during the last of which
he was charge d'affaires. He returned to Boston
in 1804, and was appointed governor of Massachu-
setts in 1809, but served only one year. He was a
member of both branches of the legislature, and in
1813 was elected U. S. senator in place of James
Lloyd, which oifice he held till 1816. After serv-
ing as a presidential elector in 1817 he retired to
private life. He was for a time Daniel Webster's
tutor in law. He left valuable bequests to the
American academy of sciences and to the Massa-
chusetts historical society, of which associations
he was a member, and bequeathed nearly $100,000
to Harvard, of which he had been a fellow. The
Harvard library building, Gore hall, which was
completed in 1841, is named in his honor. Har-
vard gave him the degree of LL. D.
GORGAS, Josiah, soldier, b. in Dauphin coun-
ty. Pa., 1 July, 1818 ; d. in Tuscaloosa, Ala., 15 May,
1883. He was graduated at the U. S. military
academy in 1841 and assigned to the oi'dnance
corps. He served with credit in the Mexican war,
rising to the rank of captain in 1855. After act-
ing in various arsenals as assistant he resigned at
the beginning of the civil war, and was placed at
the head of the Confederate ordnance department
with the rank of brigadier - general. After the
close of the war he devoted himself to business.
He was elected vice-chancellor of the University
of the South at Sewanee, Tenn., in 1872, and was
made president of the University of Alabama in
1878, where he remained until he was compelled
to resign owing to failing health.
GORGES, Sir Ferdinando, proprietor of
Maine, b. in Ashton Phillips, Somerset, England,
about 1565 : d. in England in 1647. He was en-
gaged in the conspiracy of Essex, and testified
against the latter at his trial for treason in 1601.
During the war with Spain he served in the royal
navy with distinction, and in 1604 was appointed
governor of Plymouth. Being a friend of Sir Wal-
ter Raleigh, he became interested in the latter's
plans for colonization in the New World ; and
when Weymouth returned from New England in
1605, bringing five Indians, Gorges took three of
them, Manida, Sketwarroes, and Tafquantum. into
his home, and after instructing them in the Eng-
lish language gained much information relative to
their country, and determined to become a proprie-
tor of land beyond the Atlantic. His efforts re-
sulted in the formation of the Plymouth, which
with the London company was incorporated in
1606. Between these was divided the territory
extending fifty miles inland trom the 34th to the
45th parallel of north latitude. Plymouth com-
pany had the northern portion, which was styled
North Virginia. The patentees were authorized to
maintain the government for twenty-one years, with
permission to impose taxes, to coin money, and to
exercise all the power of a well-organized society.
After several unsuccessful expeditions, two ships
were despatched from Plymouth in 1607, bearing
a party who erected a fortified storehouse, near
the mouth of the Kennebec, in Maine, which they
called Fort George. Owing to the severity of the
climate and many hardships, this colony was aban-
doned in the following spring. In 1614 Gorges en-
gaged Capt. John Smith, who had visited New Eng-
land in the service of the Plymouth company. He
set sail in March, 1615, with two ships. His own
becoming dismasted, he returned to port, and the
other made the voyage alone, but soon returned.
After other unsuccessful attempts. Gorges sent out
a party under Richard Vines, in 1616, which en-
camped on the Saco during the winter. In 1619
