I have a JACOB RANSOM GORHAM born September 26, 1830, in Dutchess County, NY. At the age of 21 he moved to Wayne, Du Page County, Illinois. In 1855 he married ADELIA READ (daughter of HORACE READ, a native of Cambridge, Vermont, and ALMIRA PARKER). They had four daughters: MIRA born 1856, wife of F. W. LEAKE; AUGUSTA born 1858, wife of CLARENCE STANLEY GREEN (of Dutchess County, NY and Kane County, Illinois); EDITH L.., wife of MERRITT GREEN (of Dutchess County, NY); and MAMIE born 1871. Jacob was the son of WILLIAM GORHAM who was born in Stratford, Connecticut around 1780 / 1792 and SARAH HOLLOWAY. WILLIAM GORHAM moved to Pawling, Dutchess County, NY, where he established two tan yards, being a tanner and currier by trade and also engaged in farming and merchandising with good success, accumulating a nice estate. SARAH HOLLOWAY was a native of Pawling, Dutchess Co., NY and was the daughter of JUSTIN HOLLOWAY, who also was born in Dutchess County. William and Sarah Gorham moved to Illinois and spent their last years in Will County. Their children were HANNAH ETTA who married a Mr. DODGE who first located in Dutchess County but later moved to Will County, Illinois; MARY ANN who married R. H. LEAKE and was a resident of St. Charles, Illinois; AKIN H. who died at his home in Will County, Illinois; EMMA E. who married Mr. CALDWELL, of Dutchess County, NY; JACOB R. (as noted above); ELIJAH who had a grain business in Russell County, Kansas; and WILLIAM who married LUCINDA SMITH. William Jr. was killed by lightning at his home in DuPage County, Illinois. William was the son of STEPHEN GORHAM, who was a native of France and came to the new world with General LaFayette to aid the colonies in their struggle for independence during the Revolutionary war. Subsequently he located in Stratford, Conn. and for the remainder of his life was a pilot, holding a government license, which allowed him to conduct vessels through Hell Gate. In his family were five sons who were reared in Connecticut. Two of them located in Great Barrington, Massachusetts; LOUIS, a farmer; and Le GRAND, a miller and hotel keeper; KIRK was a tailor by trade; BENJAMIN went to the West Indies; and WILLIAM (as noted above). Two of these children never married. Would like to hear from anyone related to this family. Thank you, Verdell verdellh@aol.com