MILES GORHAM (lots of variations of spellings). Birthdate unknown, died 1693, location unknown. Married an Alice ___, no data. One known son: John Gorham born ca 1662. This would make Miles born perhaps 1640ish. Documentation: Miles Gowen/Gorham is a mystery man. The first record of him appears in 1661 in Northumberland Co VA. Nothing is known yet of his parentage or where he came from. He is shown three times in records as a cooper. He lived along the southern bank of the Potomac River near the mouth of Yeocomico River. This was the boundary line between Northumberland Co and Westmoreland Co. His first land transaction occurs on 10 Jan 1670 or 71 when he mortgaged 200 acres of land on the east side of Yeocomico. His wife's name was Alice. He lived in Northumberland through 1678. He then moved into Westmoreland County on land he had purchased back in 1664. He must have owned land since he served on a jury (old laws required a jurist to be a landowner). Alice was alive in 1672 but by 2 July 1675 she must have deceased because his wife's name now shows up as Susannah. By April 1676, his son John bound himself out to Captain John Rogers (a neighbor) and on the 16th of Aug 1678, Miles petitioned the court for the return of his son (granted). It has not been discovered where he went. But another strange event happened 24 Nov 1686 when his wife Susannah bound our her son Michael and her daughter Susannah to Robert King because her husband "had lately ran away and left behind his wife and several children in great necessity and proverty." During this same Miles' estate was attached by a creditor named William Paine. Less than two months later Miles brought two suits in the Westmoreland Court which were dismissed. Appearing at the same court, Susannah bound out another daughter, Mary, to Henry Wharton. Miles reappears in Westmoreland but is still in tremendous debt. Four suits were brought against him in 1691.On 27 Sept 1693 he appears with an apparent 3rd wife named Winifired who was granted administration of his estate. Citations from Northumberland Co VA Deeds & Wills 1658-1662, p. 51. Deeds and Wills 1670-1672, p. 147, 225 County Order Book 3 1666-1678, p. 134 County Order Book 4, 1678-1698, p. 3, 8 Citatiions from the following Westmoreland Co VA records: County Order Book 1675-1688, p. 274 Deeds and Wills 1670-1672, p 147, 225 Deeds & Wills Book 1, p. 305, 377 County Order Book 1675-1688, p. 187, 247, 274 Deeds and Will Book 1, p. 240 Deeds and Will Book 8, p. 228 Order Book 3, 1666-1678, p. 134 Order Book 4, 1678-1698, p. 3, 8 Order Book 1675-1688, p. 528, 557-8, 571, 561, 595 Order Book 16980-1698, 6, 8, 36, 105, 111 2nd Generation: JOHN GORHAM, son of Miles and Alice Gorham. John was born ca 1662 in VA and died 1770. He married at an unknown date a Moore lady. They had one known child - John GORHAM. Documentation for John, son of Miles. John appears very young in records. On the 16th of April 1676, in Northumberland Co, John Goreham "sonne to Miles Goreham" was ordered to serve as an apprentice to Captain John Rogers until reaching the age 21. The reason for the apprenticeship (or binding out) was that "the father of said child hath absented himself out of this country". It appears from the wording that Rogers had already taken care of John "for some time". See his father for full details. On 21 Aug 1678, his father returned to court and demanded the return of his son saying that this was done without his knowledge. It is not until Dec 1792 that John appears on written records again, as a witness to two dower releases of his neighbors, then a deed a year later. His will was probated 28 Feb 1699/1700 in Westmoreland Co VA , but the actual will is missing. It appears that at that date he had no wife and no children of age. It seems that John had married one of the daughters of Thomas Moore but his wife had died earlier. Sources checked were the Northumberland County Order Book 1678-1698, p. 3 and 8 and the Westmoreland County Order Book 16798-1698, p. 105, 111 and Order Book 16989-1705, p. 72. References are also found in Loudon Co, Fairfax Co Deed Books, Prince William Deed Books Tommorow - the 3rd generation - John, son of John, grandsonon of Miles. Sandi Col. Sandi Gorin - Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ GORIN worldconnect website: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~sgorin