{{Short description|American politician (1775–1855)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Benjamin Gorham | image = | state = [[Massachusetts]] | district = [[Massachusetts's 1st congressional district|1st]] | term_start1 = November 6, 1820 | term_end1 = March 3, 1823 | predecessor1 = [[Jonathan Mason (Massachusetts politician)|Jonathan Mason]] | successor1 = [[Daniel Webster]] | term_start2 = July 23, 1827 | term_end2 = March 3, 1831 | predecessor2 = Daniel Webster | successor2 = [[Nathan Appleton]] | term_start3 = March 4, 1833 | term_end3 = March 3, 1835 | predecessor3 = Nathan Appleton | successor3 = [[Abbott Lawrence]] | office4 = Member of the<br>Massachusetts State Senate | term4 = | preceded4 = | succeeded4 = [[William Gray (Massachusetts politician)|William Gray]] | office5 = Member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] | term5 = 1814-1818 | birth_date = {{birth date|1775|2|13|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[Charlestown, Massachusetts|Charlestown]], [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]], [[British America]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1855|9|27|1775|2|13|mf=y}} | death_place = [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]], U.S. | spouse = | profession = | party = [[Democratic-Republican Party (United States)|Democratic Republican]] and [[National Republican Party (United States)|National Republican]] }}
'''Benjamin Gorham''' (February 13, 1775 – September 27, 1855) was a [[United States|U.S.]] [[United States House of Representatives|representative]] from [[Massachusetts]].
He was the son of [[Nathaniel Gorham]], who served as one of the [[Presidents of the Continental Congress]]. Benjamin was born in [[Charlestown, Massachusetts|Charlestown]] in the [[Province of Massachusetts Bay]]. He pursued preparatory studies, graduated from [[Harvard University]] in 1795, and studied law. When he was admitted to the bar he commenced practice in [[Boston]]. From 1814 to 1818 he served as a member of the [[Massachusetts House of Representatives]] and then turned to the [[Massachusetts State Senate]], where he served from May 26, 1819 until he resigned on January 10, 1821. He was elected as a [[Democratic-Republican]] to the [[Sixteenth United States Congress|Sixteenth Congress]] to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of [[Jonathan Mason (politician)|Jonathan Mason]]; he was re-elected when the term expired, and served until March 3, 1823.
Afterwards he returned to the State senate for one term beginning May 28, 1823, before being elected as an [[John Quincy Adams|Adams]] candidate to the [[Twentieth United States Congress|Twentieth Congress]] to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of [[Daniel Webster]] and then reelected as an [[Anti-Jacksonian]] to the [[Twenty-first United States Congress|Twenty-first Congress]] and served from July 23, 1827, to March 3, 1831. After a term filled by [[Nathan Appleton]], he was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the [[Twenty-third United States Congress|Twenty-third Congress]] (March 4, 1833 - March 3, 1835). Afterward he served again a member of the State house of representatives in 1841 and resumed the practice of law.
He died in Boston in 1855, aged 80, and was interred in the [[Phipps Street Burying Ground]] in Charlestown.
== References == {{CongBio|G000324}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box | state=Massachusetts | district=1 | district_ord=1st | before=[[Jonathan Mason (politician)|Jonathan Mason]] | after= [[Daniel Webster]] | years=November 6, 1820 - March 3, 1823 }} {{US House succession box | state=Massachusetts | district=1 | district_ord=1st | before=[[Daniel Webster]] | after= [[Nathan Appleton]] | years=July 23, 1827 - March 3, 1831 }} {{US House succession box | state=Massachusetts | district=1 | district_ord=1st | before=[[Nathan Appleton]] | after= [[Abbott Lawrence]] | years=March 4, 1833 - March 3, 1835 }} {{s-end}} {{USRepMA}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorham, Benjamin}} [[Category:1775 births]] [[Category:1855 deaths]] [[Category:Harvard University alumni]] [[Category:Massachusetts lawyers]] [[Category:Massachusetts state senators]] [[Category:Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives]] [[Category:Politicians from Boston]] [[Category:Massachusetts National Republicans]] [[Category:Democratic-Republican Party United States representatives from Massachusetts]] [[Category:National Republican Party United States representatives]] [[Category:19th-century American lawyers]] [[Category:Burials at Phipps Street Burying Ground]] [[Category:19th-century members of the Massachusetts General Court]] [[Category:19th-century United States representatives]] [[Category:American people of English descent]]