Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/358

 GORDON

GORDON

GORDON, Merritt James, jurist, was born in Siierbrooke, Quebec March 17, 18,57: son of Merritt and Saiah (McCarrol) Gordon. He was educated in Canada and in Clinton county, N.Y. He removed to Lanesboro, Minn, In 1874, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. He tooli up his residence in Dakota in 1879 and became city attorney ot Aberdeen. Dak., 1883- 84, and district attorney of Brown county, 1884- 88. He was a member of the first legislature of South Dakota and chairman of the judiciary committee. He settled in Olympia, Wash., in 1890, was associate justice of the supreme court of the state, 1896-99, and was elected chief jus- tice in January, 1899.

GORDON, William, representative, was born in Boston, Mass., in 1763; son of Capt. William Gordon. He was gi-aduated from Harvard in 1779 and was admitted to the bar in 1787, begin- ning practice in Amherst, N H.. In 1793 he was appointed register of probate; served as state senator in 1794 and 1795, and as county solicitor, 1794-1801. He was a representative from New Hampshire in the Sth and 6th congresses, 1797- 1801, but resigned his seat before the expiration of liis second term. He was attorney-general, 1801-03. He was married to Frances, daughter of the Hon. Joshua Atherton of Amherst, N.H., and had one son, William, who was graduated from Hartford in 1806, was admitted to the bar in 1809, and practised in New Hampshire, Massa- ciiusetts and Vermont. Attorney-General Gor- don diel in Boston, Mass., Jlay 8, 1802.

GORDON, William Fitzhugh, representative, was bora in Orange county. Va., Jan. 13, 1787; son of James and Elizabeth (Gordon) Gordon; grandson of John and Lucy (Churchill) Gordon and of James and Mary (Harrison) Gordon; and great-grandson of Col. Nathaniel Harrison, the father of President William Henry Harrison. His grandfathers, John and James Gordon, came to America from Newry, county Down, Ireland, in 1738 and settled in Lancaster county, Va. William removed in early life to Albemarle county, Va., and as a repi'esentative in the gen- eral assembly of the state materially assisted Jefferson in establishing the University of Vir- ginia. He was a representative in the 21st, 32d and 23d congresses, 1829-3.5, and in 1834 intro- duced in congress the bill for the establishment of the independent treasury or sub-treasury sj's- tem of the United States, which during Van Buren's administration became a law. He was major-general of Virginia militia at the time of his death which occurred near Gordonsville, Albemarle county. Va, Aug 28, 18,58.

GORDON, William Robert, clergyman, was born m New York city, March 19, 1811; son of Robert and Elizabeth (Postley) Gordon. He was

graduated from the University of the city of New York in 1834 and from the theological seminary of the Reformed Dutch church. New Brunswick, N.J., in 1837. He was licensed to preach by the classis of New York in 1837 and was pastor at North Hempstead, L.I., 1838-43; at Flushing, L.I., 1844-19; New Y'ork city, 1850-57, and Schraalenburg, N J., 1858-80. In 1880 he re tired from his pastorate on account of throat trouble. He removed to Manhasset, L.I., where he engaged in literary work until his death. His i published writings include many sermons and addresses and A Bebuke to High Chnrchism (1844') ; Peter Never in Borne (1847) ; Tracts and Sermons on Various Subjects (1848); The Supreme Godhead of Christ (1848, 3d ed., 1855) ; Particular Providence Illustrated m the Life of Joseph (1855, 3d ed., 1868) ; A Tlireefold Test of Modern Spiritualism (1856); Christocracy, or Essays on the Coming and Kingdom of Christ (with Dr John T. Demarest, 1867, 3d ed., 1878) ; The Church of God and her Sacraments (1875) ; Life of Henry Ostrander, D.D. (1875) ; and Bevealed Truth Impniinable (1877). He died at Manhas.set, L.I., N.Y.', March 30, 1897.

GORDON, William Washington, .soldier, was born in Savannah, Ga., Oct. 14. 1834; son of William Washington and Sarah Anderson (Stites) Gordon ; and grandson of Ambi'ose and Elizabeth (Meade) Gordon and of John Stites, an officer of the Jersey infantry, mortally wounded at the battle of Long Island. His grandfather, Am- brose Gordon, was a captain in Col. Wil- liam Washington's cavalry in the Eevo- lutionary war, and his father, William Washington Gordon, was the first Georgian to graduate from the U.S. military acad- emy, and was the organizer and the first president of the (^/^C{^c)-rr^^<n^^ Georgia Central rail- ^

road. William Washington Gordon, Jr,, was graduated at Y'ale in 1854, and engaged in the cotton business in Savannah, Ga., 1856-61. He was married, Deo. 21, 1857, to Eleanor Lytle Kinzie of Chicago, 111. He joined the Confed- erate army in 1861 as lieutenant in the Georgia hussars, Jeff. Davis legion, J. E. B. Stuarts cavalry; and was afterward captain and in- spector of Mercer's infantry brigade and cap- tain and adjutant -general in R. H. Anderson's brigade. Gen. Joe Wheeler's cavalry. He was especially mentioned for gallantry and merito- rious conduct at Frederick City, Md,, by Gen.