Ralph Gorham

'Ralph lived and died at Marshfield Massachusetts and what's remarkable he was a joyner and made his coffin himself for several years before he died and used to keep apples in it as a chest until he died and used it."

Mayflower Descendents Vol 5 July 1903

Recorded history of the American Gorhams began 992 AD France in the little farming villlage of Gorham, province of Maine, Brittany.

Geoffrey of Gorham, progenitor- a feudal lord. Mane given by decree of Wm The Conqueror, " Geoffrey of Gorham, Lord of Tanniere"

In William Richard Cutter’s 1912 three-volume work titled, Genealogical and Family History of Western New York… Vol. 2, the author writes more than a little about the family Gorham. While the publishers claim supremacy of historicity in Cutters writing (in the introduction to volume 1), who is to know what references were used by Cutter for all that he wrote? Cutter cites neither sources within the narrative nor as endnotes in the three-volume set.

In 2020, an exhaustive research effort was undertaken by Thomas William Gorham. He wrote of his findings in his book titled, Family Gorham Plausible Speculations … Medieval Nobility to Contemporary Everyday Person. The book’s title seems to suggest that the whole of the work may be speculative. However, a passage from the author’s introduction gives the reader hope that there is content based in sources and not filled with mere conjecture. Gorham writes:

“In compiling this book’s research, many extensive searches were conducted at Northampton in the Glapthorn, Benefield, and Kings Cliffe registries. Few parishes have records dating back beyond the 1550s. Many baptismal and marriage records are also incomplete, as evidenced by the fact that mother’s and wives’ names were often not included. My speculations forward in time are largely supported by evidence in surviving vital records, manor court rolls, the state of general good lay tax subsidies, poll taxes, and the Brudenell Archive Papers. The latter is a collection of thirteenth-through-nineteenth-century family and state papers, early wills, deeds, and charters of small property transactions. These papers are held by the Northamptonshire Council Record Office for it and the surrounding counties. Gorhams were people of stature in their community and were often called to witness such deeds and charters….”

A snippet in Gorham's book reads: “…1610 in Benefield, Margaret Stephenson, b. c. 1579, d. 1625. … 1616, Benefield, went to Plymouth Massachusetts with his brother John but returned to England and migrated to Huntingdon.”
As to the veracity of this snippet, one cannot know the source without borrowing or buying the book.

Notes from John Howland of the Mayflower, Vol. 1: A Ralph Gorham was granted land in Plymouth October 2, 1637 for a house and garden. On March 5, 1637/8, he complained against Frances Sprague. A year later, "Ralph Gorham the older" was presented for breaking the peace. On September 1, 1640 he sued Tristam Clark and John Crab for debt [Gorham MS 1:3-4: N.B. Shurtleff, Records of the Colony of New Plymouth, Court Orders 1:66, 118; Judicial Acts 7:8]. He then disappeared from the Plymouth records.

He was married in England. Some material from the internet had marriage to Agnes Birnington with the date of 1572 but this is a very questionable date compared to other family dates (e.g., birth date is 3 years after marriage date & 47 years prior to birth of first child). Bonnie Hubbard has 1572 as marriage year of his father to Agnes which fits much better.

(http://www.wheelerfolk.org/keithgen/d342.htm#P920)

1637, October- His name appears in the records of Plymouth, MA at this time.