John Taylor Gilman
Encyclopedia
John Taylor Gilman was a farmer, shipbuilder, and statesman from Exeter, New Hampshire
. He represented New Hampshire
in the Continental Congress
in 1782-1783 and was Governor of New Hampshire for 14 years, from 1794 to 1805, and from 1813 to 1816.
Gilman was born in Exeter, New Hampshire
, to a family settled in Exeter since its earliest days. He received a limited education before he entered into the family shipbuilding and mercantile businesses. He was one of the Minutemen
of 1775 and a selectman in 1777 and 1778. Gilman served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
in 1779 and 1781 and was a delegate to the Convention of the States in Hartford, Connecticut
, in October 1780. He served as a member of the Continental Congress in 1782 and 1783. He was the New Hampshire Treasurer in 1791 and moderator 1791-1794, 1806, 1807, 1809–1811, 1817, 1818, and 1820-1825.
Gilman served a Governor of New Hampshire 1794-1805 and was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1805. He was again a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1810 and 1811 and again an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1812. He was elected Governor and served from 1813 to 1816 and declined to be a candidate for renomination for Governor in 1816. He was an ex officio trustee of Dartmouth College
, Hanover, New Hampshire
, 1794-1805 and 1813–1816 and trustee by election 1817-1819. He was president of the board of trustees of Phillips Exeter Academy
, Exeter, New Hampshire, 1795-1827, and donor of the oldest property, the 'Yard,' upon which the older buildings stand. He died in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1828 and is buried in the Winter Street Burial Ground in Exeter.
, settled by 24 members of the extended Gilman clan, was named for the family as a whole and not for the governor.
Gilman was married to Deborah (Folsom) Gilman, the daughter of Major General Nathaniel Folsom
of Exeter.
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
. He represented New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
in the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
in 1782-1783 and was Governor of New Hampshire for 14 years, from 1794 to 1805, and from 1813 to 1816.
Gilman was born in Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
, to a family settled in Exeter since its earliest days. He received a limited education before he entered into the family shipbuilding and mercantile businesses. He was one of the Minutemen
Minutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
of 1775 and a selectman in 1777 and 1778. Gilman served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
New Hampshire House of Representatives
The New Hampshire House of Representatives is the lower house in the New Hampshire General Court. The House of Representatives consists of 400 members coming from 103 districts across the state, created from divisions of the state's counties. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300...
in 1779 and 1781 and was a delegate to the Convention of the States in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
, in October 1780. He served as a member of the Continental Congress in 1782 and 1783. He was the New Hampshire Treasurer in 1791 and moderator 1791-1794, 1806, 1807, 1809–1811, 1817, 1818, and 1820-1825.
Gilman served a Governor of New Hampshire 1794-1805 and was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election in 1805. He was again a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 1810 and 1811 and again an unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1812. He was elected Governor and served from 1813 to 1816 and declined to be a candidate for renomination for Governor in 1816. He was an ex officio trustee of Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
, 1794-1805 and 1813–1816 and trustee by election 1817-1819. He was president of the board of trustees of Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
, Exeter, New Hampshire, 1795-1827, and donor of the oldest property, the 'Yard,' upon which the older buildings stand. He died in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 1828 and is buried in the Winter Street Burial Ground in Exeter.
Trivia
He is the first Governor of New Hampshire not to have a place in the state named after him. The town of GilmantonGilmanton, New Hampshire
Gilmanton is a town in Belknap County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,777 at the 2010 census. Gilmanton includes the villages of Gilmanton Corner and Gilmanton Ironworks...
, settled by 24 members of the extended Gilman clan, was named for the family as a whole and not for the governor.
Gilman was married to Deborah (Folsom) Gilman, the daughter of Major General Nathaniel Folsom
Nathaniel Folsom
Nathaniel Folsom was an American merchant and statesman.He was a delegate for New Hampshire in the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1777 to 1780, as well as the Major General of the New Hampshire Militia.-Private life:Folsom was born into a large family in Exeter, New Hampshire...
of Exeter.