Thomas Gorges (Maine)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gorges was a colonial governor of the Province of Maine
, an officer in the Parliamentary Army, and a Member of Parliament both during the rule
of Oliver Cromwell
, and after the restoration
of King Charles II
to the throne.
Gorges was born in 1618 to Henry and Barbara Gorges, and studied law. In 1640 he was selected by his distant cousin, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
, to be deputy governor of the Province of Maine
in New England
. The province was at the time a small number of sparsely populated communities in present-day southern Maine
. Thomas was a Puritan
, and established friendly relations with the nearby Massachusetts Bay Colony
, whose governor John Winthrop
described him as "sober and well-disposed". Gorges was responsible for establishing a stable government in Maine, something his relative William had been unable to do a few years earlier. Gorges' success at governance was somewhat short-lived. He departed the province in 1643 to fight in the English Civil War
, and the province was eventually absorbed in to Massachusetts, which also made territorial claims to the area.
Upon his return to England, Gorges supported the Parliamentary cause
, rising to become a lieutenant colonel the Somerset
cavalry in 1649. In the 1650s he entered Parliament representing Taunton
. He was responsible for raising funds and materials in Somerset to support Cromwell's war with Spain.
Thomas Gorges was twice married, having four children by his first wife Mary, and three by his second wife Rose. He died at home in Heavitree
, Exeter
, and was interred in the local church.
Province of Maine
The Province of Maine refers to several English colonies of that name that existed in the 17th century along the northeast coast of North America, at times roughly encompassing portions of the present-day U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as the Canadian provinces of Quebec...
, an officer in the Parliamentary Army, and a Member of Parliament both during the rule
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, and after the restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to the throne.
Gorges was born in 1618 to Henry and Barbara Gorges, and studied law. In 1640 he was selected by his distant cousin, Sir Ferdinando Gorges
Ferdinando Gorges
Sir Ferdinando Gorges , the "Father of English Colonization in North America", was an early English colonial entrepreneur and founder of the Province of Maine in 1622, although Gorges himself never set foot in the New World.-Biography:...
, to be deputy governor of the Province of Maine
Province of Maine
The Province of Maine refers to several English colonies of that name that existed in the 17th century along the northeast coast of North America, at times roughly encompassing portions of the present-day U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, as well as the Canadian provinces of Quebec...
in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The province was at the time a small number of sparsely populated communities in present-day southern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. Thomas was a Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
, and established friendly relations with the nearby Massachusetts Bay Colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
, whose governor John Winthrop
John Winthrop
John Winthrop was a wealthy English Puritan lawyer, and one of the leading figures in the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the first major settlement in New England after Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of migrants from England in 1630, and served as governor for 12 of...
described him as "sober and well-disposed". Gorges was responsible for establishing a stable government in Maine, something his relative William had been unable to do a few years earlier. Gorges' success at governance was somewhat short-lived. He departed the province in 1643 to fight in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, and the province was eventually absorbed in to Massachusetts, which also made territorial claims to the area.
Upon his return to England, Gorges supported the Parliamentary cause
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
, rising to become a lieutenant colonel the Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
cavalry in 1649. In the 1650s he entered Parliament representing Taunton
Taunton (UK Parliament constituency)
Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset...
. He was responsible for raising funds and materials in Somerset to support Cromwell's war with Spain.
Thomas Gorges was twice married, having four children by his first wife Mary, and three by his second wife Rose. He died at home in Heavitree
Heavitree
Heavitree is a district of Exeter, Devon, England. Part of the historic district is currently one of the wards for elections to the City Council. Formerly an independent Urban District, it became a part of Exeter in 1913...
, Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, and was interred in the local church.