Jabez Gorham

Jabez Gorham was Providence's foremost jewelry and silverware manufacturer. Born on Benefit Street in Providence, he was apprenticed from 1807 to 1812 to Nehemiah Dodge. He was a partner from 1813 to 1818 with Christopher Burr, William Hadwen, George C. Clark and Henry G. Mumford, a group known as "The Firm." He then worked from 1818 to 1825 as a silversmith and jeweler manufacturing small items, becoming known for his "Gorham chain," unequaled at the time. He was a partner from 1825 to 1831 with Stanton Beebe in Providence RI as GORHAM & BEEBE, with a shop at 73 North Main Street.

                                                                      

  (From the American Silversmith website).

 

Gorham Silver was founded in Providence, Rhode Island, 1831 by Jabez Gorham, a master craftsman, in partnership with Henry L. Webster. The firm's chief product was spoons of coin silver. The company also made thimbles, combs, jewelry, and other small items. In 1842, Congress enacted a tariff which effectively blocked the importation of silverware from outside the United States, which aided the American silver industry. Jabez Gorham did not take full advantage of this opportunity, but in 1847 Jabez retired and his son, John Gorham succeeded him as head of the company.

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                                                                           (From Wikipedia; 12/4/2019).