John Gorin

The majority of this research comes from the Washington Historical Society 2007 Cemetery Walk feature of John Gorin, prepared by Carol Dorward.

John Gladden Gorin, the eldest son of Sanford Pell and Jane H. Gaunt Gorin, was born in Vandalia, Fayette Co., IL in 1835.  As a toddler, he came to Washington Township with his parents, moved to Walnut Grove, and then back to Washington Township by 1850.  At that time, he was not much more than 15 years of age, but he “went into business in a small way....”  He was involved in some mercantile business.  It is unclear whether this may have been in association with his father.  By the time John was 19, he thought that the East offered greater possibilities, so he left, in 1854, for New York City.  The mercantile house with which he was associated failed, and in the latter part of the 1850s, he returned to Washington and went into the mercantile business with Marshall E. Davidson, his brother-in-law.  John G. was back in Washington on Monday, March 8, 1858, as that is the day he took a bride by the name of Julia Wood, and they left for New York the same night.  This was likely their honeymoon, as Mr. Gorin’s obituary suggests he was “living in the same house in which he was married, never having had occasion to move,” suggesting he had already returned to Washington Township.  Julia was of the northeastern stock, and her parents were Dr. Gaius P. and Elizabeth Wood.  

About 1860, Daniel Miles worked as an agent at the Washington T., P. & W. railway station.  John was taking his books from the mercantile business to Daniel Miles for assistance in getting them “straightened out”.  As a result, he gradually fell into the agent work of the railroad, and later that same year was appointed to an agent position.  (Daniel Miles enlisted to serve in the War of the Rebellion, and John G. was left in charge. )  By the time J. G. Gorin died, he would hold the “distinction of being the oldest station agent in the state as well as the longest in the service,” ending a career of 47 years.  He never missed one payroll!

Not only was John Gorin a prominent figure with the T., P. & W., but he was also civic-minded.  He “took a prominent part in the community's welfare.  He had held many positions of trust and responsibility”.  This included serving Washington as an alderman and mayor.  During the winter of 1885, when one record “blister” dropped the temperature to an average of 20 below zero and dumped four feet of snow (and drifts to ten feet), Gorin mustered a force of twenty-five men to clear the snow off the sidewalks in and about the city.  “Before work had been commenced, the walks were almost impassable, and the pedestrian in making his rounds, would take a few steps, lean against the fences, blow like a locomotive, sigh for a warmer country than this, and with a far-off look on his face and a heavy heart, resume his weary way....”  During his lifetime in Washington, Mr. Gorin saw “his hometown grow from a sparsely settled community to the beautiful residence city” of 1908.

     John broke from the Christian church influence of his family and became a member of the Presbyterian Church, where he served as a Sunday-school officer and a church board member.  His wife was also an active member of the Presbyterian church and was involved in the social affairs of the community.  “She was a devoted wife and mother, and her kind life endeared her to a wide circle of friends.”

 John died in 1908, and Julia eight years later, in 1916.  Both are buried in Glendale Cemetery with other members of their family.  John was buried with Masonic honors.