Methodist Episcopal clergyman

| Gerry, Elbridge, an American statesman; born in Marble head, Ma ., July 17, 1744; was a member of the Continental Congre in 1776-1780 and 1783-1785; delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1789; member of Congre from Ma achusetts, in 1789-1793; commi ioner to France in 1797-1798; governor of Ma achusetts in 1810-1812; and Vice-President of the United States in 1813-1814. It was during his term as governor that an unsatisfactory redistricting of the State took place, in which he was supposed to have taken part, whence arose the term “ gerrymander,” now generally applied to the proce of so arranging electoral districts as to give a marer of Congre men, or State Leg is a tors, as the case may be, to the party having the penile in the total popu- Jar vote of the State. He died in Washington, D. C., Nov. 23, 1814.