Portrait and Biographical Record of Macon County, Illinois, Lake City
Publishing Company, 1893, Chicago, Illinois. Christian Co.

JEROME R. [RINALDO] GORIN who is now living a retired life in Decatur, was
born in Hopkinsville, Christian County, Kentucky, October 12, 1817, and is
the son of John D. and Mattie (Thomas) Gorin.  His father was a native of
Virginia and during his boyhood emigrated to Kentucky where he attained to
man's estate.  In the Spring of 1828, he came with his family to Illinois,
locating in Vandalia, then the Capital of the State.  He was a merchant and
farmer and was also for some years receiver in the land office.  His death
occurred in Vandalia April 26, 1846 in the fifty-sixth year of his age. 
His widow survived him for 30 years, and died July 13, 1876, at the age of
89.
   In 1833, Jerome R. came to Decatur, where he had two older brothers and a
sister living.  One brother, Henry M., was for many years Clerk of the
Court, after leaving the office in 1849.  Elvira, who had come to Decatur
in 1830, married General Isaac pugh, and both died in this city after
reaching an advanced age.  The Gorin family numbered eight children, but
the only surviving members are Gladden, now of Kansas City, Missouri, and
Mrs. Maria Kirkman of Winchester, Illinois.
   Our subject was a youth of 16 years when he came to Decatur.  Soon after
he began clerking, and continued to serve in that capacity until 1841. 
During the succeeding two years he studied law, and was admitted to the Bar
before Judge Treat in 1842, after which he spent one winter in Scotland
County, Missouri, returning to Decatur, he formed a partnership with Judge
Charles Emerson, and later with Judge Kirby Benedict, who was afterwards
made District Judge of New Mexico.  Mr. Gorin became City Clerk and
attorney in 1860, and held that office for four years.  He had previously
served for some time as Justice of the Peace.  He then formed a partnership
with Judge Arthur J. Gallagher, which connection was continued until 1861,
when Mr. Gorin entered the bank of Millikin and Odor as its Cashier.  The
bank was established in 1861, and though he formed connection with it he
continued to serve as City Clerk and Attorney.  After four years, he became
a partner in the Bank, and continued to serve as its cashier until 1881,
when he retired from the business, and the firm of Gorin & Bills was
formed.  They engaged in banking and real-estate and local business, for
two years.  In 1883 the bank of Gorin & Dawson was established, with our
subject as President.  For several years he devoted his attention to that
enterprise, but after a time sold out to L. B. Casner, and a year later it
was merged into Citizens National Bank, of which our subject was an
incorporator and became its first president.  After a year he disposed of
his interests, and since 1890 has been inactive in business for 30 years. 
He was prominently identified with the banking interests of Decatur and
aided in establishing two of the leading financial institutions of the
city.
    Mr. Gorin was married in Decatur April 1, 1845, to Miss Eleanor D.
Fawcett, who was born in Virginia, and is a daughter of Isaac and Rebecca
Fawcett.  They have six children:  Mary Emma, wife of C. C. Middleton of
Dallas, Texas; Orville B., Cashier of Millikin Bank; Ida E., wife of W. C.
Armstrong of Decatur; Jerome P., who is in charge of a patent for weaving
carpets in New York City; Mattie A., at home, and Henry Gladden, who at
this writing is a Railroad Officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 
    Mr. Gorin served one session in the State Legislature in 1856-7, and
during that time was made a disbursing agent of the Ft. Ridgely Wagon Road,
which was building a road for the Government from St. Paul and Ft. Ridgely
to the Missouri River, during that time he had an office in St. Paul about
a year, after which the project was abandoned.
    Mr. Gorin has been an active member of the First Methodist Episcopal
Church for many years and since 1861 has been officially connected with it.
He has much attention to Sunday School work, has served as President of
the State Sunday School Association, was on the Executive Committee, and
for ten years served as President of the County Sunday School Association.
He has also taken an active part in the YMCA.  In politics he was formerly
and old-line Whig; he then for many years voted with the Republican party;
but now is a Prohibitionist.  He is the oldest member of the Macon Lodge
No. 8, A. F. & M. which he joined October 18, 1841.  He was its Master for
seven consecutive years, until elected Grand Master of the State.  He was
High Priest of the Macon Chapter and Regiment Comm. of the Beaumanoir
Commandery #9, K. T. in 1867 and 1878 he was Grand Master of the Grand
Lodge of Illinois.  He took the 32nd Degree of Masonry in April, 1866, in
the Consistory Valley of Chicago.  He has given much of his time to Masonic
work, in which he is deeply interested.  He organized the Commandery in
Olney, Illinois January 19, 1865 and it was named Gorin Commandery in his
honor.  They had a 3 day session, and 19 Masons were made Knights Templar.
Mr. Gorin has been prominent in social and business life, and perhaps no
citizen of Decatur is more widely or favorably know in Illinois than he.

Gorin Thomas Pugh Kirkman Treat Emerson Gallagher Millikin Odor Bills 
Dawson Casner Fawcett Middleton Armstrong
=
VA Vandalia-Fayette-IL Scotland-MO Decatur-Macon-IL NM TX NY MN 
Chicago-Cook-IL

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