Thomas Russell Gerry (1794-1848)

He was born and grew up at Elmwood in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the second son of the U.S. Vice-President and Signer of the Declaration of Independence. After graduating from Harvard he joined the U.S. Navy, serving from 1814 until 1833 and reaching the rank of Lieutenant. In 1830, he married Hannah Goelet, co-heiress to the Goelet real estate empire in Manhattan - she was the aunt of the brothers Robert and Ogden Goelet. His marriage allowed him to retire on his wife's fortune. They lived between New York City, New Rochelle and Charlestown, R.I., and had two children.