Herman Day Gould

Herman Day Gould (January 16, 1799 – January 26, 1852) was a U.S. Representative from New York and a member of the Whig Party who served one term in Congress during a significant period in American political history. He was born in Sharon, Connecticut, on January 16, 1799. Little is recorded about his parents or early family background, but he pursued an academic course in his youth, receiving the general education that prepared him for a career in business and public life.

After completing his schooling, Gould moved to New York, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits. He conducted business first in Kingston, New York, and later in Delhi, New York, developing himself as a local businessman and community figure. In his personal life, he married Ann Eliza Sherwood, the daughter of Samuel Sherwood, and together they had four children. His growing prominence in Delhi’s commercial affairs led to increasing responsibilities in local financial institutions.

Gould’s business success was reflected in his leadership in banking. He served as president of the Delhi National Bank from 1839 to 1849, a decade in which he oversaw the institution during a period of economic fluctuation and expansion in New York. His role at the bank, combined with his mercantile activities, established him as a respected figure in Delaware County and helped provide the platform for his entry into electoral politics as a member of the Whig Party.

Gould’s political career developed in the 1840s, when he sought national office as a Whig candidate. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1840 to the Twenty-seventh Congress and again in 1844 to the Twenty-ninth Congress. Despite these defeats, he remained active in public affairs and party politics, continuing to build support among his constituents in New York. His persistence reflected both his commitment to Whig principles and his determination to represent local interests at the federal level.

Gould was eventually elected as a Whig to the Thirty-first Congress, serving from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1851. As a member of the Whig Party representing New York, he contributed to the legislative process during his single term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents during a time of sectional tension and national debate over issues such as territorial expansion and economic policy. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, and he took part in the deliberations of a body grappling with the challenges of a rapidly changing nation. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1850, and his congressional career concluded at the end of his term.

After leaving Congress, Gould resumed his business interests in Delhi, New York, returning to the mercantile and financial pursuits that had defined much of his earlier career. In addition to his commercial activities, he was involved in local civic affairs and served as vice president of the Woodland Cemetery Association, reflecting his continued engagement in the life and institutions of his community. Herman Day Gould died in Delhi, New York, on January 26, 1852. He was interred in Woodland Cemetery, where his leadership in the cemetery association and his broader contributions to local and national public life were remembered by his contemporaries.