Gerry was born on December 6, 1813, in
Waterford, Massachusetts (now in
Maine); he was the son of Peter and Mary "Polly" (Cutler) Gerry. He attended
Bridgton Academy, and studied law with Judge Stephen Emery (who also served as Maine's Attorney General). Gerry was admitted to the bar in 1839 and established a practice in Waterford. Gerry's father served in the
Maine House of Representatives and in local offices including
selectman and town meeting
moderator. Gerry also served in local offices in Waterford, including town clerk (1842-1843), and
town meeting moderator (1847, 1852). He was clerk of the
Maine House of Representatives in 1840, and was appointed a United States commissioner in bankruptcy in 1841. From 1842 to 1845 he was prosecuting attorney for
Oxford County. In 1846 he served in the Maine House of Representatives, including holding the post of
Speaker Pro tempore during the absence of Speaker
Ebenezer Knowlton. He was elected to a single term in Congress as a
Democrat in 1848, and served from March 4, 1849, to March 3, 1851. He did not run for reelection in 1850, and moved to
Portland to continue the practice of law. He died in Portland on April 10, 1886, and was buried at Portland's
Evergreen Cemetery. ==Family==