Elbridge Gerry (1744–1814)

lbridge Gerry was a Massachusetts merchant and statesman who spent his life championing the cause of individual liberties and small government. He was a central figure in the Continental Congress, where he signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. Though he attended the Constitutional Convention, he was one of only three delegates who refused to sign the final document because it lacked a Bill of Rights. Gerry later served as Vice President under James Madison and became the namesake for "gerrymandering" due to a controversial redistricting plan he signed as Governor of Massachusetts. Despite the political controversy, his "courage and fortitude" in defending civil liberties remained the hallmark of his long career.