Marblehead historian campaigns for Elbridge Gerry on postage stamp

MARBLEHEAD – Longtime Marblehead historian Donald Doliber is campaigning to have Elbridge Gerry recognized with his own postage stamp and the selectmen are supporting him.Gerry is the 386-year-old town?s leading historical figure. He signed the Declaration of Independence, served in the Continental Congress from 1775-1780, served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, served as governor of Massachusetts from 1810-1811 and vice president under James Madison until his death in November 1814.Doliber told the board recently he would like the U.S. government to recognize Gerry on the 200th anniversary of his death, 25 months from now.Some may recall Gerry as the governor who signed off on a state redistricting plan that inspired the word “gerrymander.” Doliber pointed out that Gerry?s participation in the Constitutional Convention included his heroic refusal to sign the Constitution because it did not include a Bill of Rights.The government receives 30,000 requests a year to recognize someone with a postage stamp. “This is a longshot,” Doliber admitted, “but we have to begin somewhere.”He has one ally so far – Henry Lukas, the educational director of the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History, located on the campus of Regis College in Weston.Lukas, a former principal of Marblehead High, has offered to place a petition at the museum for visitors to sign. That could be lucky for Doliber.?The last time we did this was a couple of years ago, for Red Sox Nation. They wanted a Ted Williams stamp,” Lukas said. “He?ll be on a stamp next year.”?There?s only been one vice president on a stamp so far, Hubert Humphrey,” Lukas added. “It?s time we had another.” Selectmen voted to support Doliber, but Selectman Bret Murray reminded him that Gerry opposed the Stamp Act.?I think he?d be okay with this,” Murray added.Selectman Harry Christensen pointed out that the Stamp Act was a 1765 tax imposed by the British Parliament. “If it were this country?s stamps, he?d approve,” Christensen said.