Ivan Timofeevich Gorokhoff was born in Leschinskaya, Russia on November 14, 1879. He was educated at a seminary in Kursk with the prospect of becoming a Russian Orthodox priest, but instead focused on choral conducting. He was Choirmaster at the Theological Seminary, Kursk (1904), of the Kursk Cathedral Choir (1904-1906) and at the Synod Choirmaster School (1906-1912) before coming to the United States in 1912. Upon arrival in New York he became the Choirmaster of the Russian Cathedral (1912-1918) and came to Smith College in 1918. At Smith College he conducted various choral groups until his retirement in 1945. Gorokhoff died in New Haven, Connecticut on January 24, 1949.

Ivan T. Gorokhoff was married to Raisa Alexandrovna (September 3, 1895-June 29, 1973) in Moscow, Russia in 1914.

Galina Ivanovna Gorokhoff, the daughter of Ivan and Raisa Gorokhoff, was born March 7, 1921 in Northampton, Massachusetts. She was a graduate of the Northampton School for Girls (1939) and Smith College (Class of 1943). From 1964 to 1979 she held positions at Yale University in the Library and Art Gallery. From 1979 to 1983 she was a research associate at the Department of Paintings, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and from 1983-1984 was a researcher at the Childs Gallery, Boston. Later she was an editor at the Archaeological Institute of America. She died in Waltham, Massachusetts on July 7, 1991. Ms. Gorokhoff wrote and co-authored articles and books on numerous American artists and curated numerous exhibitions of American artists for American galleries and museums.