Born in Wellsville, Ohio, Gourley received a Bachelor of Laws from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1929.

He was an Investigator for the Retail Credit Company (now Equifax) in Washington, Pennsylvania from 1929 to 1936.

He was first assistant district attorney of Washington County, Pennsylvania from 1936 to 1944.

[2] On November 2, 1945, Gourley was nominated by President Harry S. Truman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, vacated by Judge Frederic Palen Schoonmaker.

He served as Chief Judge from 1951 to 1969 and as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States from 1968 to 1970, assuming senior status on August 4, 1969.