Arthur F. Goodwine

ARTHUR F. GOODWINE was born in Howard County, Indiana, October 9, 1871. About the time of his birth his parents had entered upon a serious consideration of a plan to move further west and identify themselves with the Sunflower State. That plan was put into execution in 1872, and thus Mr. Goodwine has been a Kansan since infancy.

On bringing his family to Kansas John Goodwine, his father, located in Harvey County. It was a day when there were comparatively few railroads and when the counties beyond the eastern section were very sparsely settled. The family made the trip from Indiana by railroad as far as Newton. John Goodwine homesteaded a claim a mile from Burrton, and occupied it and engaged in farming for thirteen years. In 1885 he went to Dodge City, and was one of the pioneers of Ford County. That was his home for about nine years, and four years of that time his business attention was called from his farm to the office of register of deeds of Ford County. Later he spent a number of years at Wichita, but in 1916 moved out to Pasadena, California, where he and his good wife now reside retired and enjoying the sunshine and flowers of the Pacific Coast.

Before proceeding with the details of the career of Arthur F. Goodwine something should be said of his family ancestry. His grandfather spelled the name Goodwein, betokening its German origin. Grandfather Goodwein came out of Germany and some of his children were born there near Landstuhl. Grandfather Goodwein was a farmer and died in Howard County, Indiana. His children were named Charles, Louis, Jacob, John, Phebe, Mary and Margaret. All the daughters married, Phebe becoming Mrs. Pearcy and Margaret becoming Mrs. Markland. Of the sons Jacob and Louis and John were all faithful Union soldiers during the war.

Mr. John Goodwine was born near Columbus, Ohio, December 28, 1841. He had not yet reached his majority when he left the home farm and enlisted as a Union soldier in an Indiana regiment of cavalry. He took part in some of the campaigns during the concluding months of the war, was in some skirmishes, but was neither wounded nor captured. He served as a private soldier. For many years he took an active part in the Grand Army Post, and has shown himself a vigorous exponent of republican doctrines in politics. He frequently attended political conventions in Kansas and did everthing[sic] he could to encourage the party organization. For many years he was identified with the Methodist Church, but some years ago joined the Christian Science denomination. He married Mary J. Thornburg, a daughter of John Thornburg, who was of English ancestry; Mr. and Mrs. John Goodwine have the following children: Arthur F.; Wesley B., of Dodge City; Ernest C., who died in July, 1917, in the United States army; Nira, wife of J. Holley Stanley, living in Pasadena, California; Letta, Mrs. R. J. McKee, of Wichita, Kansas; Frederick S., whose home is in California; Esther, wife of Edgar Bolte, of Pasadena; and Florence, wife of Joel Tucker, of Wichita.

Partly through the encouragement and means furnished him by his father and partly due to his own determination to make the best of his talents, Arthur F. Goodwine acquired the equivalent of a liberal education, and was himself for many years engaged in educational work. As a boy he attended country schools in Harvey and Ford counties and also took a course in a business college at Wichita. For about eight years he taught in the rural districts of this state, and then entered Salina College, where he was granted a diploma for bookkeeping and shorthand. Some of his teaching was done in Ness County, and he was a teacher in the grades of Ness City. His last work as a public school teacher was done in that county, but later he became a member of the faculty of the Salina School, where he had graduated.

From his work in the schoolroom he became a clerk for the real estate firm of Lennen & Wagner at Ness City, and from there came to Scott City and was employed by W. O. Bourue in the latter's real estate office. In the meantime he had taken and successfully passed the civil service examination, and his first appointment was to a place in the navy department at Brooklyn. Ten months later, and after another examination, he was given a position in the war department at St. Louis, where for three years he was connected with the medical supply depot.

Mr. Goodwine returned to Scott City in 1906 and became cashier of the Citizens State Bank upon its organization. This bank was capitalized at $12,000. The first officers were: W. O. Bourne, president; A. Mclnturff, vice president; Mr. Goodwine, cashier; and Mrs. Goodwine, assistant cashier. The present officers of the institution are: C. W. Dickhut, president; F. H. Mahler, vice president; Mr. Goodwine, cashier; C. E. Norman and P. E. Hawkins, assistant cashiers. Other directors are J. B. Garner, C. W. Proudfoot, Clyde Render and S. M. Lehman. This is one of the substantial institutions in Scott County, and the bank now has a capital and surplus of $18,000.

Ever since he became identified with Scott City permanently Mr. Goodwine has exercised every possible influence to promote the welfare of his home town. He has been a member of the board of directors and treasurer of the Scott City Commercial Club since its organization. For two years he has served as recording secretary of the State Sunday School Association and is now a member of its state executive committee. He holds one of the two international advanced training diplomas in the county, issued by the International Sunday School Association. He is a member of the Christian Church, has passed the chairs in the Scott City Lodge of Odd Fellows, and has sat in the Grand Lodge.

Through the important interests of his home and business and civic life Mr. Goodwine has had the capable assistance and companionship of his cultured wife. They were married in Ness City November 26, 1901. Mrs. Goodwine's maiden name was Agnes J. Blair. She is a daughter of Jackson W. and Julia A. (Tatum) Blair. Her father was born in Ohio, was a farmer, and came to Kansas from Iowa. Mrs. Goodwine received her education in Ellis and Ness counties, and in the Central Normal College at Great Bend, Kansas, and made herself a very proficient teacher. She taught in the public schools and her marriage occurred just after finishing a term as county superintendent of Ness County. Mr. and Mrs. Goodwine have two children: Ola Agnes, aged seven, and Don F., aged two years.

Pages 2096-2097.