This is a collection of short biographical sketches submitted by individuals with a link to the Researcher. You are invited to send appropriate sketches of early Atchison County residents for inclusion on this page

GEORGE GOODWIN

George GOODWIN, one of the pioneer settlers of Atchison County and farmer of Grasshopper Township was born in 1857 in Illinois, a son of Thomas and Helen (BEVENS) Goodwin, both of whom were born at Gravesend, England about thirty miles from the city of London on the Thames River. They were reared to maturity in England, there married and immigrated to America, first settling in New York where they resided for a short time and then made a home in Illinois. In 1860 the parents of George, with the family, came to Kansas. For a short time they lived at Ft. Leavenworth and then came to the city of Atchison, where Thomas Goodwin became a manufacturer of brick in partnership with Henry Bevens, his brother-in-law. They made the first kiln of brick ever burned in Atchison County and soon afterward sold the brick kiln and moved onto a farm owned by John RUSSELL, the banker. After working for Mr. Russell for a few years, Thomas moved on to a farm of his own, where he spent the remainder of his days. He became quite prominent among the early pioneers of the county, was a Republican in politics and was an Odd Fellow. Seven children were born to this pioneer couple, of whom George, the subject of this review, was the youngest.

George Goodwin was eighteen months of age when the family came to Kansas and he was reared in the city of Atchison and on the farm where his parents settled. He received his education in the public schools and is residing on his eighty-acre farm in Grasshopper Township. When he became of age, he married Hester ADAMS, to this union have been born two children namely: Thomas N. Goodwin, who is cultivating the old Goodwin homestead and Edmund E. died at the age of eight years. The mother of these children was born in Iowa, a daughter of Nathan ADAMS, a native of New York State and an early settler of Iowa. He was of English parentage and his wife was a daughter of French-Canadian parents.

While Mr. Goodwin is allied with the Republican party, he prefers to vote independent of party dictation and makes up his own mind concerning qualifications of respective candidates regardless of their political qualifications. He is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security.

Taken from:

History of Atchison County, Kansas

by Sheffield Ingalls - 1916

Submitted by:

Clemi Higley Blackburn, April 2002

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