FREDERICK
GOODHIND was born in Cullompton, Devonshire, England on
August 19, 1836. On May 16, 1859, in Erith, Kent, England, he married
Eliza M. Martin. She was born August 22, 1836 in Dartford, Kent, the
daughter of James Martin and Eliza Turner.
[Eliza was the sister of Charlotte Martin Cook, a
widow, the first wife of Frederick Goodhind's brother Richard -TSG]
Two weeks following their marriage, they started for
America aboard the ship Rhine with Frederick’s brother HENRY
and his family. According to records, Frederick entered the Port of New
York on June 29, 1859. He became a naturalized citizen on October 4, 1876
at Superior Court, Hampden County, Springfield, MA. Frederick was a
papermaker, like his brothers, and worked at Russell, MA for several
years; also at mills in Huntington, Pepperell, Middlefield and South
Hadley Falls. Eventually, Frederick and Eliza lived in Unionville, CT
their last 27 years. Frederick died there June 14, 1916 and Eliza died on
June 4, 1917.
("I remember Aunt Eliza as a fun-loving
little redhead. She was my grandmother Goodhind's sister." -AMS]
Frederick and Eliza apparently had five children:
- FRED GOODHIND was
born in Russell, died very young of scarlet fever.
[Although Alice Sperl mentions this child, I cannot find any evidence of a
birth or death for him in the town of Russell -TSG]
- FANNY GOODHIND was
born in Russell on October 10, 1860; she died on November 11, 1861 due
to "congestion of the lungs".
- HATTIE ELIZA GOODHIND
was born in Russell on August 3, 1870; she died on November
5, 1875 due to "consumption in bowels."
- JOHN GOODHIND (twin
to CORA) was born in Huntington on October 2, 1874 and died
November 27, 1874 due to "inflammation of bowels."
- CORA MABEL
GOODHIND (twin to JOHN) was born in Huntington
on October 2, 1874 and died August 22, 1961.
[Cora graduated from Smith College in Northampton.
She was invited to teach at the exclusive Miss Porter's School, but she
went home to stay with her parents. In my young days, she was a substitute
telephone operator for the fun of it! Most of her adult life was spent in
Unionville, CT. She never married. -AMS]
[In 2002, I was contacted by Louanne Marinos, a
descendant of the Martin family. Frederick's wife Eliza had been a
Martin, as had been her sister Charlotte Martin Cook, who married
Frederick's brother Richard. Louanne sent along information on Cora
Goodhind, including the photo as a young woman at the right -TSG]
[In 2003, I was contacted by Mr. Cliff Alderman, a
member of the Unionville, CT Museum. He had come across this website
and offered information about Frederick and daughter Cora. He
mentioned that there are still a few residents who remember Cora walking
her cat on a leash! The photo at right sidebar is of Cora and two other
ladies; she looks very much like a Goodhind. Many thanks to
Cliff for his generosity! -TSG]
One of the amazing things that Cliff sent along was an
insurance policy that Frederick submitted in July of 1893 to the Masonic
Life Association of Western New York. In it are some tantalizing
facts.
Frederick stated that he was born August 19, 1837 and
was 55 years old on his last birthday (facts disputed by records).
His occupation was "Supt Paper Mill." He was 5 feet, 2
inches tall and weighed 220 pounds. He mentions that "My
grandparents died in England. Cannot give exact ages, but know they
lived to good ages." Regarding Intoxicating Liquors, he
replies, "Total abstainer," but regarding use of Tobacco,
he answers, "Smoke in moderation." Perhaps one of the most
interesting parts of this application is a series of questions regarding
his brothers and sisters. He writes that (by 1893), 9 are still
living and 4 are deceased. He states "A Bro(ther) accidental
death, the others died in infancy of Croup." He goes on to list
their present ages: 62-58-53-49-47-45-43-41-39.
The above gives us a direct 'snapshot'
look at the Goodhind family by someone who was there. Frederick at
this time would have been 56 years old. He noted only 13 siblings,
although we know from records that there were 14. Remaining alive at
this time would have been William (62), Henry (58), Mary Ann (53), Richard
(49?), Martha (47), Tom (45), George (43), Sarah (41) and John
(39).
This accounting brings up once again a speculation about
the age of Richard Goodhind. According to the information above, his
birth year should have been 1844, not 1842 as generally given (and as
recorded on his tombstone). However, another son Thomas was born by
record September 22, 1844 in Bradninch. He died on December
19, 1846. Richard could not have been born that year. Why had
his own brother made this error? The children who had "died in
infancy of Croup" would most likely have been James, Thomas,
Elizabeth and Alfred. The accidental death was of course James
Thomas at Huntington in 1880.
Frederick, Eliza and their children
(Hattie, John and Cora) are buried in a lot in the Norwich Bridge
Cemetery, Huntington, on the same road as Gateway Regional School. The
cemetery is a large one, across the railroad tracks from the center. The gray
tombstone can be seen from the road, looking just left of mid-center.
Frederick's brother James Thomas Goodhind is also buried with them.
[Aunt Rose said Aunt Eliza
"borrowed" Aunt Minnie and her children after losing her own
children. -AMS]
With Cora’s death, Frederick Goodhind’s
bloodline died out.