On the hunt for military records!

Today I am going to be gathering up information I have on our 2x great-grandfather, Thomas Henry Goodwin (born in 1824) and sending it to my friend Jan in Louisiana.  She is a member of the online site "Fold 3", which is similar to Ancestry.com, except that it deals strictly with military records. Anyway, I am hopeful that she might be able to track down some military records regarding Thomas during the time period of the Civil War.

An 1870 census record that I have for Thomas H Goodwin lists his birthplace as South Carolina, but living in District 3 of Humphrey's County, Tennessee. Since he was born in South Carolina and was raised in Tennessee, I am assuming that he possibly fought for the Confederate Army? I have found US Civil War records from the National Park Service database that lists a Thomas Goodwin as a private in the Confederate Army, serving in the 2nd Regiment of the South Carolina Troops for 6 months between 1863-1864, but I can't be one hundred per cent sure that this is the same Thomas Goodwin, since our grandfather was actually living in Tennessee during this time period.  I am hoping that Jan can track something down for me that is a bit more concrete.

When the Civil War began most Americans expected it to be a crisis that came to a quick end.  However, when the Union and Confederate armies began shooting in the summer of 1861, that assumption would quickly change.  The war became a very costly struggle lasting four long years. When the war broke out, Thomas Goodwin would have been roughly 37 years of age, most certainly of fighting age.

The Civil War began April 12, 1861 with the Battle of Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.  By the year 1862, the war had spread and become a bloody conflict. The Battle of Shiloh on April 6th and 7th was fought in Tennessee and had major casualties On the Union side, 13,000 were killed or wounded in battle.  On the Confederate side, there were 10,000 casualties.

The year 1865 brought about the end of the Civil War, as well as the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.  April 9, 1865 General Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.  The nation rejoiced at the end of the war, but on April 26, 1865 President Lincoln would be shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.  The news would of his death would travel quickly throughout the nation by telegraph.

During the year that Lincoln was assassinated, Thomas Henry Goodwin would have been roughly around 41 years old.  In the 1870 census, Thomas has gone from being a farmer to a blacksmith.  I know from the 1860 census records that he owned his own property and it is listed as a $375 property value.  In the 1870 census (at age 47) he is listed as a blacksmith and a few years later, he would be dead, at the age of only fifty.

According to the census records, during 1870 Thomas's sons, Henry (age 23), Robert (age 21), Christopher (age 19) and Lindsey (age 16) are all living in the home and working as "farm laborers". I am assuming that it was their jobs to run the family farm while their father worked in town as the blacksmith.

In the 1800's almost every town had a blacksmith, who not only created guns and horseshoes, but farm tools, wagon axles and more.  Life could not function properly without a town blacksmith.  It was their job to repair daily life items that dealt with metal or wood.  So, it looks like our 2x great grandfather, Thomas Henry Goodwin (father of Felix Grundy Goodwin) was an important part of the community during the last years of his life.  Sadly, our grandfather Felix would lose his father when he was only eight years old.

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Assorted Photos of Goodwin Ancestors

Jay C. Goodwin, son of Christopher and Josie Goodwin
{nephew of Felix Grundy Goodwin}

Christopher Columbus Goodwin and Josie Goodwin
{older brother to Felix Grundy Goodwin}

Daughters of Christopher and Josie Goodwin
{nieces of Felix Grundy Goodwin}

Amanda Goodwin's Short Life

Even though Amanda Warren Goodwin had only a short presence in our family tree, she had a very important one, since she is the mother of John Thomas Goodwin, who would later have his own son, Franklin Lee Goodwin....and for that we are forever grateful to Amanda.

As I mentioned in my last post, information on our great grandmother is very limited. She was the daughter of John H. Warren and Mary Elizabeth (Benson) Warren.  I have not been able to find any documentation of her birth, we can only "assume" the year of her birth  by looking at the census reports and making logical assumptions.. I am also going to guess here, just because many women during that era did it, that she named our grandfather, John Thomas Goodwin, after his grandfather, John Warren.

The first time that I find actual documentation on Amanda Warren, she appears in the 1870 census report in Humphrey's County, Tennessee, Civil District 3.  She is listed as the 6 year old daughter of John and Mary Warren, which would roughly put her birth year around 1864.  She lives in the home with her seven siblings: William (20), Henry (18), John (16), Sarah (12), Samuel (10),  Mary Jane (8), and Cordelia (2). Another sister, Viola, would be born after this census.  As a side note, Amanda's older sister, Mary Jane would later grow up and marry Felix Goodwin's older brother, Robert Carroll Goodwin.

Amanda shows up again in the 1880 Census, and she is listed as age 14 which would put her birth year at 1866.  So really, we are just making deductions on her actual birth date.  We can guess roughly between 1864 and 1866.  However, when I look at her marriage bond, I have to assume she is 18 since she didn't have a parent sign consent for underage (which would have been required). Since she married in the year 1884, I am going to guess that she was born sometime in 1866.  I am told by other genealogists that census takers during that time were notoriously inaccurate when recording members of the household, so it would not be surprising if the wrong age was put down on one of the census reports.

There were four children born to Felix and Amanda during their short time together.  First was daughter Bertha (1885), Harry W (1888), Lura Belle (1893) and John Thomas (1895).

Sadly, there are no 1890 census records available for this area.  I went looking for the reason why I was unable to locate anything and I found the following information:

"A federal census was taken in the United States in 1890, but a large percentage of the records were destroyed by a January 1921 fire at the Commerce Building in Washington, DC. Many organizations, including the National Genealogical Society and Daughters of the American Revolution petitioned that the remaining damaged and waterlogged volumes be preserved. Despite this public outcry, however, thirteen years later the Census Bureau destroyed the remaining 1890 schedules. In the 1940s and 1950s a few bundles of surviving census schedules from 1890 were discovered and moved to the National Archives. A devastating tragedy for U.S. genealogists, just 6,160 names were recovered from these surviving fragments of a census which originally counted nearly 63 million Americans."

So, all we know as facts are that Amanda gave birth to her last baby, John Thomas, in November, 1895 and that by May 28th, 1899 Felix is married to his second wife, Nora Shaver.  In the 1900 census report, Nora is listed as a wife of one year and mother to Amanda's four children in the home.

As with her birth, Amanda's death is even more of a mystery.  Some guesses?  Well, there were many epidemics present during the mid- 1800's through to the early 1900's and the practice of medicine was relatively primitive. There was an outbreak of cholera during the late 1800's in the Tennessee area; influenza was widespread and deadly; both Yellow Fever and Scarlett fever were common, and as I mentioned, with medicine not very advanced, there is always the possibility of death from complications from childbirth (Amanda would have still been in her childbearing years).

While I would really love to find a death certificate, I am not holding out too much hope of that happening.  At this point, this is the extent of my knowledge about our great grandmother Goodwin.  I did notice in the 1900 census, Felix and his new wife, Nora, appear just before the census report of Amanda's older brother, William Warren and his family, meaning that they were neighbors. How awkward would that be?  I am guessing Nora Goodwin would not have been too anxious to go knock on that door to borrow a cup of sugar!

What I wouldn't give to have an hour....now wait, lets make that a day, to sit down and talk with some of these ancestors and ask all of my questions. To know how they lived their daily lives would be incredible!

Marriage of Felix Goodwin and Amanda Warren

The next couple of posts are going to be in regards to our Great-grandmother, Amanda (Warren) Goodwin. Information on Amanda is pretty scarce, but I will share what I have found. Amanda was the first wife of Felix Grundy Goodwin and mother to John Thomas Goodwin. One actual document that I have found is the marriage bond for the couple and I thought I would post it for you all to check out.  I am not sure how clear the scan will come through, but I have transcribed everything that it says below.

Marriage "bonds" were common during this time period, particularly in southern or mid-atlantic states well into the nineteenth century.  The groom and a suitable bondsman (often times a relative of the bride or groom) would pledge an amount (usually dictated by law) to an official as a guarentee that there were no legal reasons why the couple could not marry. Some of those reasons were if neither of the individuals was of legal age to marry, if one or the other were already married, or if they were too closely related as per their jurisdictions laws.

The amount pledged would be forfeited only if  there proved to be a legal reason that the couple could not marry. If there were no legal impediments, the bond amount would be "null and void", even if the wedding did not take place due to other reasons. In many jurisdictions, the marriage bond would stay in effect for a year or two after the wedding in case any illegality should come to light.

Use of the marriage bond began to fade in the mid to late 1800's.  What I have gathered, the date on the marriage bond is usually a day or two before the actual wedding. In this particular bond, I see that Felix used a W.H. Tomlinson as his bondsman, but I have no idea if he was a friend or possibly a relative of Amanda's.

To any minister of the gospel, having the care of souls, or to any judge, chancellor or Justice of the Peace of said county, Greeting.

You, or either of you, are hereby authorized to solemnize the Rites of Marriage between F. G. Goodwin and Amanda Warren, of our county, agreeably to the direction of the Act of Assembly in such case made and provided, PROVIDED ALWAYS, that the rite of matrimony be solemnized in this county, otherwise these shall be null and void, and shall not be accounted any license or authority to you, or either of you, for the purpose of aforesaid, more than though the same had never been prayed or granted, etc.

Given at the clerk's office of said county, this 21st day of June, 1884.

Signed:  G M Rogers, county court clerk.

Know all men that we, F. G. Goodwin and W. H. Tomlinson of the county of Humphreys and state of Tennessee are held and firmly bound unto the state of Tennessee in the sum of twelve hundred and fifty dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind our heirs, executors and administrators, and each and every one of us and them, both jointly and severally, firmly by these presents.

Witness our hands and seals the 21st day of June, 1884.

The condition of the above obligation is such THAT WHEREAS F.G. Goodwin hath prayed and obtained License to marry n.Amanda Warren.

Now if there shall not hereafter appear any lawful cause why the said F. G. Goodwin and Amanda Warren should not be joined together in Holy Matrimony as husband and wife, than this obligation to be paid and of no effect, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue.

Signed by:  F. G. Goodwin and W. H. Tomlinson

More Pictures of the Past in Corning

I love looking at old photographs~ memories of the past, of a lifetime that was much more difficult than today, but at the same time, so much more simple. Men worked hard to earn a meager living and women stayed home to take care of their children and keep house.

Today I just wanted to share some of these amazing photographs that I have come across, of the area of Corning, Arkansas, during the time that our grandfather, John Thomas, would have been growing up there.  I love to let my imagination run wild....thinking of what life must have been like for him back then.   Muddy streets, horses and cattle, the local mercantile.....

This 1910 photograph shows what the weary traveler saw around 1910 as he alighted from the Iron Mountain train and faced westward for his first good look at his new home.  Across a muddy street stretched southward a row of wooden buildings that bespoke the primitive architecture of the village.  At the extreme right, a sheet iron store building housed the Joseph Steinberg Mercantile and the Canfield tool shop. Next, a two story establishment was the J. O. Langdon Restaurant, flanked by the lean-to one-story bowling alley.  On the corner, as it has been since the beginning of the town, the Staley Drug Store.




















The following picture is of the third County Courthouse.  The first courthouse was built in 1873 and was later sold to M.L. Watts to become the general merchandise store known a "C.O. Watt & Co. in 1884.  The second courthouse was built in 1881 on the court square where it served until 1900 when it was irreparably damaged by an earthquake.  Finally this third courthouse was constructed in 1900, where it stood until it was destroyed by fire in 1963. Due to this fire, a lot of records were destroyed along with the majestic building.

Corning, Arkansas...Pictures of the Past

During my research on our family history, I find that sometime around 1903 Felix Grundy Goodwin had packed up his family and headed to Corning, Arkansas. I have to assume it was in order to find work, since it isn't where he family was located.  This is where Felix's daughter, Hester Louise is born on June 16, 1903.  His daughter Lottie Mae is born there three years later in 1906.  So, we know that our grandfather, John Thomas would be living in this area of the country about the time he was 8 or 9 years old.

Corning, Arkansas is also where Felix's second wife, Nora would die (have not found any records as to her cause of death yet).  We know from family accounts that Felix would call his father-in-law and request he come to Arkansas to retrieve his daughter's body as well as the three children.  I am told he came by train, so I did some searching and found these pictures of the train and depot in Corning during that time period.

Mr. Shaver (Nora's father) would have traveled over 200 miles from Denver, Tennessee to Corning, Arkansas to claim his 30 year old daughter's body as well as his three young grandchildren (ages 8, 5 and 1 1/2).  I can only imagine what a long train ride that must have been for this poor man.  This all happened in January of 1908, so I am guessing the weather conditions were not ideal either.  On October 15th, 1910, Felix would marry his third wife, Elizabeth Louise Williams, in Corning, Arkansas.  Felix was 44 years old and his new bride had just turned 23 years old.  Our grandfather, John Thomas Goodwin, would have been about to turn 15 years old by the time this marriage occurred.  Times sure were tough!                                                                                                                             

 

Family Roots of Felix Grundy Goodwin

I have discovered that not only did our great-grandfather, Felix Goodwin, produce a large family, he actually came from a similarly large brood.  In this, my last post of this month, I will be charting his parents and his siblings (these would be our Great-great grandparents and our great-aunts and uncles).  Are you ready for this? So many names, sometimes it is easy to get lost!

Felix Grundy Goodwin's parents were Thomas Henry Goodwin, born September 19,1823, and Louisa (Eliza) Jane McElyea born sometime between 1831-1833.  At this point, we can only make an educated guess on her birth date because there are some conflicting numbers on census reports and birth records are pretty non-existent during this time period.

There were married in 1846 and would start their large family in the spring of 1847.  Depending on which census report is most accurate, Louisa would have been between 13-15 years old when they married and 14-16 when their first child arrives.  I would be shocked with the age of only 13, but I can't totally discount it.

It is interesting to note, that in the mid 1800's (during the Civil War era) marriages were not just about joining a man and a woman.  It was more about joining two families, businesses, jobs and wealth.  A man was typically looking for an agreeable woman who could take care of his house and provide him with children.  A woman was looking for a breadwinner.  Many people married, not because of love, but rather for convenience or favorable situations.

Marriages were not necessarily "arranged", but general opinion of the time was that young ladies should not be subjected to making a quick decision or hurting a gentleman's feelings by rejecting him in person, therefore in many cases the young man would approach the young lady's family for permission.

Now, onto the family life that Thomas and Louisa built together.

Henry Hartwell Goodwin                    born April 1847
Robert Carroll Goodwin                     born March 1849
Christopher Columbus Goodwin         born October 1850
Lindsey Ewing Goodwin                     born February 1853
Francis Victoria Goodwin                   born  1857
Mary A. Goodwin                              born 1859
Mildred Margaret Goodwin                born November 1861
Emanda Ida Goodwin                         born  1864
Felix Grundy Goodwin                        born October 1866
William Bradley Goodwin                    born February 1872

Thomas Henry Goodwin, was listed as a farmer in early census reports and it is noted that he could not write and that he was born in South Carolina.  However, in the 1870 census report he is now a blacksmith (my next post will be more information on the job of a blacksmith in the 1800's).

While I have more extensive research to do on Thomas Goodwin's military record, I do have a listing for a Thomas Goodwin that served in the 2nd Regiment of the South Carolina State Troops. He is listed as a private in the Confederate army for six months between 1863-1864 (remember that South Carolina is where Thomas was born).  This information is listed in the National Park Service, Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (I am hoping to eventually to actually get a copy of this record) and I am only guessing that this might be our Thomas Goodwin. I can't be sure though, since he was already 40 years old at the time....but then again, his age might be why he served only six months.  At this point, the best I can do is speculate.

Thomas Henry Goodwin dies in Hustburg, Tennessee on November 18, 1874 at the age of fifty-one.  Our great-grandfather, Felix,  is only eight years old when he loses his father, leaving behind Louisa and five small children still at home.  Only six years later, the widowed mother and her children are found in the 1880 census for Dukeom, Kentucky in Graves County where her family is from.  Felix is twelve or thirteen years old at that time and the next document that I find for him is when he marries Amanda Warren on June 21, 1884 back in Humphrey's County, Tennessee.

As a side note, I also discovered a Tennessee Tax List record that shows that in 1894, Felix Goodwin had paid some back taxes owed....in the whopping amount of two dollars and thirty-five cents!!!!

My last comment here is for my little brother Mark Thomas....thank goodness your name was handed down from our great-grandfather, rather than our grandfather?  Think about it~  Mark Felix Goodwin....has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?