Allison Ebenezer Goodrich
Allison Ebenezer Goodrich, a prosperous agriculturist, and one of the leading citizens of Liberty Township, Delaware County, was born on his present farm, August 17, 1851, son of Aaron S. and Sarah (Hardin) Goodrich. He is a grandson, on the paternal side, of Ebenezer Goodrich, born in Farmington, Connecticut, in 1780, who married, in 1813, Elizabeth Dixon, a daughter of Abel Dixon.
Ebenezer Goodrich came to Worthington, Ohio, in 1803, with Col. James Kilbourn, grandfather of the present Col. James Kilbourn, of Columbus, and in 1805 he settled on the present Goodrich farm, situated ten and a half miles south of Delaware, in the southeast corner of Liberty Township, and on the Olentangy River. This section was at that time an unbroken wilderness, inhabited only by wandering Indians. Mr. Goodrich built a log cabin and set to work to clear a tract of land. He suffered the usual hardships and inconveniences of pioneer life, but being industrious, brave and persevering, he stuck to his task, and in course of time was repaid by seeing his tract of wild land gradually begin to assume the appearance of a homestead. The log house was replaced by a more comfortable frame residence, and this in turn gave place to the fine and commodious residence now occupied by his grandson, which was erected in 1867. Ebenezer Goodrich was a prominent man among the early settlers. He served against Great Britain in the War of 1812, and after his return home was elected or appointed a justice of the peace. About this time he married, as above noted. He died October 15, 1846, at the age of sixty-six years. He and his wife were the parents of eight children—four sons and four daughters—all of whom were born on the farm now occupied by Mr. Allison E. Goodrich. The sons were: Aaron S., Edward, William, and Highland; the daughters, Adeline, who married Hiram Payne, and died in Morrow County, Ohio; Orvilla, who married Minor P. Tone, and died in Liberty Township; Minerva, who was the wife of Samuel Menthorn and lived and died on the Goodrich farm, and Sarah, who died when young.
Aaron S. Goodrich, son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth (Dixon) Goodrich, was bom on the parental homestead, October 8, 1814. Such literary education as he possessed was obtained in the district school, but though the seed was scanty, it fell upon good soil, for he was naturally endowed with a high share of intelligence, and had both the will and capacity to make the best of his opportunities. The knowledge he obtained in the old log schoolhouse was supplemented in later years by reading, for to the end of his life he kept in touch with current events, and he had an abundant share of that more practical knowledge which comes from mingling with one's fellowmen in the daily walks of life, the interchange of ideas and individual opinions, and from the faithful performance of life's practical duties. Moreover, he had not only this superior knowledge; he had also what was of much more importance—character. In all that pertained to the moral nature, he was a man of high ideals based upon the principles of the Christian religion, and his virtues as a neighbor and citizen caused him to be widely esteemed throughout tin township. He died February 21, 1896, when in his eighty-second year, on the farm on which he was born, and to the cultivation and improvement of which he had devoted his active life. He was a member of Liberty Presbyterian Church.
Aaron S. Goodrich was married December 27, 1849, to Sarah Hardin, who was born in Liberty Township, December 10, 1827, a daughter of John and Sarah (Carpenter) Hardin. Her father, who was a native of Marietta. Ohio, came to Delaware County in 1806, and settled in Liberty Township. He was a son of Isaac Hardin (buried in Liberty cemetery), who was of the old Hardin stock of Kentucky, and a veteran of the French and Indian War, in which he served under Braddock, and also of the Revolution. In the former of these wars he had received a severe wound in the head which necessitated the insertion of a silver plate, and this memento of his campaign he was obliged to wear to the end of his life. He was the father of a good old-fashioned family of nine children, whose names were respectively (including the marriage names of the daughters): James Hardin, Mary Patton, Isaac Hardin, Mahala Conway, Nancy Cronkleton, John Hardin, Lydia Richmond, Sarah Friend and Samuel Hardin.
Mrs. Sarah (Carpenter) Hardin, maternal grandmother of Mr. Goodrich, was a daughter of Captain Nathan Carpenter, who settled in Liberty Township, Delaware County, on May 1, 1801. He was born at Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1757, and took an active part in the Revolutionary War, fighting for the independence of the colonies. He served at Bunker Hill, where he was wounded, and where his brother was killed; also at Saratoga and Monmouth. After the battle of Monmouth he returned home and married Miss Irene Reid. He subsequently rejoined the army under Washington and fought to the close of the struggle. After coming to Delaware County, he and his wife went through the usual pioneer experiences, including an occasional adventure with Indians. Their family in time numbered ten children, who as they grew up, became mutually helpful, and as other settlers kept coming and the population increased, they were in time placed within reach of most of the comforts and conveniences of civilized life. Capt. Carpenter died in 1814, at the age of fifty-six years, his death being the result of an accident. While returning from Delaware one night on horseback, by the river road, he was swept from his horse by the over-hanging branch of a tree and fell on the rocks below, sustaining fatal injuries. He was highly esteemed and his untimely demise was regarded as a great loss to the community.
The children of John and Sarah ( Carpenter) Hardin were: Solomon, John, Isaac, Sarah (Mrs. Goodrich), Irene (Mrs. Bowdich), and Laura Hardin, all of whom are now deceased.
Aaron S. and Sarah (Hardin) Goodrich had a family of three children, namely: Allison Ebenezer (whose name appears at the head of this article, George Blucher, and William Hiland. Of the two latter, the following is a brief record: George Blucher, born December 22, 1852, acquired his education at Worthington and at the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware. He removed to Oklahoma, where for some years he was engaged in the cattle business. He now resides in Southard, that State, where he follows the occupation of a merchant. He married Fritzie Edith Wright, daughter of Hon. James E. Wright, of Worthington, Ohio, and has two children—George and Margaret.
William Hiland Goodrich was horn April 7, 1854, and passed his school days at Worthington. He went to Kansas, where he engaged successfully in the cattle business in Pratt and Barber Counties. He met with an accidental death at the early age of twenty-nine years. On Thursday, November 26, 1885, he had accompanied his employes on a wolf hunt, and was returning, when his horse stepped into a buffalo wallow and fell heavily, throwing Mr. Goodrich and falling upon him with its entire weight, the saddle striking him in the back. He lingered until the following Sunday night, when he expired. He was a man of fine physique, tall and well formed, and his character was such as to make him beloved, both by his employes and by all with whom he came into close contact. His death brought heartfelt sorrow to a wide circle of friends and caused the most poignant grief to his parents and the other members of the home family. His remains were brought home and now rest in Oak Grove Cemetery, Delaware.
The distressing death of Mr. William H. Goodrich was followed a little over three years later by that of his mother, Mrs. Sarah Goodrich, who passed away on Sunday, December 23, 1888. at the age of sixty years. She was a woman of beautiful Christian character—a devoted wife and mother, and as a friend and neighbor, one whose departure cast a gloom over the entire community. She answered the final call with unshrinking fortitude and a faith that took hold on things above, looking forward to a happy reunion with her loved ones in the presence of her Redeemer. Her son, George Blucher, who was hurrying home from the West to spend Christmas with his mother, arrived too late to behold her alive. For her, and such as her, were the words of the Master spoken—"Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."
Allison E. Goodrich, the remaining member of the family, the date of whose birth has been already given, acquired his elementary education in the district schools, and later entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, from which, after a course lasting six years, he was graduated in 1873, with the degrees of A. B. and A. M. For a while after leaving college, Mr. Goodrich combined the occupations of teaching school and farming. He is the present president of the School Board of Liberty Township, having been a member of it for the last twelve years. The major part of his time has been devoted to improving the old Goodrich homestead, of which he is now the owner, in which work he has been very successful. He was married, in March, 1880, to Miss Jessie Youmans, a daughter of William C. and Mary (Synder) Youmans, of Liberty Township. Mrs. Goodrich's father came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1835, settling first in Licking County, whence he came subsequently to Liberty Township, Delaware County, his advent here being soon after the close of the Civil War. Both he and his wife are now deceased, his death occurring in 1896, when he had attained the advanced age of eighty-five years. Mrs. Youmans. who was born in 1816. died December 27, 1902, at the age of eighty-six.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich take a natural pride in the beautiful old home of the Goodrich family, in which they reside, and where they dispense, upon suitable occasions, a genuine and old-fashioned hospitality. They keep up the custom, established more than one hundred years ago, and which has since been followed by the family, of having an open door to every reputable stranger. Mr. Goodrich was for a short time in former years engaged in mercantile business, but since then his time has been taken up with the duties pertaining to the care of the homestead, and those connected with public affairs, in which he has taken some part, having served for some ten years as an active member of the Republican County Central Committee, in addition to his work in connection with the School Board. He and his wife are earnest and useful members of the Presbyterian Church, and there are few, if any people, more highly esteemed in Liberty Township.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908