Biography of Alexander Goodrich, Mississippi Co, AR ********************************************************************* USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free Information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. Submitted by: Michael Brown Date: Sep 1998 ********************************************************************* Bibliography: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas. Chicago: Goodspeed Publishers, 1890. Alexander Goodrich, merchant and postmaster, Osceola. The public services of Mr. Goodrich, during his residence in the county, have been characterized by a noticeable devotion to the welfare of this county, and his ability and fidelity in all positions of trust have made a lasting impression upon the sphere of public duty. For many years his name has not only been connected with the official affairs of the county, but he has also become prominent as a much esteemed citizen and a successful business man. His birth occurred in White County, Ill., November 2, 1838, and he pursued the arduous duties of the farm and attended the public schools of Illinois until twenty years of age. Afterward he worked in a saw-mill owned by his father, for two years, and then, in 1862, abandoned all work to enlist in Company K, Eighty- seventh Illinois Infantry, United States Army. He went to Memphis, Tenn., in May, 1863, was ordered to report to Gen. Grant at Vicksburg, and was there through the siege of that city. On July 5, the day after the surrender of that city, Mr. Goodrich went on the campaign to Jackson, Miss., and on the fall of that city, he returned to Vicksburg, but immediately left for Natchez and New Orleans. Late in September, 1863, he went [p.502] on a campaign to Southwest Louisiana, and in December of the same year was ordered to report to the adjutant-general of Illinois, being then assigned to recruiting duty. In April, 1864, Mr. Goodrich joined his regiment in Louisiana, and in November of the same year, marched to White River, Ark. In January of the following year, he was ordered to Helena, Ark., where the regiment remained until ordered home. He was mustered out in July, 1865. In 1866 he returned to Helena, Ark., where he remained two years engaged in the planting business, and then came to Osceola, where he commenced mercantile pursuits. He served the city seven years as its mayor, four years as postmaster, and represented Missouri County in the State Republican conventions of 1884 and 1888. He was married on the 8th of May, 1872, to Miss Marjory McDonald Conway, of Scotland, and six children were born to this union: Margaret L., who died at the age of two years; Leon A., born September 15, 1875; Mary E., born May 10, 1878; Abaishai D., born December 29, 1879; Charles C., born August 23, 1882, and James M., born June 13, 1884. Mr. Goodrich, aside from his stock of general merchandise, carries a stock of furniture, also undertaking supplies, and is engaged in planting, also in buying and shipping cotton. He received his commission as postmaster at Osceola about May 1, and is now filling that position for the second time. He is a member of the K. of H., Monroe Lodge No. 2167, at Osceola, and represented this lodge at the meeting of the Grand Lodge at Hot Springs, in September, 1888. He is at present presiding officer of the lodge. He takes a decided interest in educational matters, and has held the position of director for a number of terms. He was the seventh of ten children born to Abaishai and Margaret (Smith) Goodrich, the father a native of Pennsylvania, and the mother a native of Scotland. The former was a successful tiller of the soil in Illinois, and died in that State in 1865. He was a descendant of William Goodrich, who came to America in about 1840, and the subject of this sketch is of the seventh generation. The great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The mother died in 1871.