Essex County MA Archives History - Books .....Anecdote Of War Of 1812 'General' Ebenezer Goodale 1917
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 21, 2009, 12:39 pm

Book Title: History Of The First Parish In Danvers

From the History of the First Parish in Danvers by ______, page 96-98:
"In 1803 additional land was purchased upon the east, of Major (afterward 
General) Ebenezer Goodale, by a company formed for the purpose. The old sheds 
were removed, and the land leveled; and new sheds were erected…"

"These improvements were scarcely completed when the parish was called upon to 
restore its meeting-house, suddenly destroyed by fire on the morning of the 
24th of September, 1805. The minutes by Jonathan Porter, jun., parish clerk, 
are as follows: 'Before the dawning of the day the meeting-house was discovered 
to be on fire, and was soon burnt to the ground in a short time. It was 
supposed to be set on fire by some incendiary; and a man by the name of Holten 
Goodale [a descendant of Zachariah Goodale, per a family tree found on 
Ancestry.com's World Family Tree] was the suspected person, who was accordingly 
arrested the same evening, and, after examination the next day, was committed 
to prison. But, having his trial at the next session of the Supreme Judicial 
Court that was holden at Salem, he appeared to be an insane person, and was 
therefore sentenced to receive no punishment but that of confinement as a 
lunatick.'"

"Dr. Wadsworth states that there were lost, of the sacramental furniture, eight 
silver cups of the value of twenty-five dollars each, 'one of which was 
presented to the church by Judge Lindal, and the rest by particular members.' 
There were also some other vessels of pewter; and he adds, 'Some silver, though 
not sufficient for one cup, was found among the ruins: but the full quantity of 
pewter remained, a circumstance which renders it highly probable that the house 
was robbed of most of the plate before it was set on fire." That the plate was 
stolen there can be no doubt. It was kept beneath the pulpit; and most careful 
search was made to recover the materials, with only the partial success just 
mentioned. Other persons than the one arrested were concerned in the crime; and 
his connection with it was of but small account. There were those upon whom 
suspicion fell violently and persistently; but as no decisive evidence could be 
brought forward, judicial proceedings were not attempted against them, and 
their names will not be mentioned."

"The parish had been prospering, and was now strong in resources and spirit… it 
was voted to rebuild the meeting-house on the same spot… The contractors 
were 'Col. Ebenezer Goodale and others"…

From pages 134-135: "From the heirs of Mr. Pope it [the parish property] 
passed, in 1802, into possession of Ebenezer Goodale, commonly known in later 
years by his title of 'General'. General Goodale occupied the place for about 
thirty years. He was a man of considerable capacity, and inclined to enter 
extensively upon business of various sorts. He made his mark in the 
neighborhood; and not for good. His house was in some manner a tavern, and of 
course, a place for the sale of strong drink, and of resort for men that liked 
it. And the general himself became one of his own customers, and he was a 
leader in many ways among the rest. (It is told of him, that at one period of 
his life, having occasion to reckon with the store-keeper, of whom he had his 
supplies for family and personal use, he objected to the account as too large, 
and asked for the reading of the items. The account began: 'Rum, rum, tobacco, 
rum, tobacco, rum, rum, tobacco, rum.' The general said they need read no 
further, -he guessed the bill was right)."

"He carried on the business of a wholesale butcher. He had a group of 
slaughterhouses, not sightly or savory, upon 'Watch-House Hill'; and herds of 
sheep, hogs, and men, with habits commendable in the order in which they have 
been named, swarmed about the premises. As this establishment was so near to 
the meetinghouse, and as its occupations were not varied for the better on the 
Sabbath days, it became a source of great annoyance to the people of the 
parish. The habits of the patriarch himself did not improve with years; nor did 
his business prosper. He mortgaged the place to Elizabeth Williams of Salem; 
and as he proved unable to retain it, she took possession."

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