Bio of GOODRICH, Calvin Gibson (b.1856 d.1915), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical

CALVIN GIBSON GOODRICH - Vol II, pg 188-191
Calvin Gibson Goodrich was closely associated with the material development and
steady progress of Minneapolis through his identification with the street
railway system of the Twin city, which system was largely developed through his
efforts. Today the third generation of the family is closely associated with
public advancement here, inasmuch as Donald Goodrich is now general
superintendent of the Twin City Traction Company. It was in the year 1868 that
the family was established in-Minneapolis, at which time Dr. Calvin G. Goodrich
and his wife, Mary Ann (Wall) Goodrich, arrived in this city with their family.
The father was a native of Virginia and the mother of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. The former long ranked with the distinguished physicians here,
practicing successfully for many years and during the Civil war period he had
been prominent in promotion of the anti-slavery cause and assisted many negroes
on their way to freedom in the north. Following his arrival in Minneapolis he
became one of the organizers of the Northwestern National Bank and was also one
of the directors of the Lakewood Cemetery Association.
His son, Calvin G. Goodrich, was born in Oxford, Ohio, March 12, 1856, and was,
therefore, a youth of twelve years when the family removed from the Buckeye
state to the Northwest. His education, begun in the public schools of Ohio, was
continued in Minneapolis and after his preliminary course was completed he
became a student in the University of Minnesota. When he had finished his
education he turned to the business world and in 1886 became identified with the
wheat trade as a representative of a grain commission firm. A little later he
entered into active connection with the street railway business as secretary and
treasurer of the company, then controlling the lines of urban transportation
here. Later his brother-in-law, Thomas Lowry, took over the business and Mr.
Goodrich was largely instrumental in developing the system of the Minneapolis
Street Railway Company, which later was consolidated with St. Paul's interests
of similar character under the name of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company. Mr.
Goodrich filled the positions of bookkeeper, of superintendent, of general
manager and of vice president, successively, up to the time of the death of Mr.
Lowry, in 1909, when he succeeded to the presidency and continued as the chief
executive officer to the time of his demise. He also became one of the directors
of the Lakewood Cemetery Association and the Northwestern National Bank, in both
of which positions he succeeded his father. In 1900 he became the president of
the Duluth Superior Tractor Company, following the consolidation of the
interests of the companies in the two cities engaged in that line of business.
On the 21st of May, 1882, Mr. Goodrich was married to Miss Cora L. Ferrin, a
daughter of James Brown and Mary Frances (Foss) Ferrin, the latter a relative of
Bishop Foss. Her parents were pioneer settlers of Minnesota, where her father
followed the profession of architecture and building. Mr. and Mrs. Goodrich had
one child, Donald, who is now general superintendent of the street railway
company. He married Miss Elinor Bigelow Ward, the daughter of George S. Ward,
owner of the Ward Baking Company, in New York city, and they have two children:
Janet and Calvin, the latter being named for his grandfather.
In club circles Calvin G. Goodrich was prominently known, having membership in
the Minneapolis, Lafayette, Minikahda, the Town and Country and the St. Paul
clubs and he also held membership in two of the prominent clubs of Chicago and
New York. His political endorsement was always given to the republican party,
the candidates of which he supported at the first election after he had attained
his majority, remaining a stalwart advocate of the cause to the time of his
death. He passed away December 21, 1915. On the 6th of December he had attended
a meeting of the board of directors of the Twin City Rapid Transit Company in
New York, there contracting a cold which terminated his life on the 21st of the
same month, when he was fifty-nine years of age. He had long been recognized as
one of the most forceful business executives of Minneapolis. Identified with the
street railway system from 1877 he had been largely instrumental in making it a
most valuable public utility. Throughout the years he had closely studied the
needs of the city for transportation, looking beyond the exigencies of the
moment to the opportunities and possibilities of the future and seeking the
careful organization and steady expansion to make the system of real public
worth and value. He was interested in many projects of civic importance and
withheld his aid from no plan or project which he deemed of general worth.
Minneapolis was dear to him as the city of his abode from his early childhood
and he long ranked among her most public-spirited residents.