William S. Goodrich Biography from History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. For the current email address, please go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130 Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************ Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Surname: GOODRICH Source: History of Rockingham County, New Hampshire and Representative Citizens by Charles A. Hazlett, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill., 1915 Page 766 WILLIAM S. GOODRICH is proprietor of a brick plant at Epping, New Hampshire, which takes rank second to none in the New Eng- land States. Equipped with all that is latest and most approved in ma- chinery, with every natural facility and the most capable management, it has been highly successful and maintains an output of nine millions of brick annually. Mr. Goodrich has had wide experience in this field of endeavor; in fact, from early boyhood it has been practically his only business. He was born in Hudson, Mass. December 9, 1862, and is a son of Albert and Susan D. (Sanborn) Goodrich. The Goodrich fam- ily (the name originally was spelled Goodridge) came to this country from England in colonial days and became established at Sterling and Fitchburg, Mass. Albert Goodrich, father of William S., was born at Fitchburg, Mass., and was a prominent manufacturer of brick. He had the distinction of making the brick that went into the first waterworks at Boston. His death occurred in his seventy-fourth year. His wife, Susan D. Good- rich, was a daughter of Moses Sanborn, ho was prominent in New England. She lived to the age of eighty-three years. They were par- ents of eleven children, of whom but seven survived. William S. Goodrich was the youngest of his family, and when five years old began attending the public schools, continuing until he was sixteen. He then attended private school one year and at the age of seventeen began learning the brick-making industry in his father's plant at Lancaster, Mass. For his first two years' service he received his board only, and the third year was given dollar and a half per day. When twenty years old, he took the contract to make brick for his father, the contract calling for one million brick per year. He con- tinued for three years and then in 1887 came to New Hampshire. He operated a brick plant at Brentwood for five years, with an output of one and a half million brick per year. He then came to Epping, where for five years he operated a plant with an output of from one to one and a half million per year. He next took over the Bannigan plant, the first steam plant in this vicinity, with capacity of from five to six million bricks. After three years he sold out to the New England Brick Company, in the year 1901, and was then made superintendent of the plant. He continued in that capacity for five and one-half years, having Page 767 charge of seven different plants, with about 250 men and sixty horses under his management. The annual output was twenty-six millions, and thirteen thousand cords of wood were yearly consumed in burning the brick. In April, 1907, he started his present brick yard, and in just five weeks and four days had his plant in ration. The first year the capacity was three million brick, and this was gradually increased to its present output of nine millions. He has thorough1y modern machinery, including steam shovels and cable hoists. It requires but one minute and ten seconds from the time the clay leaves the bank to be made into bricks, and in ten minutes the brick are in the racks. The machine turns out one hundred and eight bricks per minute. The entire property includes seventy acres, on which are located the factory itself, the clay banks, spurs of track and the yards. He had two sons in association with him, Ruel E., who has charge of the accounting, financing and shipping, and Ralph S., who is master mechanic. May 20, 1884, William S. Goodrich was united in marriage with Edith M. Benson, a daughter of Edward Benson, who was a veteran of the Civil War and a resident of Clinton, Mass. She also comes of an English family which early was transplanted to this country, being established at Sterling and Rut1and, Mass. On her mother's side there were ten great-great uncles, who fought in the Revolutionary War, two of whom lost their lives in battle. Mrs. Goodrich is a prominent mem- ber of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Good- rich became the parents of the following children: Ralph S. and Ruel E., twins, born January 30, 1885; Maude E., born February 20, 1891; Chester A., born January 27, 1893; Hazel F., born December 18, 1894; William S., Jr., who was born February 3, 1897, and died December 21, 1900; Marion Irene, born December 15, 1898; and Edith Gertrude, born April 16, 1903. Ruel E. Goodrich married Miss Mary L. Sleeper. Maude E. Goodrich became the wife of Clyde B. Morgan, and they have a daugh- ter, Norma Benson Morgan. Mr. Goodrich is a firm believer in the merits of education, and has seen that his children have had good mental training. His daughter, Miss Hazel, is now in attendance at the Boston College of Music. Religiously, the family is Universalist. Mr. Good- rich is a Republican in politics and although his business duties have been most exacting, he consented to serve on the board of selectmen, and is now filling his third consecutive term. Fraternally, he is a Mason, being treasurer of the lodge; is a member and Past Worthy Patron of the Eastern Star; also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he is a past grand officer. For four years Mrs. Good- rich was Regent of the D. A. R. and Worthy Matron of the Eastern Star.