Ezra Goodrich

As printed in 1901

EZRA GOODRICH was the only son of Joseph Goodrich, the founder of Milton and Milton College, the first landlord, first merchant, first treasurer, and the first postmaster, of Milton. He was born Feb. 24, 1826, at Alfred, Allegany Co., N. Y. He had an only sister, Mrs. Jane (Goodrich) Davis, of Rockford, Ill., born Feb. 6, 1828, at Alfred, New York.

Joseph Goodrich was the son of Uriah and Mary (Carpenter) Goodrich, and was born May 12, 1800, at Hancock, Massachusetts.

Uriah Goodrich was the son of Elijah and Margaret (Gillett) Goodrich, was born Aug, 24, 1767, at Hancock, Mass., and died Sept.

2, 1845, at Alfred, New York.

Elijah Goodrich was the son of Jacob and Benedict (Goodwin) Goodrich, was born July

3, 1724, at Windsor, Conn., and died Oct. 3, 1791, at Hancock, Massachusetts.

Jacob Goodrich was the son of John and Rebecca (Allen) Goodrich, was born Nov. 27, 1694, at Wethersfield, Conn., and died May 11, 1746, at Windsor, Connecticut.

John Goodrich was; the son of William and Sarah (Marvin) Goodrich, was born May 20,

1653, at Wethersfield, Conn., and died Sept. 5, 1730, at Wethersfield, Connecticut.

william Goodrich was one of the “Pilgrims" on the “Mayflower” from England, and was a descendant of the founder of “Goodrich Court” and “Goodrich Castle,” built during the feudal ages, in Herefordshire, four miles southwest of Ross, about one thousand years ago.

Joseph Goodrich at the age of nineteen years started out in the world for himself, with an ax and a pack of clothes on his back. He went from Hancock, Mass., to the wilderness in Alfred, Allegany Co., N. Y., on foot and alone. Pie got there with his clothes, his ax, and fifty cents in money left. He went to work with a will to win. In 1821, at twenty-one years of age, he took a contract for a tract of wild, heavily timbered land on the Vandermark creek. He cleared off a small patch, and put up a log shanty there. He then returned East, to Petersburg, N. Y., and married Nancy Maxson Dec. 22, 1821. In the spring of 1822 they came to Alfred and began to keep house in the little log cabin — without a window or a door, and with the ground for a floor.

In 1823 his father came out, and united with him in erecting the first sawmill on the Vandermark creek, which they got to running the last clay of that year. In this he sawed logs on shares, and obtained lumber to put up a good-sized two-story house, which he had enclosed in 1824. In it he had a large fireplace, with andirons, and a crane to swing over and off of the fire, with hooks to hang pots and kettles on. Adjoining there was a large brick oven, for baking bread and pork and beans. On the health in front of the oven was the blue-dye tub for coloring stockingyarn, on which the children sat to warm their toes: and their shins. Mr. Goodrich did not get the house plastered and painted until 1827. In it he kept travelers, and religious meetings and town meetings were held there. It is still standing, and is a good dwelling yet. He built and kept a small country store and an ashery there, buying ashes and making potash. The ashes were sometimes brought in 'sacks, from the hillsides, by women on horseback, and sold by them for pin-money.

Mr. Goodrich was a leader in the military training, was made a “major,” and was known as “Major” Goodrich throughout his life.

As printed in Commemorative biographical record of the counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wiscons (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.