Honor John L Good

GOOD

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/20/2009 at 00:12:22

Honor John L Good, One of Boone county’s most prominent and representative citizens is John L Good, who has made his home here since the spring of 1869, and today owns and operates a well improved and valuable farm of 160 acres on Sec 35, Grant township. He was born on April 9, 1845, in Gratz, Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and is descended from a good old German family which was early established in that state. His father Daniel Good was a native of Snyder county, Pennsylvania, and on reaching manhood was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Reedy, who was born in Schuykill county, the same state, and was a daughter of Leonard Reedy a soldier of the war of 1812.By trade Daniel Good was a tanner and followed that occupation for a number of years, while at the same time he owned a farm and operated it with the assistance of his sons. He spent his entire life in the Keystone state, dying there in the fall of 1870. In his family were nine children, four sons and five daughters, all of whom reached years of maturity, and with the exception of one son and one daughter all are still living.
In the county of his nativity John L Good grew to manhood, aiding in carrying on the old home farm and pursuing his studies in the common and higher schools, where he acquired a good practical education that has well fitted him for life’s responsible duties. When the country became involved in Civil war, he offered his services to the government enlisting in the fall of 1862, in Company I, One Hundred and Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. With that command he served nine months, doing mostly picket and garrison duty, and was then honorably discharged and returned home, but in 1864 he re-enlisted for one year or during the war, this time becoming a member of Company H, Two Hundred and Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, which was also a part of the Army of the Potomac. He participated in a number of skirmishes and the battles of Hatchie’s Run and Gravel Run, and during the latter engagement was wounded by a gunshot through the thigh. Being thus disables he was sent to the hospital where he remained until honorably discharged in June 1865. After his return home Mr Good attended Freeburg Academy for a time and later engaged in teaching school one term. Subsequently he accepted a position as clerk in a store at Gratz, Pennsylvania, where he remained until coming west.
As before stated Mr Good came to Boone county, Iowa in 1869, and after looking around made a permanent location the following spring, when he bought a farm at Pilot Mound and engaged in its operation for five years. On selling that place he removed to the farm in Grant township which he still owns. He broke the land, fenced and improved it and erected thereon a good residence, barn and convenient outbuildings, which he has surrounded by beautiful shade and ornamental trees, which add greatly to the attractive appearance of the place. He follows general farming and stock raising with good success and is accounted one of the most progressive citizens of his community.
On January 17, 1867, in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, Mr Good married Miss Cassia Schreffler, who was also born reared and educated in that county. Her father, Harry Schreffler, belonged to an old Pennsylvania family and died when Mrs Good was only four years old. Our subject and his wife have six children still living namely: Anna now the wife of Henry Dockey, a farmer of this county, Daniel A and C Grant, who are both married and follow farming and teaching in this county, Minnie e who is successfully engaged in school teaching in the county and Katie D and Lucile May both at home. Those of the family now deceased are Hattie who died at the age of seven years, Mary who died at the age of eleven months, and a son who died in infancy unnamed.
Since casting his first presidential vote for General U S Grant in 1868, Mr Good has supported every presidential candidate of the Republican party, and has labored earnestly for his party’s interests. Recognizing his worth and ability, his fellow citizens have called upon his to fill a number of official positions of honor and trust. He was elected and served two terms as supervisor and was chairman of the county board of three years. In the fall of 1895 he was chosen to the state legislature and was an influential member of the assembly during two terms including the extra session, serving on a number of important committees, being chairman of the committee on mines and mining and a member of the committees on banks and banking, loans and insurance, military, horticulture, senatorial districts and industrial schools. He has been a delegate to numerous state and county conventions of his party, and exercises considerable interest in public affairs. Fraternally Mr Good is a member of Pilot Mound Lodge I O O F, in which he has filled all the chairs and is now past grand, and he also belongs to the Knights of Pythias Lodge and the Grand Army Post of Boonesboro. He has been and important factor in the development and progress of his adopted county and well merit’s the esteem in which he is held.

1902 Boone County History Book