Hosea Goodenow, b. 3 Dec 1829

WHITE, HAVILAND

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 4/8/2004 at 07:24:03

Hosea Goodenow, formerly President of the Jackson County Bank, is recognized as one of the oldest citizens of the Hawkeye State, to which he came in 1846 - the year it was admitted into the Union as a State. To this day he remembers many of the incidents of the overland journey with the teams from Warren County, N.Y., to Schenectady, where they boarded a canal boat by which they reached Buffalo, and from there proceeded by a Lake steamer to Chicago. From that point they traveled with teams across the State of Illinois to this county - then a wild prairie with few inhabitants save the denizens of the prairie and forest. At that time the greater part of the land in Iowa was the property of Uncle Sam, and most of the settlers had located within a radius of twenty-five miles along the river. Deer, turkeys, prairie chickens and other wild game was plentiful, also wolves from which the few sheep belonging to the settlers had to be carefully guarded. During the winter of 1847 a flock of deer came to the fold and fed with the sheep belonging to the Goodenow family. The latter at their cabin home endured all the privations incident to life on the frontier, and battled with the elements of the new soil, the difficulties of transportation to a distant market, the scarcity of money and sometimes of provisions, and the thousand and one drawbacks constantly occuring during "those times that tried men's souls."

The subject of this sketch remained with his parents, assisted in the development of the homestead, and cared for them in their old age. He now owns and occupies the old farm which he conducted until the spring of 1886, when leaving it in the hands of his son he organized the Jackson County Bank, was elected its President and occupied himself in looking after its affairs. This institution started out with a capital of $50,000 and has deposits of $100,000. It exchanges with Ft. Dearborn National Bank, at Chicago, the Bank of New York City and the City Bank of Clinton, Iowa, and has become an institution popular with the business men of Jackson County, and vicinity. Its late president is a man enjoying in a marked degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens, and one who has the right judgment and business qualifications necessary to make a successful officer.

Queensbury, Warren co., N.Y., was the native place of Mr. Goodenow and he was born on the 3d of December, 1829. His parents were Timothy and Betsey (White) Goodenow. Mr. Goodenow was reared on his father's farm in his native county and acquired his education in the district school. His subsequent life we have already indicated in connection with his pioneer experience in this county. When twenty-six years of age he was married May 10, 1857, to Miss Salina Haviland, who, like himself is a native of New York State. He settled with his bride at the old homestead and here they have since sojourned. They are the parents of two children only, Luke, who manages the farm, and Josephine who likewise remains under the old roof tree. Mrs. Goodenow is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Goodenow cast his first presidential vote for Pierce, and has been a Democrat but was for some years prominent in the councils of the Greenback party. He now votes with the Democrats. He has been a man upright and honorable in his dealings and is numbered among the most enterprising citizens of Jackson County.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois.)