Goodenow, Osceola

GOODENOW

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/10/2008 at 15:13:38

Jackson Sentinel
May 21, 1903

DEATH OF OSCEOLA GOODENOW

GOODENOW – At his home in this city 4:15 a.m. Sunday, May 17, 1903, of peritonitis, after a very brief illness, Osceola Goodenow, aged 62 years, 4 mo.s, 19 days.

Again the SENTINEL is called upon to record the passing of one of Maquoketa’s most estimable and widely known citizens. After years of hard toil the deceased had this year leased his farm to his son and made arrangements to better enjoy the fruits of his labor, when all so unexpected the ruthless hand of death was laid upon him. The funeral took place Tuesday afternoon from the home and was very largely attended by friends and relatives. Rev. Sam’l Shepherd officiated and his remarks on the life and character of deceased were as follows:

Even more suddenly than Mr. Beecher, with even less of warning or of premonition, our neighbor and brother Osceola Goodenow has been summoned from us into the unseen world. He was born in this city December 28th, 1840, and lived here until the day of his death last Sunday morning. A wife, three children, and a number of brothers and sisters, besides his aged mother are among the near of kin who survive him and mourn his death. Mr. Goodenow lived in this community through boyhood, youth, and the meridian of manhood, even until he had begun descending the western slope toward the sunset of age. A good many of you have been intimately acquainted with him through all these years. His life has been an open book before. I feel therefore, that it is beyond the power of any words of mine either to add to or detract from the high esteem in which he was universally held. Yet, as a heartfelt though inadequate tribute to his memory I wish to call attention briefly to some traits in his character that helped to make him the noble man he was.

1. One of his prominent characteristics was his indefatigable industry, his tireless energy. He was never either ashamed or afraid of honest, hard work. He believed in the aristocracy of usefulness. The sound business sense that guided his industry and energy made him substantially successful. He played the part of a man in the community and the nation, establishing a home, rearing a family, educating and training his children for lives of usefulness and honor, bearing his just proportion of the burden of taxation, rendering his country a service without which from him and others’ government would be impossible, liberty would perish, and security for life would cease.

2. Mr. Goodenow was a man of keen intelligence and sound judgment. He was a farmer but not an unthinking one. He was deeply and actively interested in the work of farmers’ institutes. He was influential in promoting the legitimate purposes of the county fair, though never having anything to do with the gambling or sporting features connected with it. I am told that he had much more than ordinary scientific knowledge both of agriculture and horticulture. He loved to watch the processes of nature. He loved flowers, and always liked to have them in and about his home. Their beauty had a subtle charm for his fine grained aesthetic nature. His intelligent interest reached beyond the particular occupation of his life. He kept himself informed with regard to the affairs of the city and community. He was never too busy to do his duty as a citizen. Though having in him nothing of the demagogue of the office hunter he made it a rule to be on hand to vote intelligently and used his influence for the furthering of every enterprise he believed to be for the public good. His interest in public matters reached, however, beyond his own community. Through thoughtful reading of the daily paper and other literature he kept himself well informed with regard to the affairs of the nation. He was an independent thinker, a man of decided opinions and positive convictions, with regard to politics as with regard to other matters. He was proud of his country. He loved the flag. The freedom for which it stands was dear to his heart. When he was in the audience a public speaker was sure of an appreciative listener. There was something in his sympathetic nature responsive to the earnestness of eloquence or the expression of lofty sentiment.

3. He was a man whose integrity, so far as I know, has never been questioned. “I never heard aught against Mr. Goodenow” is the uniform answer to my inquiry from those who have known him all his life. He had earned and possessed the good name that is rather to be chosen than all the riches and all the honors of earth. Such sterling honesty as characterized his life is one of the foundation rocks on which our civilization rests.

4. It is the tender and tearful testimony of those in best position to know that he was one of the sweetest, kindest, sunniest and most lovable and unselfish of men in his home. The life in that home was ideally harmonious and happy. The other members of the household had learned to rely very much upon the wisdom and soundness of his counsel. He was proud of his family. He loved his wife and children with a great and tender love. That love was fully reciprocated. Hence the sweetness and harmony of the life in the home.

5. Mr. Goodenow’s kindly sympathy reached out beyond the circle of his own home. He had a genial sunny nature that made it a pleasure to meet him anywhere. He had the warm, sympathetic hand grasp of his father. You could not help feeling, while he held your hand, that he had a big, kind, generous heart. The tenderness of his nature was one of his most beautiful and lovable traits. The sight of human suffering or sorrow would bring the tears of sympathy to his eyes as quickly as to a woman’s. This and other lovable traits greatly endeared him to his friends. I went to one of the business men of this town whom I knew to be an intimate friend and said to him: “What can you tell me about Osceola Goodenow?” I saw the muscles of his face work and when he spoke his voice was tremulous with emotion. “We were boys together.” He said, “I have known him for fifty years and have found him always a true friend. Osce Goodenow was all right.” Tears began to course down his cheeks and he could say no more. Those affectionate tears were the most eloquent tribute that could have been paid to the memory of the man who has gone. Another of the traits that endeared Mr. Goodenow to his friends was his warm appreciation of any kindness shown to himself. I believe it is the judgment not only of his near friends but also of the entire community that a good citizen and a good man has gone to his eternal rest.

The bereaved are not left comfortless. The unselfish and useful and noble life he lived will ever linger with them as a beautiful memory. It will always be a satisfaction for them to remember that the tender love in their hearts answering to his love made the atmosphere in which he lived congenial and sunny. They will have as their refuge the eternal God, who has promised to be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless.