Alfred Goodin (1826-1908)

GOODIN, SAUNDERS, MCCREADY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 3/18/2017 at 00:17:25

From Nevada Representative November 13, 1908

OBITUARY

ALFRED GOODIN DEAD

Alfred Goodin, old soldier and pioneer of Story county, was found dead in his bed Thursday morning at the Soldier's Home at Marshalltown. He had been at the home the most of the time for the past three years; but he was up to Nevada last week to vote and spend a few days among old friends, stopping while here at the home of his sister-in-law, Mrs. J. E. McCready. He was hen in good health and spirits and seemed especially to enjoy his visit. After his return to Marshalltown he was reported as not quite so well but there was nothing to suggest that his condition was serious until the news came of his death. According to the report from there he had retired to his cot on Wednesday evening in good spirits, but when the reville sounded early Thursday morning his comrades in the same ward found him cold in death, he having peacefully passed away during the night without disturbing the slumbers of those near his side.

Mr. Goodin was the son of David and Sarah Goodin, and he was born in 1826 in Hardin county, Ohio where he grew to manhood and enlisted in 1861 in Company B of the 82nd Ohio Infantry. His enlistment was for three years, but before the expiration of that term he was captured in the battle of Gettysburg, and he was in consequence held until the general exchange near the close of the war and considerably beyond the term of his enlistment. His service was active, and he was in the engagements of McDowell, Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Freeman's Pond, Great Run, Walker's Bridge, Second Bull Run and Gettysburg. After his capture in the first day's fight at Gettysburg he was for 270 days in Libby prison and for shorter times in Rebel prisons at Lynchburg, Mason, Savannah, Charleston, Raleigh and Goldsboro, reaching Washington after exchange on March 1, 1865, and being discharged on the 12th of the same month. In his active service he rose from the ranks to the grade of first lieutenant, and in his prison service he suffered all the horrors which were attendant upon that service. In after years he was commander of a local militia company, from this circumstance came the title of "Captain," which was frequently applied to him.

Immediately following his muster out from the army Mr. Goodin came to Nevada, where he ever after had his home. He was popular with his comrades and the public generally and in 1869 he was elected sheriff of Story county, being, we think, the only man who in the past fifty years has ever been elected to county office in this county on a straight Democratic ticket. He served for one term being both preceded and followed in office by the late H. F. Murphey, but his Republican opponent being some man who has long since been forgotten in this part of the country. Mr. Goodin was raised a Democrat and continued to one for nearly twenty years following the war; but he became a Republican about the time of the Blaine campaign and from that time on he was always counted very positively on the Republican side. He was married in Nevada November 14, 1870 to Miss Susanna Saunders and to their union was born one son, Ben, who grew to manhood; but both he and Mrs. Goodin passed away a number of years ago. For many years Mr. Goodin owned and ran the Central House between town and the Northwestern depot; but after the death of Mrs. Goodin he dropped out of this business. For some time he had no home of his own; but his last years were spent among pleasant and congenial surroundings at the Soldiers' Home.

Mr. Goodin was in his 83d year and was a man of worth and character. He enjoyed always the esteem of those who knew him, and his death was as peaceful as he and they would probably have wished it to be. His funeral will be conducted this afternoon from the McCready home in this city by Rev. R. E. Shaw, and the rinal honors to him will be paid by his comrades of the Grand Army post.