The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-03-29
UOl. John Goddard,

Dol. John Goddard.
COL John Goddard died at his residence in
Cape Elizabeth about midnight Sunday, after
an illness of about three days. He came home
from St. John only ten days ago, on account
of the serious illness of his daughter, whose
death we have already announced. The loss
of his daughter, to whom he was much attach.
ed, is supposed to have induced q recurrence
OF the bleeding from the stomach to which he
had been subject since he fell from the wharf
az carleton, distance of 81 feet, two years
ago. lie retained his consciousness to the
last, meeting death with the same fortitude
That he exhibited in confronting the trials and
labors of life.
COL Goddard was born at Portsmouth, N.
H., and was SO years old at the time of his
death. At the age of IS he carried on a farm
in the town of Limerick, where he also owned
a tannery. While a resident of that town be
married Miss johnson, vino lived there Soon
after he commenced to buy cattle for the
Brighton market, in which business he con-
tinued for some Time About 1884 or 1885 he
engaged in the numbering business, removing
to Orono, where he lived on the farm now occu-
pied by the Agricultural College. His lum-
pering operations gradually extended on the
Aennebec, Penobscot and st. John, till he
became one of the wealthiest and most promi-
nent lumbermen in the State. For many
years he employed four or five hundred men
in his business, and at the time of his death he
owned 10000 acres Of land in New Bruins
wick. He has also been actively engaged il
shipbuilding, the decline Of that industry here
aHo AZ ~
OF late most of his business has been carried
on in the Provinces, where he owned the
largest steam mill in this part of the world.
For the last II years his homestead has been
the elegant mansion at Cape Elizabeth, where
he died.
Col. Goddard owed his military title to his
connection with the famous First Maine Cav
airy. The delay Of the regiment in taking the
field, with the pressing demands of his bust
ness, induced him to resign before his regiment
saw any active service, otherwise there is no
doubt that be would have distinguished him
self as military man.
Col. Goddard was widely known throughout
the State, aud we speak within bounds when
we say that be was one of the most remarkable
men OF our times. The traditions of his physi-
cal as well as of his intellectual strength will
long survive among the people of Maine, and
II all the adventures, hair breadth escapes.
perils and thrilling incidents of his varied
career were to be embraced in volume thew
would constitute a record more marvellous
tnan the adventures of the imaginary heroes
OF romance. In addition to all his other &C.
quirements he was what might be called an
amateur lawyer. He argued many of the
almost numberless causes in which his extern
sive business relations involved him. and be
was oftener successful than otherwise. Re-
markable intellectual vigor united with great
physical power enabled him to win success in
all that he undertook. The unfortunate acci-
dent which is supposed to be the proximate
cause of bis death, would have instantly ter
minated the existence of any but a man of
iron. His life has contributed more to the
oral legends in circulation among the people
than that Of any other OF his Maine contempt.
raries.
Of Col. Goddard's eleven children only four
survive. One Of his surviving daughters is
now very sick with the scarlet fever, the same
disease that but few days ago carried an
other daughter to an untimely grave.