The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-11-28
REV. PHILo N. GOODWIN.


city of New Orleans, La, on Wednes-
day, November Is, 1882, at 7:45 p. m,
PHILo MERRILL GOODWIN, aged 81
The deceased was known to many
of the older residents of this portion
of the State, among whom he travelled
and preached, both as preacher in
charge and presiding elder. He was
married at Bayou Sara, La, May 2,
l849. to Angelina Gray (mee Moore)
who died at Plaquemine, La, Feb. Is.
1860. By this union be had issue of
three children. The only living rep
resentative of his first family is the
writer of these lines. He was mar
ried to Amanda f. Morse (nee Dortch)
in the city of New Orleans, Dec. Is,
1870. BY her he also has three chill
dren, Elizabeth Lane, Philo Elias and
Marvin Merrill, all of whom are liv-
ing aud at present reside with their
mother in New Orleans.
The history and work of our be-
loved Father and the sterling quail
ties of his head and heart are known
to thousands scattered broadcast in
this and adjoining States. Instead
of attempting to give history of his
life, which can easily be done from
the voiuminous memoirs be has left,
but for which We have hardly room
in the limited space of the CHRONICLE,
we shall content ourself with pub
lishing the following brief record,
written by Bishop Keener, which APP
peared in the n D. Christian Advo-
cate of November ga !:
Philo NJ. Goodwin was born in 1920,
November "a, in the State of Indiana,
near New Albany. He moved to the
South in 1887; was converted and join
ed the POydras Street Church in the
year 1910. He was licensed to preach
by that society and was admitted into
the Mississippi Conference, at jackson
Miss, at its session Of 1872; was first
appointed as the junior preacher on
the LafOurche circuit, La. In l643 he
was appointed to Cadd0 circuit in
1874 to Yazoo circuit. From this time
until part Of the Mississippi Confer
ence was set off as the Louisiana Con-
lference-ne received appointments an
nually, the record of which is not now
in hand; and afterward as follows
JS48, Alexandria; I649, Opelousas; 1880,
Newton and Franklin ; 1851. Franklin
and Pattersonville 1852, Monroe dis
trict; 1853 to 1856, Opelousas district
1857, Richmond; 1858, agent Mansfield
College; 1859, Minden 1860, Plaque
mine and Crosse Tete in December
1860, Bayou Rouge and Big Cane
1861, w. Chapel; 1928, Ouachits
circuit; 1864, Lisbon 1865, presiding
elder of Alexandria district; l666-67
Thibodeaux 1868 to 1871, Jefferson
City, and in 1872 was superanuated
Since that time he has lived in THU
city in precarious health, rarely able
to preach. but always ready. Hs
breathed his life out sweetly, in the
midst of those he loved most, his wifi
and children, on Wednesday, the fiji
teenth instant, after IN illness of bu
three days. He said that con the god
ward side the future was bright" |
was only on the earthward side, TO
his family, that things were dark.
TT e 81. <...<xv. Ia
ton to the ministry of the word 70
more than thirty years, until failing
health arrested him. He Travelled a
presiding elder, as preacher in charg
and as assistant preacher among tn
swamps and bayous of Louisiana, alon,
its rivers and in its highlands, until h
had lived in every part OF the State
He took the work as it came, as one o
the rank and file of the itinerancy. II
asked no favOrs and received none
and wherever he was did good work
His talents were representative of tn
a average of human ability, but the.
were improved 50 as to stand the in
, spection of his Lord. He was of tn
D people, and had access to the people
7 He attended conscientiously to til
spiritual and temporal interests {
7 whatever part of the field was place
in his care.
His character was without stain
i. and he had the good fortune to escap
even the calumny OF the world. Ever
!. one reyered him as a good man, VIII
!: had at heart the .wellbeing and til
d salvation of mankind. Under G0t
doubtless, he has been the means {
> calling thousands of men to the know
edge Of Christ. His memory is bless
ed. He lived to do good aud has don
t it.
Of very sprightly disposition, and I
. active temperament, it was q sourt
d of profound sorrow that in matul
n manhood he all at once found himse