The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-03-25
A NoRTHBoRo AMAZON.
Death at the Age of Nlnety-Throo OF AbI-
gall Goodnow, Shoemaker, Farmer.
and Horse Jockey.

Death at the Age of Nlnety-Threo OF AbI-
gall Goodnow, n Shoemaker, Farmer.
and Horse Jockey.
lNorthboro (Nass.) Cor. Boston Globe.1 :
One of the most remarkable women that
ever these parts knew was Abigail Cool
idge Goodnow who has just died at the
age of ninety three years. She was born
in Bolton, and moved to this place when
young. My informant's first recollection
of Mrs. Goodnow dates back more than
half a century, when he was sent to her
by his father to have his measure taken
for a pair Of custom shoes, she being re-
garded at that time as one of the best OF
shoemakers. Besides doing custom work
she used to take out stock from the shoe
factory Of Daniel Newton, Of Westboro.
There was no part of the trade but what
she understood thoroughly. Soon after
Miss Coolidge, for she was then single,
bought the Joan Green farm, on Ball Hill,
and built house thereon, In which she
lived up to the time Of her death. As a
farmer she was known far and wide. As
Judge OF ,horsefesh che was regarded as
first class, and In horse jockeying she was
pronounced success. Her trading mania
led her to deal in cattle, household goods,
wagons, watches, and to speculate In
grain; In fact, anything In which
she thought there was dollar. Her
ability to buy more for dollar than
any one else brought her services into
demand, and more than one young mar
ried couple has been accompanied by her
In their visits to Worcester to procure the
housekeeping utft, when she could buy a
third more for the same amount Of money
than the brightest groom.
Miss Coolidge commenced farming with
n horse and two cows, her stock soon being
increased to two horses, fifteen cows and
pair of oxen. As q muscular phenome-
non she was noted, and with her 200 pounds
OF avoirdupois, much Of which she had de-
veloped into hardened muscle, few men
cared to follow her lead In manual labor.
Armed with an iron bar she would go into
the field and lay stone wall with the best
of the sterner sex. AS to handling vicious
horse, holding pillow, or swinging a scythe,
she asked no odds Of anyone. She would
take her dinner and labor In the bayfield,
all day with the most sturdy farm hands.
Frank Green, a neighbor, who owned a
good farm, entered into contract with
her that the property OF which ever should
die first should go to the survivor. She
was shrewd enough to have him deed his
place to her on the conditions named.
When the property came into her possess
ion, at his decease, she sold Che same to
Cyrus Gale for 5000 cash. Subsequently
to this Henry Goodnow worked for her a
long time. His saved bis wages, which
with what he hal before, amounted
TO II 200. The woman turned her business
eye toward the hired man and the 81, 200,
and thinking, probably, that IL would be
cheaper TO have him for husband than
as an employe, married him, and induced
him to put his 81 200 into piece OF pasture
land, making .sure that IL was decided to
her, which It was. He died about fifteen
years ago. In later years her ventures
were not as successful as In former times,
and she died leaving nothing of her former
possessions fcf relatives to squabble over,
although she had enough to carry her
through life.
This uncommon woman was not as mas
culine In her manner as would naturally
be supposed, while no one ever wanted SYM
pathy or practical aid but what he got II.
Her horse, oxen, or farming Implements
were readily lent TO help out a less pros
porous neighbor, but on trade she had no
special scruples, and went for the best end
of the bargain at every chance. Notwith-
standing her muscular power and long as.
sociation with man and mans work, she
was excessively timid, and of death had
an abnormal fear.