Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-02-11

seized with an attack of angina pectoris
Or. Charles :. Pratt was summoned from
his nome across the street, and after
alleviatinE the pain he returned home
Later sound of distress attracted the
attention of Miss Lizzie McVeigh, who
had been his housekeeper for some years.
and she found upon going to his room
that Col Goodhue was failing rapidly.
DR.. Pratt was summoned again quickly,
but death took place before he reached the
house. For some years Col. GoOdhue had
been afflicted with rheumatism. and al
though it had become more marked OF
late he had taken exercise by walking.
and he went out for drive each day.
taking his last drive on the day of mis-
death.
The death of COL Goodnue has re-
moved the last representative in Brattle-
boro of a family who have been long and
prominently Identified with the town and
have taken an active interest in its affairs
The first Of the Goodhue family to come
here was Francis Goodnue grandfather
OF Col. Francis Goodhue. lie went from
Ipswich, Mass. to Weathersfield. this
state, and came from there to this town.
1000 acres in Weathersfeld, which was
sold to Consul William Jarvis of that
town, the first importer of merino sheep
in this country. He bought the Capt.
John Arms farm, now the Brattleboro
Retreat farm. and the tavern standing
thereon, where Ethan Allen stayed over
night at one time. He bought of Deacon
John Holbrook the water power and
buildings near the present railroad arch
h4f - Ia IN tot inc
mill and grist mill and machinery for
other purposes He also bought land
north and south of the village and on
Main street and other streets, with build
ings thereon. He also engaged in wool
carding, cloth dressing. cotton spinning,
distilling, a general merchandise business
and farming. He was on the first COM
mittee Of the old church on the common,
he and William Fessenden heading the
subscription paper with $500 each. He
gave valuable lands on Main street for
the old Brattleboro Bank, chartered in
1921, and also land for the Unitarian and
Congregational churches and he lived just
north Of where the Congregational church
now stands.
His son, Col Joseph Goodhue, held va
rious town offices and at one time was
a military commander. He was large
investor in the Vermont and Massachu-
sets railroad, the first railroad that en-
tered the town, and was one of its direct
ors. He succeeded his father in the
ownership of the Arms farm, where his
children were born, and he also owned
land on Forest square. He was on the
building committee for moving the Con-
gregational church to its present site and
charging II, which was done in 1912. the
heirs of Francis Goodhue giving the land
Col Francis GOOdhue was a son of Col.
Joseph and Sarah Edwards GOodhuc.
He was one Of five children, all Of wdom
are now dead. The four others were
Mary Ann wife of William T. Cune, IIar-
riet wife of Gov. Frederick Holbrook,
Lucy. wife of DIR ChaunCey Hall Of North
ampton, Mass, ana Sarah wife of DR..
Edward Chaplin, who was at one time a
physician at the Brattleboro Retreat.
His mother was a daughter of Eli Ed
wards of Northampton. The son, Francis
was born Aug. &C. 1922, in the house
when stood where now stands the Re
treat farmhouse, where the late George
w. Pierce lived. The first house was de-
Stroyed by fire. Col. Joseph Goodhue sold
the farm to the Brattleboro Retreat and
the family moved to house which stood
where the Brooks library now is. The
elder Cioodhue died there June. % 1862
and the son continued to live there with
his mother until the present Goodhue
residence was built, about the year 1868.
After attending school in the old
school building which stood on the com
mon, and at the academy in West Brat
tlebOrO Francis Goodhue took a posi-
ton as clerk in the dry-goods store of
John r. Blake & Co., which was north
of the old American House property on
the east side of Main street. He was
there seven years and then he went into
partnership with william p. Cune in the
dry-goods business where f. w. Kuech's
store is now located. For many years
he remained in that business and then
disposed of his interest to Mr.. Cune and
engaged in the wholesale and retail gro
Gerry business with John w. Frost on the
west side of Main street. This was be-
fore Crosby block was built, the store
being about where the Amidon grocery
store now is He remained in the grocery
business until 1868. His next occupati
aside from the attention given to his in
vestments, was as manager of the Brooks
House, which had been built by his
brother-in-law. He remained in that
capacity 10 years after which he retired.
While he was engaged in the grocery
business his firm was given the contract
for furnishing supplies for two regiments,
possibly more, who were modified at the
old camp ground, now the Valley fair
ground.
In his younger days and until com
a man of fine physical appearance and
his genial and courteous bearing mad
their effect in his mercantile business as
well as with the travelling public whom he
met at the hotel. lie served on the STAFF
Of Gov. Frederick Holbrook, and 1t was
from that position that he obtained the
title Of colonel At one time he was as
sociated to a limited extent with the firm
of Harris Brothers & Co., of which the
late b. D. Harris of Brattleboro was the
head, in railroad building ana contracting
After the death of his father Francis
Goodhue succeeded him as a director
of the Vermont and Massachusetts rail-
road, holding the position ever since and
attending the annual meetings until with
in few years. He was elected a trustee
of the Vermont Savings bank In 1868, re-
firing soon afterwards, and he was re-
elected in 1873, serving until two years
ago. He also served as auditor and mem
Der of the board of investment He was
an efficient member Of the cid volunteer