Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-09-06
OF HONORED
PIONEER OF BOISE

The funeral of George Goodrich, one
of the oldest pioneers of Boise, was
held Thursday afternoon, Rev. John
Mitchell of the Unitarian church off,
ciating. The honorary pail bearers
were John HALEY, william Bryon,
Charles H'mrod. Clay Branstetter,
John Atkinson and Charles Rein; the
active, Claude Frost, 4. A. Brown.
Joseph Robertson, Roumain Lamb and
George Campbell. The funeral was
largely attended by pioneer friends and
neighbors end the floral offerings were
profuse and beautiful. The interment
was in the Masonic cemetery.
In the passing of George Goodrich,
one of the honored pioneers and well
known residents of Boise, the com
munity has lost one of its most loyal
and useful citizens.
Mr.. Goodrich was born In Greenfield,
Mass. Oct. 3, 1926. His earlier years
were spent in New England, he being
engaged in the druggist business for
five years at Amhearst, Mass. He then
went to Burlington, Ia, and was en-
ployed in the railway office of the G. b.
& @. for some time. 1T was here he
first heard of the wonderful gold
strikes at Florence Idaho Territory.
Wishing to try a change of climate In
the hope OF regaining his health be-
ing threatened with tuberculosis, he
and a party of three other men de-
cided to seek their fortunes in the new
FL Dorado. In 1863 they started west
taking with them four mules and two
saddle horses. The journey was an
eventful one, lacking neither excite
ment nor Indian scares, a serious one
occurring near the summit of the Rocky
mountains.
Upon reaching the spot where the
city of Blackfoot is now located they
met John McGlinchy, one of the Pay
cite pioneers, and several others, who
informed them the Florence camp could
not be reached by continuing the route
they were going.
When they learned OF the rich strike
which had recently been made in the
Boise basin, Jack Campbell, one of the
other party, proposed that Mr. Goodrich
and his three friends remain at Au-
burn, Ore, with them during the winter,
then proceed to the new camp In the
spring. The news of the discovery
leaked out and by spring there was a
great rush from Auburn to the basin
country Mr.. Goodrich sold his mules
for $500 and with this amount pur-
chased a mining claim in the basin in
1864. Not satisfied with the results
of his placer mining here, he left for
Atlanta. where he met Jake Reeser
They formed q partnership and be-
came the owners of the Goodrich mine
He remained here until 1859 when
his failing health caused him to come
to Boise, his intention being to return
to the Atlanta diggings later He went
to work on the bridge then being built
at the foot Of what is now Ninth street
Later, he and several others who had
become successful ranchers, bought
the old Isaacs mill. Mr. Goodrich act
ed as manager for three years until it
was bought by w. B. Morris. This mill
was built about the year 1858 and is
now known as the Ridenbaugh mill
After retiring from the mill Mr.. Good
rich became interested in ranching and
purchased farm near Star. He was
married May 81, 1880, to Mrs. Lizzie
Mount, who came to Idaho in 1864 with
her father, DIR. William Burdge.
He served two terms as commission
er of Ada county and was a member of
the Fourteenth session of the ter
ritorial Legislature. In 1903 he sold
his ranch at Star and moved to
Boise. Mr.. Goodrich suffered a stroke
of paralysis 10 years ago, which pre-
VNnted him from taking active part in
affairs OF the city and state, in which
he was always greatly Interested. He
was IS years old at the time OF his
death, which occurred Sept. 2, after a
two weeks illness from pneumonia.
He is survived by his wife and one son,
F.. M. Goodrich, grandson, George
Goodrich, Jr., of this city and one
brother, Ralph Goodrich, in the east
In closing a well rounded life Mr.
Goodrich leaves behind him a name
which will live among his friends as
man who stood for honest dealing,
and whose syinpathies were always ex-
erted in behalf of those who needed
them.
I'D