Goodrich Family

Rebecca Pearce Goodrich, Wife of John Baldwin Goodrich of Christiansburg and Blacksburg

Documents

A Great-Grandmother and Her Family, by Percy E and Calvin Goodrich, Winchester, Indiana, private publication, 1950. To view may need to create an account with Family Search.

John Baldwin Goodrich from Amherst County, VA (~ 1783-1828) met Rebecca Pearse, Petersburg, VA (1787-1876), probably when John read law with Rebecca’s father, Baldwin Pearse. When he was 20 and she 15 years old, they married on 6 October 1802. By 1805 they were living in Christiansburg. The town was founded in 1792 but not plotted until 1806. John was involved in that process and served as clerk and surveyor. For his service he was appointed a trustee and given lot #18 of the south side of Main Street. He also served as a land speculator, buying and sell land and providing deeds and surveys. For example, 1) on 16 Feb 1821 56 acres were sold to George Surface and Goodrich buys nearly 1,000 acres of land adjoining that of John Bells. 2) on July 1828 he conveys 25 acres of land that adjoins John Black’s land on the road from Blacksburg after he received a note from Thomas and Hoge for almost $302. 3)

By 1822 he has moved his family to Blacksburg but still works as a clerk and handles land transactions. He builds a house on the south west corner of current day Main and Roanoke streets. The spring on his property is used by the town’s people and was located on the south west corner of modern day Draper and Lee. His house (photo below) was sold to the Helm/Lancaster family (1833) after his death and his widow with children leave for Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1831. Prior to that they sold the land, house, and at least one enslaved person. John’s widow, Rebecca set her enslaved person before she departed. Edmund, John and Rebecca’s so settles John’s estate and until the family departed he too worked as a clerk in Christiansburg.

John B and Rebecca P Goodrich had 14 children, all making it to adulthood. I addition to John’s clerking in Christiansburg, he taught school while in Blacksburg. No indication if he was teaching in a dedicated school building or in patron’s homes or his own. The page from one of his hand drawn math text is below. He also acted as postmaster for a time, which is interesting because when the Helms moved into the Goodrich home they too acted as postmaster for many years.

A few notes of interest: Celestina St. Pierre Goodrich (b. 7 March 1808) married Christian Snidow before moving to Winchester, Indiana. James Putman Goodrich, John and Rebecca’s great grandson became Governor of Indiana.