John Calvin Goodrich (1809 - 1836)

Born 1809 in Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Died 6 Mar 1836 at about age 27 in The Alamo, San Antonio, Bexar, Texas

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Biography

John C Goodrich was born 1809 in Virginia. Father was John Goodrich. ^[1]. While family was living in Tennessee, John decided to turn down a position as purser in U.S. Navy that he had been recommended for by Sam Houston, Tennessee congressman.^[2]

John Goodrich and brother Benjamin Briggs Goodrich read of land grants to be acquired in Texas by settlers if they applied and were willing to clear the land, farm and settle there. John Calvin immigrated to Texas. ^[3] John Calvin found a place to settle in Grimes county, Texas April, 30, 1834, which is just east of Washington and Brazos counties. It was named for a signer of the Declaration of Independence (Jesse Grimes). He did not have long to clear his land and plant crops. ^[4]

Brother, Dr. Benjamin Briggs Goodrich, M.D. later followed John C Goodrich to Texas, along with his wife, Serena, and settled near where older brother settled in Washington Colony.^[5]

Settlers were talking about the problems with the Mexican government, so thinking war might occur. John Calvin Goodrich enlisted in the Texas army. He wrote a letter saying he wished to serve in any way other than common soldier. He thus received a commission as cornet in the regular Texas Cavalry Nov 28, 1835. A cornet or guidon bearer stands in front of the unit alongside of the commander, and is rallying point for troops to fall into formation. ^[4]

John C Goodrich may have been a member of the cavalry unit that was traveling with Lt. Col. William B Travis which was assigned to the Alamo and would have entered Bexar and the Alamo in early February 1836, along with the cavalry force accompanying Lt. Col. William B. Travis, and then became a member of Capt. William Blazeby's infantry company in the Alamo garrison. ^[6]Then Feb 23 the Mexican army arrived and began the siege of the Alamo.

While Goodrich was undergoing this siege and Battle of the Alamo, his brother, Benjamin Briggs, helped in the drafting and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence at Washington-on-the-Brazos, on March 2, 1836.^[2] Lindley notes the brother Benjamin Goodrich learned the Alamo was under siege Washington-on-the-Brazos received the March 3 dispatch from Col. Travis. ^[7]

A few days later, Benjamin Briggs Goodrich learned John C Goodrich was killed in the Battle of the Alamo March 6, 1836. A memorial is in San Fernando Cathedral. ^[4] Note: Heirs received Montgomery 1st Bounty 1476 Acres in Grimes county, Montgomery 640 Acre donation, Grimes co., Travis Bounty 640 Acres in Coleman co.

• John Goodrich land bounty
• 1/3 League Bounty
• Montgomery Donation 640 Acres
• Montgomery Bounty, 640 Acres
• Montgomery Bounty 320 Acres
• Travis Bounty 640 Acres

Sources

1. ↑ http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/bexar/military/alamo/alamo.txt
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Bill Groneman, "GOODRICH, JOHN C.," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fgo13), accessed April 13, 2015. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
3. ↑ The Alamo Defenders: A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo and the Personnel of its Defenders, Google book, By Amelia W. Williams
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} http://www.thealamo.org/remember/history/defenders/index.html
5. ↑ Goodrich family history of ggg niece as related to Richardson-7161.
6. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Alamo_defenders
7. ↑ Alamo Traces: New Evidence and New Conclusions, By Thomas Ricks Lindley

See also:

• Hardin, Stephen L. (1999), Texan Illiad, Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-73086-1
• Family history of ggg-niece as related to Richardson-7161.
• GLO http://www.glo.texas.gov/history/archives/land-grants/index.cfm