The Goodwins in America

The Goodwins were among the earliest European settlers of this country. There were no Goodwins on the Mayflower (although there was a John Goodman, a "single man" according to the records), but we came here shortly afterward. We know of two Goodwins, William and Ozias, who came to Boston in 1632.

James Savage, in his A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, lists many Goodwins who were here before 1700. He also lists the arrival dates of several Goodwins. Some of the Goodwins who are mentioned:

• ELIZABETH GOODWIN, only child of William Goodwin, the "famous Ruling Elder," married John Crow, who was born in 1637 or 1638, in Hartford, Connecticut.
• WILLIAM GOODWIN (the same "famous Ruling Elder"), came to Boston in the ship Lion, arrived 16 September, 1632.
• OZIAS GOODWIN, brother of William, came to Boston in 1632 (not sure if he also came in the Lion).
• ADAM GOODWIN, lived in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1641. In April of 1637 when he was 20 years old, Adam had immigrated here as a servant to a John Moulton, of Ormsby, County Norfolk, England.
• CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN, arrived in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1676, and became a free man in 1677. (Apparently, he was not a free man when he arrived.)
• JOHN GOODWIN (he of the Salem witch hunts, see John Goodwin), married Martha Lathrop, 2 December 1669, in Boston.
• SEABORN or SIBBORN GOODWIN, married Joseph Phips on 22 December 1670, in Boston.
• DANIEL GOODWIN (the first of our line to immigrate), ran an inn in Kittery, Maine, in 1652.

According to Savage, "Of this name (Goodwin) five had, by 1834, been graduated at Harvard, six at Yale, and nine at other New England colleges."

Daniel (the immigrant) Goodwin's great-grandson, Nathan Goodwin, settled in Argyle, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, probably about the time of the Revolutionary War (it was at this time that a lot of Loyalists moved to Nova Scotia). It is from this line that our branch of the Nova Scotia Goodwins descended.

Dr. Crowell's History of Barrington, Nova Scotia, has Goodwins dating back to 1824.

Another reference is The Goodwin Family of Southwestern Nova Scotia, by Don Goodwin.

Dr. Crowell's book probably is out of print by now. To inquire about either of the above books, contact:

The Barrington Historical Society
Barrington, Nova Scotia, Canada BOW 1EO

You can also contact the Shelburne County Genealogical Society (in Shelburne, Nova Scotia), or the Nova Scotia Genealogical Society for information on these and other books.

Goodwins listed in Dr. Crowell's book are:

• DANIEL GOODWIN of Lower Argyle. In 1824, he married Elizabeth Kenney, daughter of Gamaliel Kenney. Daniel Goodwin is remembered as the teacher of a winter school at Barrington.
  Children of Daniel Goodwin and Elizabeth Kenney:
  • LORENZO GOODWIN married Elizabeth Jeffrey of Argyle.
  • ISAAC GOODWIN married Susan Bethel. Isaac was a carpenter and was master builder of a meeting house at Shag Harbor, and a Methodist Chapel at Port Saxon.
  • One daughter, name unknown.
• THOMAS GOODWIN came from England to Shelburne and Argyle.
  He married Susan Grey, daughter of Susanna (Taylor) Grey.
  Children of Thomas Goodwin and Susan Grey:
  • Thomas Goodwin, married Matilda McComiskey.
    Children of Thomas Goodwin and Matilda McComiskey:
  • Freeman Goodwin, married Patience S. Nickerson.
  • Matilda Goodwin, married John Wilson.
• NICOLAS GOODWIN also came from England to Shelburne and Argyle.
  He married Ruth Knowles, daughter of Nathaniel Knowles.
  Children of Nicolas Goodwin and Ruth Knowles:
  • James Goodwin, married Susan Mathews, daughter of William Mathews.
    Children of James Goodwin and Susan Mathews:
    1. James Goodwin, married Mercy McComiskey, daughter of Daniel McComiskey.
       Children of James Goodwin and Mercy McComiskey:
       • George Goodwin, married:
         1. Susan Nickerson, daughter of Gideon Nickerson.
         2. Rebecca Barss.
       • Maria Goodwin, married Gideon Nickerson, son of Benjamin Nickerson.
       • Thomas Goodwin, married:
         1. Rhoda Nickerson, daughter of Aaron Nickerson.
         2. Maria Swain, daughter of John R. Swain.
       • Ruth Goodwin, married:
         1. Joseph Johnson, son of Joseph Johnson.
         2. Mitchell Madden.
       • Mahala Goodwin, married Palmon Chatwynd.
       • Daniel Goodwin, married Elsie Gordon, Canso, Nova Scotia.
       • James Goodwin, married Mary Reed, New Hampshire.
       • Amelia Goodwin, married:
         1. Lawrence Shauffler.
         2. Sylvanus Baker.
       • Isaac Goodwin, married Sarah Nickerson, daughter of Daniel Nickerson.
    2. Weldon Goodwin, married Dorothy Nickerson, daughter of Aaron Nickerson.
    3. William Goodwin, married Naomi Nickerson, daughter of Amasa Nickerson.
    4. Noah Goodwin, married Jerusha Nickerson, daughter of Amasa Nickerson.
    5. Mary Goodwin, married Ralph Stoddart, son of John Stoddart.
    6. Lavinia Goodwin, married Alexander Forbes, son of Alexander Forbes.
    7. Phebe Jane Goodwin, married Harvey Goodwin, Argyle.
    8. ?? Goodwin, married William Abbot.

The first Goodwin in our line to come to the New World was a Daniel Goodwin, born in Yoxford, Suffolk County, England. We are not sure when he came to the colonies, but there is a record of him running an inn in Kittery, Maine, in 1652. He died in Kittery, circa 1712. See Daniel.

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