Butte County
Biographies
HORACE SEYMORE GOODMAN
HORACE SEYMORE GOODMAN.—A successful
business man, a kind neighbor and an indulgent husband and father, the late
Horace Seymore Goodman left the impress of his
character on the community and an untarnished name to his posterity. He was born in Peoria,
Ill., November 27, 1863, a son of John and
Mary (Hill) Goodman. John Goodman was
born in the Empire State,
but settled near Peoria, Ill.,
where he was a farmer for a time. He
removed to Bondville, that same state, where he and
his wife both passed away. They had five
children, of whom Horace Seymore was the third in
order of birth.
Young
Goodman attended the public schools of Peoria
and Bondville and was reared to a farmer’s life under
the guidance of his father. On April 6,
1887, he married Miss Ella Cade, a native of Seymour, Ill.,
a daughter Simon and Sarah (Ashcraft) Cade, born in Lincolnshire,
England, and Ohio,
respectively. Simon Cade came to the United
States when he was eighteen and settled in Illinois
where he farmed and raised stock, and where he died. His widow still lives on the home farm
there. She is descended from New
England ancestors.
After the marriage of H. S. Goodman, he bought a farm of two hundred
acres near Bondville, paying forty-five dollars per
acre. This he fully improved by tiling
and soon had it leased to advantage, as he was engaged in the agricultural
implement business in Bondville, continuing till
1905, at which time he sold the farm for one hundred fifty-five dollars per
acre, and disposed of his business to good advantage. In 1904 he took a trip to California
for his health, which had become impaired by too close application to business
cares. As he traveled over the state he
was very much impressed with its great resources and he made up his mind he
would locate here. Accordingly upon his
return he closed out his interests and moved to this state. He first bought nine hundred sixty-four acres
northeast of Butte City,
then added seven hundred sixty more; he then sold
three hundred acres, and upon the balance raised grain and stock. He made many improvements, sunk wells on the
different ranches and installed pumping plants with gas engines to pump the
water for his cattle. He used only the
most modern machinery—a seventy-five horse-power Best caterpillar engine for
plowing and a combined harvester to gather his grain.
In 1903, wishing
to give his children the advantage of the schools of the city, Mr. Goodman
moved to Chico Vecino, where he erected a fine home
on Fourth Avenue and
Esplanade, besides investing in other residence properties. He was very progressive, was the leader in
having the telephone line built, aided in securing the new county road by
giving a strip sixty feet wide and a mile and a half long, through his
property, and was always working to have Chico Vecino
annexed to Chico.
Fraternally Mr.
Goodman was a member of the Knights of Pythias and
the Court of Honor. He was a member of
the Presbyterian Church, and politically he supported Democratic
candidates. While living in Bondville, Ill.,
he served as postmaster for years, besides being township school
treasurer. He died in Chico,
on May 14, 1917, leaving a widow and five children: Howard, Elmer, Brian, Iva,
and Hubert, all in California.
The three eldest sons are married; Elmer has a son, Elmer Boyd; and Brian has a
daughter, Jane. Since the death of Mr.
Goodman the interests left by him have been well looked after by Mrs. Goodman,
who is assisted by her sons, Howard and Brian, who operate the ranch. In caring for these interests Mrs. Goodman
has demonstrated much business ability.
She holds the good will and esteem of a large circle of friends
throughout Butte County.
Transcribed 4-8-08
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: "History
of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 855, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
©
2008 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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