Josiah Clinton Goodwin

GOODWIN, JOSIAH CLINTON (1844-1934) ~ Josiah Clinton Goodwin, Confederate Veteran, was born January 23, 1844, to Newton Goodwin and Jane Wakefield, both of North Carolina. Newton and Jane married in Tennessee and then moved to Talledega, Alabama where Josiah was born.
When Josiah was 15, he and his family moved to Arkansas, lived there for one year, and then headed to Texas in 1860, moving to Hood County and eventually settling in Johnson Coutny. Newton planted a farm and an orchid and Josiah helped to work the family farm.

On January 16, 1862, just seven days shy of his 18th birthday, Josiah mustered into Company I of the 10th Texas Infantry as a sergeant. Sgt. Goodwin fought and served the 10th Texas Infantry until it‘s capture at Arkansas Post. Sgt. Goodwin was then transferred to the 31st Cavalry until his honorable discharge on or about June 1, 1865.

After the war, Josiah returned home and attended Oakland College in Johnson County. While in college he married Sarah Margaret Cornelius, of Arkansas, on December 19, 1867. They had four known children: Jackson C.; Josiah Newton; Charles Augustus; and Hartwell Albert. After Josiah‘s education was complete, he began farming and stock raising.

In 1874, Newton‘s, Josiah‘s father, health began to fail and he and his wife, Jane returned to Alababma where Newton died on January 2, 1875. Jane, Josiah‘s mother, went to live with a daughter in Arkansas and is presumedly buried there.

Four years after his father‘s death, Josiah lost his wife of 12 years. Sarah died on April 3, 1879 and is buried presumedly in Johnson County, Texas.

After his wifes death, Josiah continued farming and stockraising. He never remarried. In 1917, Josiah moved east outside of Nashville, Tennessee where he sought work at Dupont‘s Powder Works. He became injured while working there and was hospitalized for four months. After his hospitalization, he returned to Fort Worth, Texas. In 1920, he is shown to be living and working as a propreiter of a ranch in Peach Springs, Arizona. By 1930, Josiah was living in Texas again, this time settling in El Paso where he remained until April 16, 1933, when he was admitted to the Confederate Men‘s Home. There, Sergeant Goodwin passed away December 13, 1935, and was interred in the State Cemetery two days later.

Sources: Confederate Home Roster, Confederate Pension Application, Death Certificate, US Federal Census (1860-1920); Hood County Texas Genealogical Society from The History of Texas Published in 1896; Compiled Military Service Records; and Scott McKay.