John Noble Goodwin
Encyclopedia
John Noble Goodwin was a United States attorney and politician who served as the first Governor of Arizona Territory
. He was also a Congressman
from Maine
and served as Arizona Territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives
.
, to John and Mary (Noble) Goodwin. He was educated at Berwick Academy
and graduated from Dartmouth College
in 1844. Following graduation, Goodwin studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1848. He then began a law practice in South Berwick. Goodwin married Susan Howard Robinson of Augusta, Maine
, on October 27, 1857. The couple had three children, Susie Robinson, Richard Emery, and Howard Robinson, the youngest born on November 7, 1863.
. This was followed in 1860 with a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Though considered hard-working and likable with a moderate approach, Goodwin's single term as a Congressman was described as "undistinguished". He was defeated by 127 votes in his 1862 reelection bid.
Following his defeat, Goodwin began looking for another federal posting. He was supported in the effort by U.S. Senators William P. Fessenden
and Lot M. Morrill
, both of Maine, along with several former colleagues from the House of Representatives. On March 6, 1863, following passage of the Arizona Organic Act
, President Lincoln
appointed Goodwin as Chief Justice of Arizona Territory. When John A. Gurley
, Lincoln's initial appointee for Governor of Arizona Territory, died on August 19, 1863, Goodwin was selected to fill the open position.
. They then took the Santa Fe Trail
, arriving in Santa Fe, New Mexico
on November 26, 1863. The party then crossed into Arizona, and on December 29, 1863 held a ceremony at Navajo Springs
to formally establish the Arizona Territory and administer oaths of office to the territorial officials.
As Congress had not specified the location of the territorial capital, it fell to Goodwin to select an initial location. Tucson
as the largest settlement in the territory had been considered a likely location, but based upon the recommendation of General James H. Carleton who viewed Tucson as full of Mexicans and Confederate sympathizers, Fort Whipple
was instead selected. The governor and his party reached Fort Whipple on January 22, 1864.
Shortly after establishing the temporary capital, Goodwin set out with a military escort on a tour of the new territory. The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the governor with his new territory and to search for suitable locations for a more permanent capital. The mining district near Fort Whipple was seen first, followed by the areas around the Verde
and Salinas
rivers. In April and May, he was in southern Arizona. Following this tour, Goodwin decided to place the new capital at a site near Granite Creek, roughly 20 miles south of Fort Whipple's location. The military camp was moved and on May 30, 1864 the new capital was named Prescott
at a public meeting.
Goodwin's duties encompassed dividing the territory into judicial districts and appointing a variety of officials to conduct governmental tasks. Following an initial census overseen by U.S. Marshal Milton B. Duffield, the governor proclaimed an election for the selection of a territorial legislature and delegate to Congress would occur on July 18, 1864. When the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
convened, Goodwin called for immediate removal of peonage and imprisonment for debt from the set of laws Arizona had inherited from New Mexico Territory
along with creation of a commission to create a new legal code
for Arizona. The governor also asked the legislature to minimize the number of appointed officials, combining multiple part-time positions into a single full-time position were practical. Other topics Goodwin raised with the legislature were taxation and location of the territorial capital.
To deal with Indian deprivations from Apache
and other tribes, Goodwin called for assistance from the U.S. Army along with creation of a volunteer force to combat the hostiles. A force of 350 men and 11 offices was raised and divided into five companies. For peaceful tribes, the governor called for Congress to create reservations along the Colorado river
and appropriate funds to build irrigation systems.
Other efforts Goodwin pursued were establishment of postal routes and creation of schools.
on September 6, 1865, defeating incumbent Charles D. Poston in the process. Soon after, Goodwin left for Washington D. C. leaving Richard C. McCormick behind as Acting Governor. The new delegate did not reach the floor of Congress till January 17, 1866. During the period lasting until McCormick's appointment as governor, Goodwin collected two salaries and did not respond to requests for return of the overpayment for the U.S. Treasury Department.
During his time as a delegate, Goodwin submitted several bills calling for troops to fight hostile Indians, creation of additional postal routes. He also spoke out against the transfer of Pah-Ute County
from Arizona Territory to Nevada
. Goodwin did not seek re-election in 1866.
, where he had gone for health reasons. He was buried in Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta, Maine.
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
. He was also a Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and served as Arizona Territory's Delegate to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Background
Goodwin was born on October 18, 1824, in South Berwick, MaineSouth Berwick, Maine
South Berwick is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,220 at the 2010 census. South Berwick is home to Berwick Academy, a private, co-educational university-preparatory day school founded in 1791...
, to John and Mary (Noble) Goodwin. He was educated at Berwick Academy
Berwick Academy
Berwick Academy is a highly selective preparatory school located in South Berwick, Maine. Founded in 1791, it is the oldest educational institution in Maine and one of the oldest private schools in North America. The school sits on a 72-acre, 11-building campus on a hill overlooking the Salmon...
and graduated from Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
in 1844. Following graduation, Goodwin studied law and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1848. He then began a law practice in South Berwick. Goodwin married Susan Howard Robinson of Augusta, Maine
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, on October 27, 1857. The couple had three children, Susie Robinson, Richard Emery, and Howard Robinson, the youngest born on November 7, 1863.
Maine
Goodwin began his political career in 1854 with his election to the Maine SenateMaine Senate
The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
. This was followed in 1860 with a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Though considered hard-working and likable with a moderate approach, Goodwin's single term as a Congressman was described as "undistinguished". He was defeated by 127 votes in his 1862 reelection bid.
Following his defeat, Goodwin began looking for another federal posting. He was supported in the effort by U.S. Senators William P. Fessenden
William P. Fessenden
William Pitt Fessenden was an American politician from the U.S. state of Maine.Fessenden was a Whig and member of the Fessenden political family...
and Lot M. Morrill
Lot M. Morrill
Lot Myrick Morrill was an American statesman who served as the 28th Governor of Maine, in the United States Senate and as Secretary of the Treasury....
, both of Maine, along with several former colleagues from the House of Representatives. On March 6, 1863, following passage of the Arizona Organic Act
Arizona Organic Act
The Arizona Organic Act was a United States federal law introduced as H.R. 357 in the 2d session of the 37th Congress on March 12, 1862, by Rep. James M. Ashley of Ohio. The Act provided for the creation of the Arizona Territory by the division of the New Mexico Territory into two territories,...
, President Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
appointed Goodwin as Chief Justice of Arizona Territory. When John A. Gurley
John A. Gurley
John Addison Gurley was a U.S. Congressman from Ohio during the early part of the American Civil War. He was appointed as the first Governor of the Arizona Territory, but died before taking office....
, Lincoln's initial appointee for Governor of Arizona Territory, died on August 19, 1863, Goodwin was selected to fill the open position.
Governorship
The Governor's party, consisting of most of Arizona's appointed officials, left Washington, D.C., for Fort LeavenworthFort Leavenworth
Fort Leavenworth is a United States Army facility located in Leavenworth County, Kansas, immediately north of the city of Leavenworth in the upper northeast portion of the state. It is the oldest active United States Army post west of Washington, D.C. and has been in operation for over 180 years...
. They then took the Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
, arriving in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
on November 26, 1863. The party then crossed into Arizona, and on December 29, 1863 held a ceremony at Navajo Springs
Navajo Springs, Arizona
Navajo Springs is a community located on the Navajo Nation, near Holbrook, Arizona. The community is almost exclusively Native American, and a permit is required from the Navajo Nation for off-road travel in that area. During the time of the Old West, this area was frequented by notable western...
to formally establish the Arizona Territory and administer oaths of office to the territorial officials.
As Congress had not specified the location of the territorial capital, it fell to Goodwin to select an initial location. Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
as the largest settlement in the territory had been considered a likely location, but based upon the recommendation of General James H. Carleton who viewed Tucson as full of Mexicans and Confederate sympathizers, Fort Whipple
Fort Whipple, Arizona
Fort Whipple was a U.S. Army post which served as Arizona Territory's capital prior to the founding of Prescott, Arizona. The post was founded by Edward Banker Willis in January 1864 in Chino Valley, Arizona, but was moved in May 1864 to Granite Creek near the present day location of Prescott. ...
was instead selected. The governor and his party reached Fort Whipple on January 22, 1864.
Shortly after establishing the temporary capital, Goodwin set out with a military escort on a tour of the new territory. The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the governor with his new territory and to search for suitable locations for a more permanent capital. The mining district near Fort Whipple was seen first, followed by the areas around the Verde
Verde River
The Verde River is the north and northwestern watershed of the Salt River–Verde River Watershed that co-join and enter the Gila River at Phoenix, Arizona, located in the U.S. state of Arizona...
and Salinas
Salt River (Arizona)
The Salt River is a stream in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the largest tributary of the Gila River. The river is about long. Its drainage basin is about large. The longest of the Salt River's many tributaries is the Verde River...
rivers. In April and May, he was in southern Arizona. Following this tour, Goodwin decided to place the new capital at a site near Granite Creek, roughly 20 miles south of Fort Whipple's location. The military camp was moved and on May 30, 1864 the new capital was named Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
at a public meeting.
Goodwin's duties encompassed dividing the territory into judicial districts and appointing a variety of officials to conduct governmental tasks. Following an initial census overseen by U.S. Marshal Milton B. Duffield, the governor proclaimed an election for the selection of a territorial legislature and delegate to Congress would occur on July 18, 1864. When the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 1st Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which began on September 26, 1864, in Prescott, Arizona, and ran for forty-three days...
convened, Goodwin called for immediate removal of peonage and imprisonment for debt from the set of laws Arizona had inherited from New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
along with creation of a commission to create a new legal code
Legal code
A legal code is a body of law written by a governmental body, such as a U.S. state, a Canadian Province or German Bundesland or a municipality...
for Arizona. The governor also asked the legislature to minimize the number of appointed officials, combining multiple part-time positions into a single full-time position were practical. Other topics Goodwin raised with the legislature were taxation and location of the territorial capital.
To deal with Indian deprivations from Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
and other tribes, Goodwin called for assistance from the U.S. Army along with creation of a volunteer force to combat the hostiles. A force of 350 men and 11 offices was raised and divided into five companies. For peaceful tribes, the governor called for Congress to create reservations along the Colorado river
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and appropriate funds to build irrigation systems.
Other efforts Goodwin pursued were establishment of postal routes and creation of schools.
Territorial delegate
Goodwin was elected to be Arizona Territory's Delegate to the 39th United States Congress39th United States Congress
The Thirty-ninth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1865 to March 4, 1867, during the first month of...
on September 6, 1865, defeating incumbent Charles D. Poston in the process. Soon after, Goodwin left for Washington D. C. leaving Richard C. McCormick behind as Acting Governor. The new delegate did not reach the floor of Congress till January 17, 1866. During the period lasting until McCormick's appointment as governor, Goodwin collected two salaries and did not respond to requests for return of the overpayment for the U.S. Treasury Department.
During his time as a delegate, Goodwin submitted several bills calling for troops to fight hostile Indians, creation of additional postal routes. He also spoke out against the transfer of Pah-Ute County
Pah-Ute County, Arizona
Pah-Ute County is a former county in the northwest corner of Arizona Territory that existed from 1865 until 1871. The majority of the county's territory is now in Clark County, Nevada, including the city of Las Vegas. Due to the transfer of most of the county's land to Nevada, Pah-Ute is known as...
from Arizona Territory to Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. Goodwin did not seek re-election in 1866.
Later life
Following his time as territorial Delegate, Goodwin moved to New York City to be closer to his business interests. He served as Vice-President of the Tiger Mill and Mining Company of New York by the early 1880s. Goodwin died on April 29, 1887 at Paraiso Springs in Monterey County, CaliforniaMonterey County, California
Monterey County is a county located on the Pacific coast of the U.S. state of California, its northwestern section forming the southern half of Monterey Bay. The northern half of the bay is in Santa Cruz County. As of 2010, the population was 415,057. The county seat and largest city is Salinas...
, where he had gone for health reasons. He was buried in Forest Grove Cemetery in Augusta, Maine.