Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

Godryke, Goodryke, Guthrich, Gultiridge,
to Goodridge. During all these changes
the significance of the root of the name
has not been changed, nor has the suffix,
and we find the name meaning as it did
originally "Rich in God," or "Rich in
Goodness," derived from God, meaning
good, and the suffix ric, rick or rich,
meaning rich. We find it stated in In-
gulph's "History of the Abbey of Croy-
land" that Father Godric was elected
Abbot in the year 870. One of the earli-
est evidences of the establishment of the
family is the famous old Goodrich Castle
on the eastern bank of Wye in Hertford-
shire. This antedates the battle of Hastings.
Beacuse of its loyalty to the King
it was dismantled and destroyed by the
Roundheads in the spring of 1647. Its
ruins, still standing on a commanding
eminence, show it to have been a typical
medieval fortified castle such as was
built by the Saxons and later improved
and added to by the Normans. It is
to-day one of the most picturesque and
most interesting remains among the many
that are to be found in that part of Eng-
land. The Domesday Book shows that
the landholders among the Goodrich fam-
ily were then numerous and prominent.
The English ancestors of the progenitor
of the Goodrich family in America are not
definitely known.
William Goodrich, the founder of the
Connecticut family, was born in what is
now Hessett, Bury St. Edmunds, County
Suffolk, England. He most probably
came to America with his brother John,
settling in Wethersfield, where he married,
on October 4, 1648, Sarah, daughter
of Matthew and Elizabeth Marvin, of
Hartford. On May 5, 1656, he was admitted
as a freeman, and in 1662 he was
deputy to the General Court and also
served on the Grand Jury. He was ensign
of the train band in 1676, in which year
he died.
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
201
William (2) Goodrich, son of William
(1) and Sarah (Marvin) Goodrich, was
born February 8, 1661, and lived in Wethersfield.
He was twice married, marry-
ing for his first wife Grace, daughter of
John and Grace Riley, on November 22,
1680. She died October 23, 1712.
Lieutenant Joseph Goodrich, son of
William (2) and Grace (Riley) Goodrich,
was born February 29, 1691, and
died January 31, 1768. He resided in
Wethersfield, and on December 23, 1714,
married Mehitable, daughter of Nathaniel
Goodwin.
Nathaniel Goodrich, son of Lieutenant
Joseph and Mehitable (Goodwin) Good-
rich, was born July 15, 1717, and resided
in Wethersfield, where, on August 25,
1743, he married Martha Deming.
Isaac Goodrich, son of Nathaniel and
Martha (Deming) Goodrich, was born
March 23, 1752. He married Elizabeth
Raymond, February 15, 1784; she was
born in New London, November 25, 1761,
and was buried on June 3, 1833, at the
age of seventy-two years. Isaac Goodrich
died at Waterford, New London,
September 27, 1813.
Deacon Joshua Goodrich, son of Isaac
and Elizabeth (Raymond) Goodrich, was
born at Wethersfield, December 5, 1789.
Throughout his life he engaged in agri-
cultural pursuits. He was a Republican
in politics, and a member of the Congre-
gational church. He was a substantial
citizen, well known, and of upright char-
acter, and had the respect and esteem of
all those who knew him. Deacon Good-
rich married (first) February 14, 1882,
Clarissa Francis, who died at the age of
thirty-six and was
1834. He married
buried December 4,
(second) Mary A.
Welles, born November 8, 1808, died
March 23, 1873. The children of the
first marriage were : Joseph, baptized
August 31, 1823; Caleb Raymond, bap-
tized August 28, 1825, died December 31,