Biography - George A. Goddard
GEORGE A. GODDARD. An excellent representative of the teaching force of
Johnson county, George A. Goddard, principal of the Goreville schools, is
widely and favorably known in educational circles as a progressive and
capable instructor, who has won success in his professional career through
his own merits. A son of Francis M. Goddard, he was born July 5, 1877, on a
Union county farm, of pioneer stock. His grandfather, George Goddard, a
native of Pennsylvania, came to Southern Illinois in early days and settled
in Union county as a pioneer farmer.
Francis M. Goddard was born and brought up in Union county, Illinois, being
reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1893 he moved with his family to Texas,
where he resided four years. Returning to Illinois in 1897, he purchased
eighty acres of land in Johnson county, one and one-half miles northeast of
Goreville, and has since devoted his time and energies to the improvement of
his property, his farm being under a good state of cultivation. He married
Martha A. Gurley, and to them six children have been born, one of whom,
Edgar, died in infancy, and five are living, as follows: George A., the
subject of this sketch; John W.; Oscar M.; Leva; and Leona.
Acquiring the rudiments of his education in the rural schools of Union
county, Illinois, George A. Goddard subsequently lived in Texas four years,
and while there attended the high school at Howe. He completed his early
studies at the Southern Illinois University, in Carbondale. and with the
exception of a year spent as a merchant in Buncombe, Johnson county, has
been engaged in teaching since 1897, during the entire time having taught in
Johnson county. For six years Mr. Goddard taught in the Salem district, and
in 1905 and 1906 had charge of the Buncombe consolidated schools, Buncombe
having been the second town in Illinois to adopt the progressive course of
consolidating its schools. In 1907 he was engaged in mercantile pursuits,
and in 1908 and 1909 was principal of the schools in Cypress. In 1910
Professor Goddard accepted his present position as principal of the
Goreville schools, and has since served in a most creditable manner. These
schools have an enrollment of one hundred and ninety pupils, and employ four
teachers, who take the scholars through the grammar grades and through the
first two grades of high school, their work being thorough in every respect.
Mr. Goddard married, in 1908, Esther Goddard, daughter of William and Fannie
(Sturdevant) Goddard, of Buncombe. Since 1897 Mr. Goddard has been a
resident of Buncombe, and a citizen of prominence. He is much interested in
agriculture, having charge of a farm of one hundred and thirty acres lying
near Buncombe, and likewise having title to four hundred and forty acres of
timber land in Arkansas. Mr. and Mrs. Goddard have one child, Walter 'Owen
Goddard. Fraternally the Professor is a member of Banner Camp, No. 8366,
Modern Woodmen of America, at Buncombe; and of Goreville Lodge, No. 797,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Goreville. Both he and his wife are
members of the Presbyterian church.
Extracted 14 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 682-683.
