GEORGE L. GOODRICH

George Leonard Goodrich was born to Eliza Ann Taggart and George Albert Goodrich.

George spent his infancy in Salt Lake City, Utah. In about 1872 George's father settled in Morgan County, and there George spent his teen years. Shortly before his parents moved to Ashley Valley (Vernal) in 1885 George went to the Sugar City area in the Snake River Valley of Idaho and filed on 160 acres of land. When his family moved to Naples, however, George followed them and relinquished his claim in Idaho. He was well educated for those days and hoped to be a school teacher in Ashley Valley, but someone else had more influence and got the job he wanted. George was especially good in arithmetic.

George soon fell in love with a local girl, Marion Vilate Remington, and they traveled in a covered wagon to Logan, where they were married on October 28, 1886 in the Logan Temple, Logan, Utah.

The young couple made their home in Joseph (Jode) Remington's granary at Naples, which was a brand-new settlement in a wild country. Their first child, Laura, was born there in 1887. The following year they moved into a part of Harriet Merrell's (Marion's sister) house, while George built a home on his farm. From 1889 until 1920 they lived in this farm home, then in the latter part of that year they moved into another home up the street where Birchell now lives. George moved back in the old farm house after Marion's death in 1925 and stayed there the remaining few years of his life.

George had 69 acres of land which his boys later helped him farm. He also worked at odd jobs for a while. During the late 1880s and into the 1890s, under a government contract, he cut and hauled cedar cordwood, as well as hay and grain, to the military post at Fort Duchesne, subcontracting part of his orders to other suppliers. Also, during the early 1890s he started buying and raising cattle, and this was one of his main enterprises for the next ten years or so, until he sold them to buy the store in Naples.

George had a partnership in the Naples store for a short period during perhaps the 1890s to the turn of century, but sold it. George and Marion borrowed money to buy the entire interest in the store. They kept the store and ran it until 1918.

His children remember George as being kind, generous, mild, pleasant and considerate--but firm. Their children were: Laura Violet Goodrich, George Remington Goodrich, Carlie Remington Goodrich, Jerome Remington Goodrich, Birchell Remington Goodrich, Helen Remington Goodrich, Joseph Afton Goodrich and Esther Remington Goodrich.
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Geo. L. Goodrich, Dies After Long Illness. State Road Agent Passes to Great Beyond After Suffering for Many Months with Cancer of Stomach - Funeral Services Held Tuesday.

After having undergone intense suffering for many months with cancer, George L. Goodrich of Naples, state highway foreman for Uintah County, passed away to the great beyond on Saturday morning. His many friends will be pained to hear of his death.

The deceased was the son of George Albert Goodrich and Eliza Ann Taggart and was born at Salt Lake City October 30, 1863. He married Marion Vilate Remington Oct 28, 1886 at Logan, Utah, his wife being the daughter of Jerome N. Remington and Lydia Ripley Badger Remington of Salt Lake City and Paradise, Utah. The children born to this happy marriage were Laura Violet Goodrich, George Remington Goodrich, Charles Remington Goodrich, Jerome Remington Goodrich, Birchell Remington Goodrich, Helen Remington Goodrich, Joseph Afton Goodrich and Esther Remington Goodrich.

He was a High Priest in the LDS church and at one time in the Sunday School superintendency and stake YMMIA, with the late William H. Gagon as superintendent, he had also been counselor to former Bishop Thomas J. Caldwell of Naples Ward. Served eight years as constable, road supervisor twelve years and a one-time president of Ashley Central Irrigation Company and proprietor of the George L. Goodrich Merchantile Company. As a settler in Ashley Valey since 1885, he has assisted in building up this country.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon in the Naples ward meeting house, account of which will appear in next week's issue of the Express.

-Vernal Express, September 25, 1930
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GEO L. GOODRICH

Geo L. Goodrich has some burnt eyebrows, etc. as the result of a gas explosion in the new school house furnace, the early part of the week. George has been starting the fire in the furnace every morning and on the occasion referred to, had just about completed his job when an explosion took place blowing open the furnace door and pouring a stream of fire and coals into his face and fairly shaking the building.

The explosion is supposed to have been due to the accumulation of gas in the furnace before the cold air had been driven out of the flues and a draft obtained. No other damage was done.

-Vernal Express, January 11, 1902, transcribed by Rhonda Holton

* Check out the Goodrich Family Organization