Gardner L Goodrich

Gardner Lacy Goodrich was the son of Rhoda Slade and George Albert Goodrich. This son was given his two grandparents' last names, Gardner and Lacy.

When he was nearly two years old the family moved to Vernal, Utah in a wagon pulled by a team of horses. In Vernal they lived at a grist mill where George Albert ran the mill for Kirk Johnson. Gardner being very young at this time didn't remember much about his ife except dragging wooden chains around for recreation. His father was a great checker player and Gardner remembers bringing the checkerboard to his father at the mill to play against "Old Man Jarvey".

The Goodrich family stayed at the mill for about two years and when Gardner was four years old they moved to Merrell Ward, now known as Naples, where they lived in the William Gagon home. The three wives of George Albert, Eliza, Harriet and Rhoda lived together in this home for a short time and then Rhoda and family moved back to the mill in Maeser.

In the year 1889 was the terrible epidemic. It took its toll on the Goodrich family. Six of Gardner's brothers and sisters succumbed to this dreaded disease. Gardner never thought of these brothers and sisters as half brothers and sisters. Gardner said "I remember Lou (his half brother) coming to tell Dad that one more of his children passed away." The disease caused such a fear and panic among the people that the dead had to be buried at night.

His mother was a firm believer in education. This is illustrated by the fact that she taught school for twenty years. She was Grad's first teacher. She made sure Gardner and his brother Leslie (six months older) had no chance to play hookey. This was a one-room school building with 83 pupils ranging in grades one to eight.

Rhoda's family had moved on a farm next to Aunt Harriet's family. The children walked 2 1/2 miles to school. When Rhoda taught school, they had a horse and cart to ride to school . When winter came the children had no overshoes and often got their feet frozen and suffered chilblains.

Leslie and Gardner were just as mischievious as the next boy. At one time they tied a piece of bacon rind on a string and put it in a mouse hole. When the mouse nibbled the boys jerked the string and mouse into the air causing screams from the girls in the class.

While herding cows a rattler bit Gardner's dog. He thought his beloved pet would die, but he took him home and fed him grease and milk. The next day he was better.
Singing and dancing were first pleasures of Gard's. His sister's Rhoda and Abbie taught him to dance as well as sing. The girls would sing the lead and Gard would sing alto. When he was older he loved to sing tenor, but while catching he was hit with the baseball. For a short time he had no voice and when he regained it he could only sing bass.

Gardner was always a lover of a good horses and animals. His father once said "If you want a good job done on horses, get Gardner to do it."

Gard was 29 years old when he married Jennie E. Case in the Salt Lake Temple. They lived with Sylvia and Fred until spring, at which time they moved on their own homestead into a one-room house.

Their first child, a boy was born July 22, 1914. In the local paper a little item came out annoucing his birth. "Mr. and Mrs. Gardner Goodrich have a little ball player. There isn't much player yet, but there's plenty of bawl."

Jennie and Gardner moved into the old Heber Powell place. This building still stands and is a granary. The house had served as a school house, church house, dance hall and home. Garda, Delores and Jeanne were born in this house.

In December of 1926 Gardner moved his family into their new home. Mr. Blanchard built the home for Gardner using adobes that Gardner had made himself for insulation. Floyd and Garda had led the horse aroung in making adobes. Jennie and the children also helped lathe.

Jenny and Gardner were married 48 wonderful years. Jenny devotedly stood by his side at all times, and proved to be a pillar of strength.

- Garda Goodrich Seeley and Marilyn Goodrich Young, The George Albert Goodrich Family Book, by Hazel Manwaring Hilbig

* Check out the Goodrich Family Organization