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A Brief History Of The Early Goodwins
Theophilus Goodwin, Sr.
Theophilus Goodwin Sr. was born in Virginia, ca 1709. He married Elizabeth Wyche, daughter of George and Sarah Wyche, ca 1727. Theophilus and Elizabeth had four sons and a daughter in Surry County, Virginia, before they moved to Edgecombe County, North Carolina, in 1737. The boys were Thomas, John, Theophilus Jr., and Henry. The daughter was Sarah. Two other sons, Mark and Peter, were born in North Carolina in the 1740s and a daughter, Amy, was born 1751. In addition to these eight children, Theophilus and Elizabeth Wyche Goodwin were probably the parents of George Goodwin, also born in the 1740s.
In North Carolina, they settled on land purchased from William Hoggett along Conway Creek, a tributary of the Tar River. Theophilus Sr., received land grants along Sandy and Conway Creeks in the years 1742, ‘43, ‘44, ‘45. The grants totaled one thousand three hundred fifty acres. He also received another land grant of five hundred twenty-six acres on Sandy Creek on March 11, 1760. The area where Theophilus Sr., and Elizabeth settled was originally Bertie County. It was subdivided to Edgecombe, then Granville, then Bute and then Franklin. Sandy and Conway creeks are at present in Franklin County, North Carolina.
Elizabeth Wyche Goodwin died ca 1763 and Theophilus Sr. remarried in ca 1765. His second wife was Ann (Nancy/Nanny) Wyche, the daughter of James Wyche, and the first cousin of Elizabeth Wyche, Theo's first wife. Theophilus and Nancy had two boys and one girl. They were Young, born April 7, 1766, David, born ca 1775, and Mary Anne, born May 7, 1780. Nancy is referred to as Nanny, Anne and Nancy in land transactions between 1766 and 1788. She is listed as Nancy in the 1790 census of Franklin County, North Carolina, as head of her own household with one male over sixteen (ca David, about 15), one unkown male under sixteen, and three females (ca herself, her daughter Mary Ann, age ten, and an unknown). Young Goodwin, is listed as the head of his own household in 1790.
Theophilus Goodwin Sr., died in Franklin County, North Carolina, in 1788. His son-in-law, John Myrick, husband of Amy Goodwin Myrick, was one of the executors of his estate.
( For the rest of this summary, all Goodwins with the first name of Theophilus will be assigned a middle initial corresponding to the first letter of their father's first name.)
DESCENDANTS FROM THE FIRST WIFE, ELIZABETH WYCHE GOODWIN.
THOMAS GOODWIN - SON
Thomas Goodwin was born in Surry County, Virginia ca 1727-28. In ca 1749, he married Unity Parish, daughter of Ansil Parish and his wife Elizabeth...last name unknown at the present. Thomas and Unity had one documented son and possibly more children. The known son was Matthew. Thomas Goodwin's brother, Mark, lived with Thomas and Unity in 1771. Thomas died in North Carolina before 1778.
JOHN GOODWIN - SON
John Goodwin was born in Surry County, Virginia ca 1728-29. He married Elizabeth-last name unknown at the present. There is a strong possibility that Elizabeth was the daughter of Ambrose and Amy Wyche Jackson who resided in the Sandy, Shocco, and Conway Creek area of North Carolina close to the time of John and Elizabeth's marriage ca 1750. Amy Wyche Jackson, daughter of James Wyche, was the first cousin of Elizabeth Wyche Goodwin, John Goodwin's mother. The Jacksons moved to the Ninety-Six district of South Carolina in the late 1740s. John and Elizabeth Goodwin moved their family to the same area ca 1772. John Goodwin and Elizabeth had one boy and five girls in North Carolina before their migration to South Carolina. They settled in the Fairforest, Buffalo Creek area of Ninety-Six District, which in 1785 became Union County, South Carolina. Their children in approximate order of birth were: Sampson (1756), Anna (1758), Elizabeth (1760), Sally (1763), Polly (1767), Delila (1771) and Cassandra, born in South Carolina ca 1773.
Anna married James Woodson ca 1775; Elizabeth married Robert Woodson ca 1774; Polly married Thomas Woodson ca1794; Delila married the same Thomas Woodson in the early 1820s; Sampson married Nancy Palmer ca 1784; and Cassandra married Thomas Hays ca 1800.
Cassandra (Cassie) and Thomas Hays, along with their daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Amos Little (son of Jonas Little), migrated to Butler County, Alabama, ca 1820-25. Many Woodson descendants migrated to and settled on lands in Tennessee. Sampson Goodwin remained on his father's original land and died there in 1805 leaving a relatively young family. Sampson named a son Wyche, either after his grandmother on the Goodwin side or possibly after his grandmother on the Jackson side, or possibly both. Sampson also named a daughter, Sandal, a common female name in the Jackson family. Sampson's land was eventually sold by his grandson, Wiley Goodwin, son of Wyche, in 1910.
After the death of his wife, Elizabeth, John Goodwin married Christiana Collyer Plummer in 1795. She was the widow of William Plummer. John Goodwin died in Union County, South Carolina in late 1823 or early 1824
THEOPHILUS GOODWIN, JR. - SON.
Theophilus Goodwin, Jr. was born in Surry County, Virginia ca 1729-30. He married Elizabeth- last name unknown at the present- in North Carolina. He was deeded one hundred seventy-five acres of land in Granville County by his father in 1760. He witnessed several land transactions there in the 1750s, and 60s. In about 1772, Theophilus Goodwin Jr., sold his land and migrated to the Ninety-Six District of South Carolina with his brothers, Mark, George, and John. He settled on land bordering Durbin Creek, a tributary to the Enoree River. In 1785, this land became a part of Laurens County. Children of this marriage were Theophilus T., Solomon, and Thomas. We know from the 1790 census that there were at least three daughters in this family. The 1790 census of Laurens County, South Carolina lists this family with two free white males over 16 and four free white females. Theophilus Goodwin, Jr. died in Laurens County in ca 1795. His wife Elizabeth, is listed as head of her own household in the 1800 census on page 13. Her sons Solomon and Theophilus T. are heads of their own households in this census on pages 14 and 15.
SARAH GOODWIN, - DAUGHTER
Sarah Goodwin was born in Surry County, Virginia in ca 1733. She married Thomas Harris, Jr. in Bute(now Franklin) County, North Carolina in ca 1755. Thomas Harris, Jr. born ca 1730 in Isle of Wight County Virginia, was the son of Thomas Harris, Sr. and Hannah. Sarah and Thomas Harris, Jr. had one known child, Solomon Harris born ca 1758. When Thomas Harris, Jr. died in 1761, Sarah's father Theophilus became the administrator of his estate and in 1772, Sarah's brother Peter, was appointed guardian for Solomon. Sarah's death was sometime after the death of her husband.
HENRY GOODWIN - SON
Henry Goodwin was born in Surry County, Virginia, ca 1735. In 1760, his father deeded him one hundred seventy-five acres of land on Sandy Creek. At about the same time he married Lucy whose surname is unknown. Henry and Lucy had only one child, Theophilus H., born in 1761. Henry Goodwin died August 16, 1765. An inventory of his property was recorded in October, and his estate was settled in December of 1765. Lucy Goodwin was living with her son and his family in Edgefield County, South Carolina, when she died between 1810 and 1820.
MARK GOODWIN -SON
Mark Goodwin was born in Edgecombe (now Franklin) County, North Carolina in about 1740. He migrated to the Ninety-Six District in South Carolina in 1772. There he married Elizabeth Smith, daughter of James Smith, ca 1773. Elizabeth Goodwin, listed as widow of Mark, was given twelve thousand weight of tobacco and one hundred acres of land on Duncans Creek and Little River, from the estate of James Smith in 1796. This one hundred acres was in addition to an earlier one thousand acre land grant in the same area, to James Smith, that was converted to Mark Goodwin. This land became a part of Laurens County in 1785.
Mark and Elizabeth Goodwin's children, listed in the approximate order of birth were, Thomas (1773), Mark Jr. (1774), James (1776), Sarah (Sally), (1778) and Elizabeth (1780). Mark Goodwin died in Laurens County, South Carolina on June 27, 1793. His wife, Elizabeth, carried on the business affairs of this family until her death ca 1820.
GEORGE GOODWIN (SON)
George Goodwin was born in (now) Franklin County North Carolina ca 1743. He married Rebecca,-last name unknown at the present- in North Carolina ca 1869. Rebecca was possibly a Robinson since they named their first son Robinson Goodwin. George and his family migrated to Lincoln County North Carolina, just to the north of the South Carolina line, in the the 1770s. He and his family eventually settled on land he won from the Georgia land lottery in 1805. This land was in Wilkes County Georgia, west of Augusta.
George and Rebecca had the following children: Robinson, Elizabeth, Patsy, Amelia, Amy, Catherine, Henry, William, and Rebecca. George died in Wilkes County Georgia in 1821.
PETER GOODWIN - SON
Peter Goodwin was born in Edgecombe (now Franklin) County, North Carolina ca 1746. He married Elizabeth ----, name unknown at the present, in Franklin County North Carolina ca 1769. In the 1790 census of Franklin County, Peter Goodwin is listed as head of household with himself, his wife, three boys under sixteen, five girls, and five slaves. In November of 1771, Peter was appointed as guardian of a base-born child of Mary Bibbu, Solomon, then seven years old. On August 13, 1772, Peter was appointed guardian of Solomon Harris, orphan of Thomas Harris. Peter Goodwin was appointed Clerk of Court for Franklin County in 1787. Other than these few facts, there has been no further information found on this family.
AMY GOODWIN -DAUGHTER
Amy Goodwin was born in Granville County ( now Franklin ) in 1751. She married John Myrick in Franklin County in 1774. John was the son of Francis Myrick. They had the following children listed in the order of their births: John Goodwin, October 23, 1779; Elizabeth, 1780; Mary Ann, 1781; John Fletcher, 1781; Lucy, January 8, 1782; Martha, 1782; Sarah, 1784; Jordan, 1785; and Amy, 1786. The lapse of time between their marriage and the birth of their first child was very likely because of John’s war duties as a captain in the Seventh Regiment of North Carolina.
John and Amy Myrick migrated to Georgia in 1804-1806, with the families of these children and the families of Amy's half-brothers, Young and David Goodwin. The Myrick families settled on lands in Baldwin County, Georgia. Their lands were between the Oconee and Ocmulgee Rivers.
Amy Goodwin Myrick died in Baldwin County Georgia in 1834 at the age of eighty-three. She is buried in the Myrick Family Cemetery in Baldwin County. John Myrick died in 1835 at the age of eighty-four and is buried by his wife.
THEOPHILUS H. GOODWIN - GRANDSON
Theophilus H. Goodwin was born in Granville (now Franklin) County, North Carolina in 1761. He enlisted in the Infantry of the North Carolina Regiment under Captain Robert Temple in November 1778. This regiment was under the command of Colonel Archibald Lytle. Theophilus H. fought in a losing battle at Stono's Ferry in South Carolina. He received his discharge from Captain Temple in July 1779 after serving nine months.
Theophilus H. Goodwin married Rebecca Bledsoe in 1781. Rebecca was the daughter of William Bledsoe and Amy Runals Bledsoe, the oldest daughter of Sherard and Ann Runals. (Genealogists have continually spelled the name of this family as Reynolds, but in the will of Sherard Runals in 1776, it is spelled Runals throughout.)
Theophilus H. and Rebecca were married in what is now Franklin County, North Carolina, a few miles to the northeast of Louisburg. The following children in the approximate order and dates of birth were born in North Carolina. William (1782); Julius (1784); Wiley (1786); Harris (1787); and Charity (1790). In about 1791, Theophilus H. and Rebecca moved to the Edgefield District of South Carolina and settled on lands owned by Rebecca's brothers, Bartlett and John Bledsoe. There they had seven more children, Gillianna (1792); Henry (1794); Elizabeth (1797); Frances (1800); Young G. (June 4, 1801); Sarah(January 8, 1803); and Jefferson (1806). According to the 1790 census of Wake County, North Carolina, and the 1800, 1810 , and 1820 censuses of Edgefield County, South Carolina, it appears that Theophilus H. Goodwin's mother, Lucy, lived with them until her death between 1810 and 1820 in Edgefield, South Carolina.
Descendants of this family settled in Butler and Bibb counties, Alabama, ca 1825-26. William Goodwin and his wife, Mary Turner Goodwin, lived in Butler County. Julius and Margaret Kinnard Goodwin, Harris and Mary Goodwin, Young G. and Elizabeth Wright Goodwin, Elizabeth Goodwin Andrews and William Andrews, and Charity Goodwin Hatcher with her husband, Dempsey Hatcher, settled in what was Bibb, now Chilton County, Alabama.
Theophilus H. applied for a Revolutionary War pension June 5, 1818 and his pension, at the rate of eight dollars per month started on September 4, 1818. Goodwin was in Edgefield District, South Carolina, and personally appeared before Judge William Deen November 27, 1827 stating that "he has removed" from the State of South Carolina to the State of Alabama, and wishes a transfer from the agent in Charlestown in South Carolina to the agent in Tuscaloosa in Alabama.
Theophilus was in Butler County, Alabama in 1828. On September 1, 1828, Theophilus H. Goodwin requested in Greenville, Butler County, Alabama, that his pension be transferred there. William, his oldest son, had settled in Butler County with his family about three years before. Theophilus H. Goodwin moved across the Alabama River and up Mulberry Creek to Maplesville, Bibb (now Chilton) County, in 1829-34. As mentioned earlier, several children of Theophilus H. and Rebecca Goodwin migrated to this area from Edgefield County, South Carolina, in 1825. The first record available of Theophilus H. Goodwin in Bibb County was his purchase of land there, on December 13, 1834. In Cahaba Land Office records this land was described as Section 33, Township 21, Range 12. In 1837, when his estate was being settled, the land was described as the east half of the southwest fourth of the east half in Section 23, Township 21, Range 12. There are earlier records of a Theophilus Goodwin in Cahaba and Bibb County, but they are the records pertaining to Theophilus Y. Goodwin, born in Franklin County, North Carolina, in 1796, the son of Young Goodwin.
In addition to his children living in Bibb County, Theophilus H. had two half-uncles there, Young and David Goodwin, sons of his grandfather, Theophilus Goodwin, Sr., and the second wife, Nancy Goodwin. A son of Theophilus H. and Rebecca, Julius Goodwin, served two terms as a member of the state legislature from Bibb County, and was appointed by the court to settle the estate of his father in 1837. Julius was referred to as General Julius Goodwin. Another son, Young G., was referred to as Major Young G. Goodwin. These titles were earned while serving in the South Carolina Militia.
Living with Theophilus and Rebecca in Bibb County was an unmarried daughter, Sarah. Sarah Goodwin had one known child, a daughter, Gillianna Goodwin, born ca 1830 who married James Durwood McGee ca 1847. According to copies of store purchases on Theophilus’ bills presented in his estate settlement, another child was living with this family in 1836. His name was Malachi Goodwin. It is believed that he was also one of Sarah's Children. He married Sheby Smith in 1843. Malachi and Sheby Smith Goodwin are listed in the 1850 Texas census with four boys; Samuel H., William Jefferson, Jasper Thompkins, and Wiley N. Sarah Goodwin, died at age ninety-six on October 20, 1899, in Chilton County, Alabama. Her daughter, Gillianna McGee, died on October 6, 1899, 14 days before her mother. Sarah Goodwin is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Chilton County next to her daughter, Gillianna McGee and her son-in-law, James Durwood McGee. There are two unmarked graves in front of her plot, which are considered to be the burial places of her parents, Theophilus H. and Rebecca Goodwin and were so marked in 1998. Theophilus H. Goodwin died in Bibb (now Chilton) County, Alabama, in March, 1837. His wife, Rebecca Bledsoe Goodwin, died sometime after 1839.
WILLIAM GOODWIN - GREAT-GRANDSON
William Goodwin was born in Franklin County, North Carolina, in 1782. William was about nine years old when his family moved from Wake County, North Carolina, to Edgefield County, South Carolina, in 1791-93. He lived with his parents and worked on their farm until he married Mary Turner in Edgefield County, South Carolina ca 1807.
William and Mary Goodwin had five children in Edgefield before they migrated to land in Butler (now Lowndes) County, Alabama, in 1825. They were Harriett, born ca 1808, John M., born April, 1810, Simpson, born March 27, 1817, and Nancy Jane, born May, 1824. Another male child, under 10, was listed in the 1820 Edgefield census and a male, age five to 10 was listed in the 1830 census of Lowndes Co. Alabama. This child did not appear in the 1840 census. Evidently this child was born just before the census in 1820 and either married or died before the 1840 census. Their children born in Alabama and the dates of birth were Henry Claiborne, 1826, Lucinda, 1830, and William R., June 11, 1835. In 1836, William Goodwin received a land grant in Butler County a few miles northwest of Greenville, Alabama. The exact location was in Township 11, Range 14, Section 15, Southeast one/four of Southwest one/four.
William's daughter, Nancy Jane Goodwin, was forty-five years old when she married Rutledge Hatcher in 1870. Her husband died on April 14, 1873. Nancy Jane Hatcher died without a will in 1906, but a petition for letters of admistration of her estate, filed with the Probate Court in Lowndes County, by her nephew, Henry Jefferson Goodwin (son of Simpson),provided valuable information on the family of William and Mary Goodwin. Nancy Jane died January 5, 1906.
The children of William and Mary Goodwin remained in Lowndes and neighboring Butler County and, with the exception of Nancy Jane, raised large families there. William was living with his wife, Mary, and daughter, Nancy Jane, when he died in 1859. Mary was living with her daughter, Nancy Jane Hatcher, when she died in the 1880s. William Goodwin and his wife, Mary, are buried in Poole Cemetery in Palmyra, Lowndes County, Alabama. Many descendants of this family are still living in Lowndes and Butler Counties.
THEOPHILUS T. GOODWIN - GRANDSON
Theophilus T. Goodwin was born in Bute (now Franklin) County, North Carolina, in 1764. At the age of about eight, he migrated with his family to South Carolina. In ca 1792, he married Nancy Bramblett. The known children of Theophilus T. and Nancy Bramblett Goodwin were, Solomon, Thomas, Temperance, Sanford, Silas, Joshua Richard, John, Rebecca, Milberry, and Theophilus, Jr.
This family, along with other Goodwin families, migrated to the Jefferson County area of Alabama in ca 1832. Early descendants of these families settled in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. Theophilus T. Goodwin died in Jefferson County, Alabama on December 11, 1837.
SOLOMON GOODWIN - GRANDSON
Solomon Goodwin was born in Bute (now Franklin) County North Carolina ca1766. He migrated with his parents to the Durbin Creek area of what is now Laurens County South Carolina in ca 1772. He married Elizabeth Bessie Sexton, daughter of Meshack Sexton and Hannah Steere. Solomon and his brother Thomas and their families remained on their lands along Durbins, Duncans, and Beaverdam Creeks, all tributaries of the Enoree River when the majority of their Goodwin kinfolk, including their brother Theophilus T., left for Alabama in ca 1832. In the early 1830s, Solomons three sons, Starling, Solomon Jr., and Harris, migrated west to what is now Dekalb County Georgia. Solomon and Bessie also had two daughters, Sarah Elizabeth Catherine and Issabella A. Solomon’s wife Bessie died in South Carolina, ca 1837 and was buried there.
Solomon moved to Dekalb County, Georgia and lived with his son Harris until his death on December 19, 1849. He was buried at the Nancies Creek Cemetery, Chamblee, Georgia and was later moved to Goodwin’s Cemetery at 3931 Peachtree Road.
MARK GOODWIN, JR. - GRANDSON
Mark Goodwin, Jr. was born in Laurens District, South Carolina ca 1774. He married Tabitha Parsons, daughter of Joseph and Alcey Parsons, ca 1800. Mark, Jr. and Tabitha Goodwin migrated with their family and other Goodwin families to Jefferson County, Alabama in 1832. This migration coincided with the migration of the Theophilus T. Goodwin family. Mark, Jr. and Theophilus T. were first cousins.
Between the years 1802 and 1820, Mark Goodwin, Jr. and Tabitha Parsons Goodwin had nine children. Their names in approximate order of birth were, John, Thomas, Mark III, Elizabeth, Wyche, Sally, Nancy, Peter, and James. Some sources say that two other boys, William and Emanual, born ca 1810, were children of Mark Jr. and Tabitha. Some of Mark Jr. and Tabitha's children and their early descendants settled in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama.
DESCENDANTS OF THE SECOND WIFE, NANCY WYCHE GOODWIN.
YOUNG GOODWIN - SON
Young Goodwin was born in Bute (now Franklin) County, North Carolina, on April 7, 1766. He married Martha Andrews, daughter of Grey Andrews, in 1786. According to the 1790 census of Franklin County, North Carolina, they had one male 16 or under (son, William W.), and three females (ca daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, and the wife Martha).
In 1804-1806, Young and his family, along with his brother, David and his family, migrated to and settled on land in Georgia, Young in Hancock County and David in neighboring Warren County. Some of Young and Martha's children were born in Franklin County, North Carolina. They were: William, Elizabeth, Mary, Theophilus Y., twins John and Emily, born in 1801 and Nauphlet, born ca 1803. Their remaining children were born in Georgia. They were, Young Jr. (1805), Turner Myrick (1808), Martha (1810), Robert (1812), Ann (1814) and Rebecca South Hall (1816).
Turner Myrick Goodwin was very likely named for the Myrick family of John and Amy Goodwin Myrick. John and Amy Myrick's daughter, Lucy Jackson, also named a son Turner Myrick born ca 1812. Amy was the half sister of Young. In 1804-1806, the Myricks left Franklin County, with the Goodwins and settled in Baldwin County, Georgia, adjoining Hancock County.
Young and Martha Goodwin had four children who married in Georgia. William W. Goodwin married Jane Sanders on January, 15, 1815; Elizabeth Goodwin married William Hill ca 1815 and she married her second husband, James Reid in Alabama. Theophilus Y. Goodwin married Eustacia Thompson in 1819 and later married Elizabeth Sims in Alabama; and Mary Goodwin married Richard Bird Jr., in 1814.
The Mississippi Territory was opened for new settlers after the Creek Indian Wars of 1813-1814. The Alabama Territory was created from The Mississippi Territory in 1817. On February 7, 1818, the Territorial Legislature created Cahaba County. Alabama became a state on December 14, 1819. The families of Young and David Goodwin migrated to the Alabama Territory in 1818.
On August 8, 1819, Young and his son, Theophilus Y. Goodwin, witnessed the will of Richard Bird Sr. Richard Bird Jr., husband of Mary Goodwin Bird, was one of the executors. The families of Young Goodwin, his brother, David Goodwin, and Richard Bird Sr., along with the families of their married children, settled on land that became Cahaba County. This land would later be in Bibb County, and at the present is in Chilton County, in and around the town of Maplesville, Alabama.
Turner Myrick Goodwin, Young's son, donated five acres of land to The Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad for right-of-way in 1853. The building of this railroad, giving the cotton growers easier access to the Alabama and Tennessee riverboat traffic, resulted in the old town of Maplesville moving from it's old location to the railroad, a distance of several miles.
Young Goodwin's tombstone is inscribed, "Died in September 1849 at the age of 83". Some genealogical records list Young's date of birth as April 7, 1767, but if the information on his tombstone is correct he was born in 1766. Martha Andrews Goodwin died on August 13, 1852. They are buried in the Goodwin Cemetery in Maplesville. This cemetery is well kept, with readable headstones. Fifteen Goodwins are buried there, including Julius Goodwin (son of Theophilus H.) and his wife, Margaret Kinnard Goodwin.
Young Goodwin was evidently a wealthy man at the time of his death. His will shows that he gave thirty-eight Negroes plus three thousand dollars to his children . This was in addition to the remainder of his estate which he left to his wife, Martha.
DAVID GOODWIN - SON
David Goodwin was born in Bute (now Franklin) County, North Carolina, ca 1775. Around 1800, David married Temperance Andrews, a cousin of Martha Andrews Goodwin, wife of Young. The Franklin County records (F 17: 217) show that David Goodwin, on March 9, 1804 signed a deed of trust to Phillip G. Alston. Franklin records (F 17:216) show that in 1805, Phillip Alston sold his interest in land in Franklin County whereon Theophilus Goodwin formerly lived and David Goodwin afterwards lived.
In 1804-1806 the families of David Goodwin, his brother Young Goodwin, and his half-sister, Amy Goodwin Myrick, left Franklin County, North Carolina, and settled on lands in Georgia. John and Amy Goodwin Myrick settled in Baldwin County. The family of David Goodwin settled in Warren County and the family of Young Goodwin settled in adjoining Hancock County. David and Young moved their families to newly opened lands in Alabama Territory in early 1818 before Alabama became a state. They settled on land in Cahaba County. This area later became Bibb County and eventually Chilton County.
The children of David Goodwin and Temperance Andrews Goodwin were, David, Jr.; Elijah; Louanza Jane; Mary; Lorrain; Temperance; Henrietta; and Andrew Jackson.
MARY ANN GOODWIN - DAUGHTER
Mary Ann Goodwin was born in Franklin County, North Carolina on May 7, 1780. On October 5, 1800?, she married Ira David Portis. Ira Portis purchased land in Mississippi Territory in 1816, before Alabama became a state. This land is now in Clarke County Alabama. Ira and Mary Ann moved to this land in the fall of 1818. Children of this marriage were, Mary Ann; Joseph Pernelle; Solomon Wilder; Samuel Goodwin; David Young; Maria H.; Lavinia; and John Wesley. All of their children were born in Nash County, North Carolina.
Four months after the birth of her son John Wesley Portis and about two months after their move to this new land, Mary Ann Goodwin Portis Died. Her oldest child at that time was Mary Ann age 13. Ira Portis died six years later in 1825.
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Summary
We know that the three sons John, Theophilus Jr., and Mark and a grandson, Theophilus, Henry's son, settled in the Ninety-Six District, or the up country, of South Carolina in the late 1700s. Another brother, George, settled in Lincoln County, North Carolina, just a few miles to the north of them at about the same time. Their children and grandchildren migrated through Georgia to the Lowndes, Bibb, and lower Jefferson County areas of Alabama in 1825 and 1832. The defeat of the Creek Indians in 1814 opened vast areas of rich farm land in the Alabama Territory. When Alabama became a state in 1819, settlers by the thousands began to pour into this new territory. The biggest influx of families settling in central Alabama along the Alabama and Cahaba rivers were from South Carolina. It seems that these South Carolina Goodwins, having heard of this new land with an abundance of waterways, wild fruit and game, hardwood forests, and rich black soil, contracted a severe case of Alabama Fever, succumbed to it, and made their way westward .
From an examination of the ages and places of birth of the Goodwin children listed in the U.S. 1850 census of Alabama , it appears most of these families moved in 1825 and were a part of one huge wagon train. The Jefferson County Goodwins moved in 1832. The pioneer Goodwins, however, were in Alabama before it became a state. They were the families of Young and David Goodwin and their sister, Mary Ann Goodwin Portis. Young and David settled in the Cahaba District. Mary Ann Goodwin Portis, along with her husband, Ira, settled in what is now Clarke County, Alabama.
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