The Farmer- Goode Connection

Col. Eanes, in a personal letter Feb 22, 1935, gave the writer the following information of the Goode family and stated he had personally been over every record mentioned, and others not mentioned, that support those he did mention. Col. Eanes record is as follows:

"Our Virginia Cousins" published about 1887 by George Brown Good was for a long time believed to be a fairly accurate history of the Virginia Goodes. However, in that book, the ancestry of John Goode, a Baptist minister at Skinquarter, Chesterfield Co., Va., was not clear. It was stated that his John Goode's father was Edward Goode, a son of Samuel Goode who was the Barbadian son of John Goode of Whitby. This assertion was made in spite of the fact that the will of Samuel Goode is in existence and in it he mentioned no son by the name of Edward. Mr. George Brown Goode found that there was a tradition among Skinquarter descendants of John Goode of Skinquarter that they descended from an Edward Goode. He simply made himself an Edward, son of Samuel, and let it go at that.

Mr. George Brown Goode was evidently not aware of the fact that there were any Goode immigrants to Virginia except John Goode of Whitby and his brother, Richard Goode, who settled in Essex Co. He found that all of the Goodes in Virginia descended from one of those men. This was a fatal error for there were at least four Goode immigrants. John Goode of Whitby, Richard Goode, brother of John of Whitby, Edward Goode, who came in 1667 for Solomon Knibbs, and also another John Goode of whom there is little known. The family listed below are all descendants of the Edward Goode who came in 1667 for Solomon Knibbs. There is no known connection between this family and the family of John Goode of Whitby and none is believed to have existed unless it was back in England.

No effort will be made here to carry the family back further than the immigration to Virginia. In "Our Virginia Cousins" there may be found quite a bit of information pertaining to the Goode families in England and since the publication of that book there has been additional information found in England on the Goodes, but none of it connects for certain with our first Edward and until such a connection is definitely proved all reference to the English Goodes will be omitted.

GOODE, Edward, b. 1647, presumably in England, d. after 1708; m. Margaret prior to 1679. Immigrated to Virginia as a bonded servant to Solomon Knibbs in 1667, Settled and lived on Four Mile Creek, a small creek in the eastern end of Henrico Co., Va. See Pat. Book 6, pg 52, Va. Land Office. There are also many references to Edward Goode in the Henrico Co records of that time. Issue:

  1. John, b. about 1689. Apprenticed to John Dawson, 1691. Hen. Recs., b. p. 410. See family below.
  2. Edward, b.------- believed younger than brother John; d. prior to May 4, 1781, . Elizabeth Woodson Morton, 17?? John mentions brother Edward in a deed to his sons. Hen Recs. 1744 -48. p. 290

John Goode, b. about 1680; d. after 1752; m. Susanna -------. He lived and owned land on Four Mile Creek and its branches. We find a deed from him to his son Benjamin 1727, misc. court records, Henrico County, Vol 3. p. 707; a deed to his sons Thomas and Edward in which he mentions son, Benjamin; Hen Recs. 1744-48 p. 290 and a deed to daughter Susanna; Hen. Recs. 1750-67 p. 184. Issue:

  1. Benjamin, b. about 1700
  2. Thomas b. ----; d. prior to Sept 13, 1788; m. Elizabeth -----
  3. Edward, . b----- d. prior to Jan 9, 185; m. Mary ------
  4. Susanna, b. ---- d. -----; m. John Clark prior to 1752
  5. John. It is not certain that this was a son of John jr.

Goode, Benjamin, b. about 1700; d. after 1764; m. -------. He lived on a tract of land on Four Mile Creek. Part of this land he deeded to his son, John, in 1757; Hen Recs. 1750-67, p. 510, and another part was deeded to John Goode of Dale Parish, Chesterfield Co., in 1764, Hen Recs. 1750-67, p. 867. Later we find that John and Sarah Goode dispose of the land of these two tracts, reserving for the use of Benjamin, during his life time, certain privileges. Issue:

  1. John b. about 1738; see family below
  2. Robert, b. ----- d. prior to 1792; m. ------. Issue, Edward

Goode, John , b. about 1738 on Four Mile Ceek. Henrico Co., Va.; d. at Skinquarter, (Dale parish) Chesterfield Co., Va., June 12, 1792; m. Sarah Broun, daughter of George Brown, who was bo. Feb 13, 1745, and d. in 1812. Sarah Brouwn was the graddaughter of George Robertson. His will is in Will Book 3, p. 394. John and Sarah lived most of their lives at Skinquarter, Chesterfield CO. He was ordained a Baptist Minister June 18, 1780, and preached at Skinquarter Baptist Church. Will of John Goode is found in Chesterfield W B 1 p. 251. Neither of his daughters Mary nor Susanna were married when John's will was written in 1788 but both were married when Sarah's will was written 1811. Issue:

  1. William b. Oct 25, 1761; d. Sept 27, 1845; m. Phebe Bass
  2. Ann b. Feb 1764; d. Dept 18, 1830; m. David Ford, Mar 13, 1783
  3. Robert, b. June 22, 1766
  4. John b. June 22, 1766; d. after 1814; m. Martha Walthall Cheatham
  5. Margaret, b. July 12, 1770; d.---- ; m. Jesse Butler, Oct 20, 1792
  6. Benjamin , b. Mar 3, 1771; d. July 10, 1830; m. Martha Robertson Dec 8, 1790
  7. Edmund, b Feb 27, 177?; see family below
  8. Joseph b. Apr 4, 1776; d. Oct 13, 1823; m. Judith Watkins Jan 8, 1805
  9. Elizabeth , b. June 9, 1778; d Aug 20, 1821; m. Wm. H Pittman Feb 20, 1798
  10. Mack, b. March 9, 1779; d. about 1840-50; m. Sarah Gates about 1823
  11. Tarpley, b. May 12, 1780; d. Jan 21, 1814; m. Tabitha Cheatham Nov 6, 1809
  12. Mary , b. Jan 10, 1782; d. ---; m. Towns Binns
  13. Susanna, b. Dec 1, 1784; d. Nov 1864; m. 6 Benjamin Farmer Nov 21, 1809

Goode, Edmond, b. Feb 27, 177-. d. prior 1841; m. Patience M Rucks, daughter of James Rucks, May 17, 1802. Edmond, like his father and one or two of his brothers. was a Baptist minister, and like his father, he reared a large family. Issue:

  1. Cyrus, b. about 1803; d. before 1870; m. Martha Phaup, Dec 14, 1835
  2. Elishaba, b. about 1803; d. about 1846; m. William Wilkinson, Feb 14, 1825. (Col RH Eanes is descended from this union. They had one son who surrendered a regiment at Appomatox.)
  3. Mary R. b. Aug 24, 1804; d. June 13, 1842; m. Jos G Woodfin, Mar 10, 1828
  4. Orpha, b. ----; d. Apr 27, 1848; m. Jos G Woodfin, Dec 12, 1843.
  5. Margaret, b.----; d.---; m. Horton or Wharton
  6. Roxanna b.---; d.---; m Sterling S Hillsman OCt 27, 1831
  7. Eunice, b.---;d.----; m. John Phaup, Dec 19, 1841
  8. Hester Damarius, b.---; d.---;m. Beverly Smith
  9. George W., b. about 1848; d. about 1900; m. Martha Forsee, Nov 24, 1838
  10. Edmund, Col CSA, b. July 17, 1822; d.----;m. Sarah Stone, Sept 6, 1854
  11. Asenath A, b---; d---;m. William Smith Dec 13, 1850"

End of Col. Eames Letter.

The following information about John Goode, b about 1739, is found in "The Baptist of Virginia" by Dr. Garnett Regland, Pub. 1955 in a chapter on "Imprisonment of Baptist Ministers" In Essex Co., four Baptist preachers came into the county and constituted a Baptist Church in Mar 1774, which is now known as Mount Zion. They were arrested "for praching and expounding the scriptures contrary to law." They were held in close confinement until the court met seven days after their arrest. They were found guilty and the usual sentence was imposed upon two of them. They gave bond for good behavior for twelve months with John Goode and three other men as their securities.

In another book "Imprisoned Preachers and Religious Liberty in Virginia" by L P Little is the following letter by 9 Dr J E Cook referring to Rev John Goode born 1738. "Please find enclosed my check for $10 to help out on the memorial to Baptist preachers at Chesterfield court house. Besides my interst as a Baptist, I have a personal and family interst in helping to rear this moument. My mother was Susan Goode Farmer, Her great grandfather was Rev John Goode, the first settled pastor of Skinquarter Church, where he died in the pastorate June 12, 1792.

John Good was the first Baptist among my mother's ancestors. John Goode was the first Baptist among my Mother's ancestors. John Goode became a Baptist in this wise. In his youth he lost respect for the established Church, having been fined in Henrico Co for failing to support the Church. He moved to Chesterfield Co., married Sarah Brown and settled near Skinquarter Springs. When they imprisoned Baptist preachers for preaching the Gospel, a fellow feeling and curiosity took him to the court house where they were imprisoned to hear them preach.

He fell under conviction, was baptized and later ordained by Rev William Hichman. Since John Goode there have been nothing but Baptists in my mother's family. Fraternally yours, 9 John Ernest Cook."

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