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- SAMUEL J. GOODWIN, proprietor of the "Goodwin Hotel"
and
- "Goodwin Opera House;" came to Wisconsin Oct. 1,
1868, and located at Beloit; he was born in Madison, Madison
Co., N.Y., where he was employed as clerk in a dry-goods store,
and when 21 years of age, bought out the establishment and carried
it on for about five years with good success; he then removed
to Waterville, Oneida Co., N.Y., where he accepted a situation
as clerk in a dry goods and grocery house, as a test of the business.
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- In the fall of 1838, he came West and engaged in selling
woolen goods to the trade, and in May, 1840, he returned to Waterville
and took full charge of BACON & GOODWIN's woolen-mills, of
which he and his brother controlled and owned a one-fourth interest;
in 1842, he bought out his brother's interest; in 1838, the factory
was entirely destroyed by fire, and was rebuilt in 1839; in 1840,
when Mr. GOODWIN assumed full charge of the new mill, it was
turning out 210 yards per day of sheeps gray cloth, which he,
by his energy, increased to from 430 to 470 yards per day; the
mill was a grand success, and financially prosperous. From Waterville
he went to New Haven, where he was stockholder and acting manager
of the Malleable Iron Company; in 1857, he returned to Waterville,
where, in connection with his brother, they sold out all their
interest, consisting of the woolen-mill, two grist-mills, tannery
and resident property, which they divided between them; Mr. GOODWIN
was also engaged in the manufacture of S. GOODWIN's improved
patent single action bevel-faced paint-mills, at that place,
and is still manufacturing them at Beloit; in 1858 he went to
Moline, where he formed the Moline Water-Power and Manufactory,
which a capital of $200,000, of which he was manager and Secretary;
in the spring of 1861, he went to Rockton, Ill., and engaged
in farming, which he is carrying on to this day. In 1868, he
bought the property known as the Fenwick House, now known as
the GOODWIN House. Mr. GOODWIN was Mayor of Beloit in 1870. He
married, On Sept. 20, 1840, Margaret BACON, daughter of Reuben
BACON, of Waterville, N.Y.; he has one child - Charles D. GOODWIN.
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- Taken from "The History of Rock County, Wis."
(c)1879, pp. 749-750; lithograph p. 613.
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- Courtesy of Carol
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