.Thomas W. Goddard.
contributed by: Pat Drees
. Peshtigo Times.
.Wednesday March 17, 1965 .
 |
.Tom Goddard, 96, Peshtigo Fire Survivor Dies .
The list of survivors of the Peshtigo Fire of Oct. 8, 1871 was reduced to three with the death Sunday, March 14, of Thomas W. Goddard, 90, pioneer resident of Beaver. The fire was the world's most disastrous forest fire that rained death and total destruction on Peshtigo during a holocaust still unequaled in the tragic annals of history. Throughout, the years the PESHTIGO TIMES has been keeping records on such survivors. Still alive are Mrs. Amelia Desrochers, 99, of the Pel Bar. Convalescent Home in Peshtigo, Mrs. Carrie Hoppe, 94, of Green Bay and Joseph Prue, 94, of Gridley, Calif.
Mr. Goddard died at 12:15 in the Pel-Bar Convalescent Home in Peshtigo following a brief illness.
He was born Sept. 1, 1868 at Ramsbury, England. At the age of three he came to the United States with his parents settling at Peshtigo Harbor. The trip from England was made on a sailing ship and took three months and 14 days to cross the Atlantic ocean. At the age of six he moved with his parents to the Town of Beaver where he had resided since. On Dec. 6, 1900 he was married to Mary Ann Reid at Beaver. During his early years he was employed in logging operations by the Peshtigo Lumber Company, and in the later years operated a farm at Beaver retiring in 1940. For the past seven years he and Mrs. Goddard have resided with a daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. John Holley at Beaver. Mr. and Mrs. Goddard celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1960.
He is a member of St. Pauls Episcipal church in Maririette, and a member of the Peshtigo Masonic Lodge since 1905. Several years ago he served for a period of 25 years as treasurer of the Beaver school board.
Surviving are his wife; five daughters, Mrs. Golbert (Agnes) Henderson of Wilson, Mich., Mrs. Clem (Erna) DuPuis and Mrs. Clem (Edna) Gostomski both of Milwaukee, Mrs. Leslie (Ethel) Moore of Detroit, Mich., and Mrs. John (Lillian) Holley of Beaver; four sons, Leonard and Melvin of Beaver and Thomas and Harold of Marinette; 23 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday, Mar. 17. at 1 p.m. at the Rhodes Mortuary, Colernan, and at 2 p.m. at St. Pauls Episcopal church in Marinette with Rev. James Brown of St. Marks Episcopal church, Oconto, officiating. Interment will be made in Riverside cemetery at Peshtigo.
[Note: Thomas Goddard age 3, and his sister
Susan age 1 survived the Peshtigo Fire with their parents Thomas and Elizabeth
Goddard at Peshtigo Harbor on the night of Sunday, October 8, 1871.
Thomas W. and his parents were born in England, Susan M. was born in New
York just after their arrival in North America. Another child, Mary
M. Goddard was born to the couple in Peshtigo, Wisconsin, 1874. By 1880
Thomas Goddard was dead and Elizabeth had married (27 Jan 1877) Fred Slatcher
born in England, and the family with the three step-children were living
in Peshtigo where Fred worked. Before his marriage in 1900 Thomas Goddard
was farming in town of Coleman as head of the household. Living with him
were his widowed mother Elizabeth Goddard Slatcher, his widowed sister
Susan Goddard Scott and nephew Clifford Scott (born February 1892 in Wisconsin).
The census that year has Thomas Goddard (born September 1868) immigrating
in 1871. His mother Elizabeth (born December 1832) lived on widow''s pension
and his sister Susan (born January 1871) was a servant.] Please
also see: Peshtigo
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