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John N. Goodwin
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John N. Goodwin
John Noble Goodwin (October 18, 1824 – April 29, 1887) was an American attorney and politician who served as the first governor of Arizona Territory from 1863 to 1866. He was also a congressman from Maine from 1861 to 1863, and a delegate to the United States House of Representatives from Arizona Territory from 1866 to 1867.
Goodwin was born on October 18, 1824, in South Berwick, Maine, to John and Mary (Noble) Goodwin. He was educated at Berwick Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1844. Following graduation, Goodwin studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848. He then began a law practice in South Berwick. Goodwin married Susan Howard Robinson of Augusta, Maine, on October 27, 1857. The couple had three children, Susie Robinson, Richard Emery, and Howard Robinson, the youngest born on November 7, 1863.
Goodwin began his political career in 1854 with his election to the Maine Senate. This was followed in 1860 with a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Though considered hard-working and likable with a moderate approach, Goodwin's single term as a Congressman was described as "undistinguished". He was defeated by 127 votes in his 1862 reelection bid.
Following his defeat, Goodwin began looking for another federal posting. He was supported in the effort by U.S. Senators William P. Fessenden and Lot M. Morrill, both of Maine, along with several former colleagues from the House of Representatives. On March 6, 1863, following passage of the Arizona Organic Act, President Lincoln appointed Goodwin as Chief Justice of Arizona Territory. When John A. Gurley, Lincoln's initial appointee for Governor of Arizona Territory, died on August 19, 1863, Goodwin was selected to fill the open position.
The Governor's party, consisting of most of Arizona's appointed officials, left Washington, D.C., for Fort Leavenworth. They then took the Santa Fe Trail, arriving in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on November 26, 1863. The party then crossed into Arizona, and on December 29, 1863, held a ceremony at Navajo Springs to formally establish the Arizona Territory and administer oaths of office to the territorial officials.
As Congress had not specified the location of the territorial capital, it fell to Goodwin to select an initial location. Tucson as the largest settlement in the territory had been considered a likely location, but based upon the recommendation of General James H. Carleton who viewed Tucson as full of Mexicans and Confederate sympathizers, Fort Whipple was instead selected. The governor and his party reached Fort Whipple on January 22, 1864.
Shortly after establishing the temporary capital, Goodwin set out with a military escort on a tour of the new territory. The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the governor with his new territory and to search for suitable locations for a more permanent capital. The mining district near Fort Whipple was seen first, followed by the areas around the Verde and Salinas rivers. In April and May, he was in southern Arizona. Following this tour, Goodwin decided to place the new capital at a site near Granite Creek, roughly 20 miles south of Fort Whipple's location. The military camp was moved and on May 30, 1864, the new capital was named Prescott at a public meeting.
Goodwin's duties encompassed dividing the territory into judicial districts and appointing a variety of officials to conduct governmental tasks. Following an initial census overseen by U.S. Marshal Milton B. Duffield, the governor proclaimed an election for the selection of a territorial legislature and delegate to Congress would occur on July 18, 1864. When the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature convened, Goodwin called for immediate removal of peonage and imprisonment for debt from the set of laws Arizona had inherited from New Mexico Territory along with creation of a commission to create a new legal code for Arizona. The governor also asked the legislature to minimize the number of appointed officials, combining multiple part-time positions into a single full-time position where practical. Other topics Goodwin raised with the legislature were taxation and location of the territorial capital.
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John N. Goodwin
John Noble Goodwin (October 18, 1824 – April 29, 1887) was an American attorney and politician who served as the first governor of Arizona Territory from 1863 to 1866. He was also a congressman from Maine from 1861 to 1863, and a delegate to the United States House of Representatives from Arizona Territory from 1866 to 1867.
Goodwin was born on October 18, 1824, in South Berwick, Maine, to John and Mary (Noble) Goodwin. He was educated at Berwick Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1844. Following graduation, Goodwin studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1848. He then began a law practice in South Berwick. Goodwin married Susan Howard Robinson of Augusta, Maine, on October 27, 1857. The couple had three children, Susie Robinson, Richard Emery, and Howard Robinson, the youngest born on November 7, 1863.
Goodwin began his political career in 1854 with his election to the Maine Senate. This was followed in 1860 with a successful run for the U.S. House of Representatives. Though considered hard-working and likable with a moderate approach, Goodwin's single term as a Congressman was described as "undistinguished". He was defeated by 127 votes in his 1862 reelection bid.
Following his defeat, Goodwin began looking for another federal posting. He was supported in the effort by U.S. Senators William P. Fessenden and Lot M. Morrill, both of Maine, along with several former colleagues from the House of Representatives. On March 6, 1863, following passage of the Arizona Organic Act, President Lincoln appointed Goodwin as Chief Justice of Arizona Territory. When John A. Gurley, Lincoln's initial appointee for Governor of Arizona Territory, died on August 19, 1863, Goodwin was selected to fill the open position.
The Governor's party, consisting of most of Arizona's appointed officials, left Washington, D.C., for Fort Leavenworth. They then took the Santa Fe Trail, arriving in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on November 26, 1863. The party then crossed into Arizona, and on December 29, 1863, held a ceremony at Navajo Springs to formally establish the Arizona Territory and administer oaths of office to the territorial officials.
As Congress had not specified the location of the territorial capital, it fell to Goodwin to select an initial location. Tucson as the largest settlement in the territory had been considered a likely location, but based upon the recommendation of General James H. Carleton who viewed Tucson as full of Mexicans and Confederate sympathizers, Fort Whipple was instead selected. The governor and his party reached Fort Whipple on January 22, 1864.
Shortly after establishing the temporary capital, Goodwin set out with a military escort on a tour of the new territory. The purpose of the tour was to familiarize the governor with his new territory and to search for suitable locations for a more permanent capital. The mining district near Fort Whipple was seen first, followed by the areas around the Verde and Salinas rivers. In April and May, he was in southern Arizona. Following this tour, Goodwin decided to place the new capital at a site near Granite Creek, roughly 20 miles south of Fort Whipple's location. The military camp was moved and on May 30, 1864, the new capital was named Prescott at a public meeting.
Goodwin's duties encompassed dividing the territory into judicial districts and appointing a variety of officials to conduct governmental tasks. Following an initial census overseen by U.S. Marshal Milton B. Duffield, the governor proclaimed an election for the selection of a territorial legislature and delegate to Congress would occur on July 18, 1864. When the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature convened, Goodwin called for immediate removal of peonage and imprisonment for debt from the set of laws Arizona had inherited from New Mexico Territory along with creation of a commission to create a new legal code for Arizona. The governor also asked the legislature to minimize the number of appointed officials, combining multiple part-time positions into a single full-time position where practical. Other topics Goodwin raised with the legislature were taxation and location of the territorial capital.
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