Enos Goodrich Biography, Tuscola and Genesee Counties Michigan

This Biography extracted from “Portrait and Biographical Record of 
Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan…”, published be Chapman 
Bros., Chicago (1892), p. 1045-1046

This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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ENOS GOODRICH. In the fall of 1835 our subject, with his brother, Moses Goodrich, 
came from Erie County, N. Y. and purchased one thousand acres of laud from the 
Government, which was located in the central portion of Atlas Township, Tuscola County. 
They erected a small log house on section 20, after which they returned to Clarence, 
Erie County. The following February, accompanied by their mother and brothers, Reuben, 
Levi W. and John S. besides other members of the family, they returned to Michigan.

   Levi H. Goodrich, the father of our subject, joined his family in Michigan the 
fall following their location here, and from that period the name of Goodrich has 
been interwoven with social, commercial and political history of this section. They 
erected mills, stores, and cleared up and put into excellent condition some of the 
finest land found in this part of the State. The now beautiful and thriving village 
of Goodrich was founded by them and is among their most enduring monuments.

   In the fall of 1846 Enos Goodrich was elected to represent this constituency 
in the Lower House of the Michigan Legislature. The session of 1817 was memorable 
for being the last one held in Detroit. He took an active and conspicuous part in 
the struggle which ensued for the removal of the State Capital to Lansing, and in 
1852 was elected to represent this county in the State Senate. The post-office in 
Goodrich was established in 1846 and our subject was commissioned its first Post-
master. It was first known as Atlas post-office, but in 1849 its name was changed 
to Goodrich.

   The first dwelling erected in Goodrich was a small one-story structure which our 
subject built in 1838 and the first land entered upon the present site of Goodrich 
was by Levi and Enos Goodrich in 1835. The mill site, including a tract of forty 
acres, was entered in the name of Enos Goodrich and the grist and flouring mill, 
known as the Goodrich Mill was built in 1844 by the Goodrich Bros. Our subject was 
likewise the founder of what was known in that early day as the Goodrich Bank, an 
institution which honorably redeemed its circulation and procured the full discharge 
of its securities from the Auditor-General.

   That the subject of this sketch was one of the most prominent and enterprising 
citizens of his time the reader will readily observe. Among the many prominent 
public-spirited and influential pioneers of Atlas Township, there are none more 
worthy of representation,in this RECORD than the Hon. Enos Goodrich.



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