Jess Goddard

Jesse Goddard

Jesse Goddard brought his family to Washington County,

Arkansas, about 1831. The family had traveled several hundred

miles, undoubtedly in the company of other families from

northeastern Tennessee. As was customary at that time, they must

have built a boat or raft of some type and set forth from

Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee, and floated down the Tennessee

River into Alabama, portaged at Muscle Shoals, then continued

to traverse the western part of Tennessee, this time from

south to north. Up through Kentucky and into the Ohio river,

down which they floated into the Mississippi. At the Arkansas

river they would have had to pole up river to about Van Buren,

then travel overland to Washington County, Arkansas, a land of

lush growth and many streams and springs, which produced

bountiful crops.

Jesse Goddard was born on February 1, 1795 in Sullivan

County, Tennessee, a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Goddard. In

the War of 1812 he served in the East Tennessee Infantry as a

Private, enlisting on October 12, 1813. In 1816 Thomas Goddard

sold their land in Sullivan County and bought 1000 acres in

Morgan County, which was newly formed from Roane County.

Jesse married Mary Elizabeth Senter in Roane County, on

November 13, 1817. She was born on July 9, 1799 in Hawkins

County, Tennessee, a daughter of Tandy and Susan (Lyon)

Senter. Tandy Senter was a very colorful man who lived more

than 100 years - a frontiersman, Indian trader (and sometimes

Indian fighter) and a staunch patriot who fought in the Revolution.

Jesse bought land in both Roane and Morgan Counties, but

sold it in 1830 before moving to Arkansas.

Jesse and Mary Elizabeth Goddard bought land and settled in

Vineyard Township, where they raised their eleven children.

Mrs. Margaret Goddard, widow of John Franklin Goddard, still

lives on some of this land. Jesse and his family were active and

responsible members of their community. The family were

Methodists and some became ministers and missionaries. Goddard

Memorial Methodist Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was

named for Reverend Oscar Elmo Goddard, a grandson of Jesse.

Children of Jesse and Mary Elizabeth Goddard were: Susan

Lyon Goddard, born October 31, 1818 in Roane County, Tennessee;

died December 19, 1861 in Washington County; she

married Burton Smith and they lived in Washington County.

Tandy M., born October 19, 1820 in Roane County, Tennessee;

died December 9, 1879 in Washington County; married Lucinda

J. Woody, January 4, 1848 in Benton County; lived in

Washington County. Martin L., born March 22, 1823, Roane

County, Tennessee; died July 22, 1900, Dutch Mills, Arkansas;

married Margaret Aisling on April 30, 1858. They lived in

Benton County, where Martin was a saddler until the Civil War

interfered; then they moved back to Dutch Mills, where Martin

farmed and operated the local general merchandise store. Two or

three of his daughters taught in the Dutch Mills school. Greenleaf,

born February 27, 1826, Roane County, Tennessee; died

May 29, 1900, Evansville, Arkansas; married Eliza Jane Alberty

on January 1, 1857. Lived in Vineyard Township. William

Thomas, born February 10, 1829, Roane County, Tennessee; died

February 12, 1908 in Evansville, Arkansas; married Caroline

Woody on December 17, 1869; had one child, John Franklin

Goddard. Martha Jane, born August 15, 1831, Washington

County, Arkansas; died February 22, 1839. Columbus Evan, born

December 29, 1834, Washington County, Arkansas; died March

31, 1910. Sulphur, Oklahoma; married Narcissa Theresa Smedley

on March 10, 1855, Sebastian County, Arkansas. One of their

sons, Oscar Elmo Goddard, became a Methodist minister of note.

Son Herbert Melvin became a Deputy U. S. Marshal and was

killed in the line of duty. Albert W., born August 21, 1836.

Elizabeth Augusta, born December 22, 1837, Washington

County, Arkansas; died August 18, 1895; married William Henderson

Edmiston on February 16, 1857/58. John Wesley, born

April 10, 1840, Washington County, Arkansas; died August 27,

1863. Mary A., born September 25, 1846, Washington County,

Arkansas; died October 13, 1861.

Many proud descendants of Jesse and Mary Goddard now live

in Washington County, while others are scattered across the

country.

By: Lucile White Prior