Nov. 7. 1890.] "- 1 * [Merrick. 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, 



HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, FOR PROMOTING USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. 



Vol. XXVIII. July to December, 1890. No. 134. 



Obituary Notice of Daniel Raynes Goodwin,- D.D., LL.D. 



By J. Vaughan Merrick. 



{Read before the American Philosopliical Society, November 7, 1S90.) 



It is impossible within the limited compass of a memoir like this, to pre- 

 sent a complete picture of the life and character of a man so pure, so 

 strong, so gifted, so impressive in his influence upon the world in which 

 he lived, as those of the subject of this sketch. 



Many of the circumstances which moulded his earlier years have sunk 

 into oblivion, and through the passing away of his contemporaries cannot 

 be revived. We must be content therefore to gather up the fragments 

 which remain, and to fill out the outlines with the more abundant records 

 of later years. 



Daniel Raynes Goodwin was born, April 12, 1811, in North Berwick, 

 Maine. His father, Samuel Goodwin, was a farmer who also owned and 

 worked two mills at the Falls of Negutaquis, on the outskirts of the town . 

 He was a sensible and good man, who, after rearing a family of nine chil- 

 dren, died in 1855 at the age of ninety-two. His mother was Anna Gerrish, 

 who survived her husband about one year. On both sides Mr. Goodwin 

 inherited sterling qualities ; on the father's side had been men of mark for 

 integrity, courage and patriotism, and on the maternal side, college-bred 

 men for generations. The homestead was so situated as to present meagre 

 advantages for school education. The nearest neighbor lived nearly a 

 mile distant, and the nearest school-house, which was opened only about 

 ten weeks each year, was still farther off. In those days, in New Eng- 

 land, sparsely settled and poor, except in the cities and towns, school ad- 

 vantages were few, and were pursued under many drawbacks and hard- 

 ships. Wherever possible they were supplemented by home teaching. 

 Fortunately in this case, the eldest sister performed this office during the 

 winter evenings. When fifteen years of age, he was sent to the Academy 

 at South Berwick, and later on to Limerick Academy. In 1828, then 



PROC. AMER. PHILOS. SOC. XXVIII. 134. 2D. PRINTED JAN. 12, 1891. 



