Caledonia

GOODHUE, Nathaniel & Samuel

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, p 351 (extracted from a 
section on deceased lawyers of Lyndon, Caledonia County)

As a class the lawyers of Lyndon [Caledonia County, Vermont] have compared 
favorably with those elsewhere, and their general deportment has been 
courteous, manly and honorable, but we do not intend to speak of the merits 
of the living, but to the dead would give a passing tribute. Nathaniel 
GOODHUE [admitted to the bar in July 1803], the first of whom we have 
knowledge, coming here in 1804 or 1805, was a courtly gentleman, and as a 
town lawyer, very acceptable and efficient. As he left no record of his 
legal learning; we cannot speak of it with certainty, not then being a 
correct judge of such matters, but coming from Windham County [Vermont], the 
old school for good lawyers, we infer that it was respectable. He returned 
there after a few years, and his brother, Samuel B. GOODHUE [who was from 
Townshend, Windham County, Vermont; was admitted to the Windham County, 
Vermont, bar at the November term in 1796; opened an office there in 1806, 
and removed from Townshend in 1809], took his place, but was very unlike him 
in appearance, and eccentric and erratic in his movements, a crusty old 
bachelor, who was reported to have been soured and shattered by an 
unfortunate amour in his youth. Like other eccentric bodies, he had his 
bright scintillations, but not very enduring. He appeared to be a harmless, 
upright and conscientious man, remaining here until 1811. When last heard 
from he was in a lunatic asylum.

[According to Child's 1887 Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex County, from 
which the dates of bar admission were taken, Samuel B. GOODHUE died while a 
patient at the Insane Asylum at Brattleboro, Windham County, Vermont. 
Unfortunately no date is given. If Samuel B. GOODHUE died after 1854, then 
he may have been the "patient" mentioned in the Windham County, Vermont, 
biography of Homer GOODHUE. Mr. Homer GOODHUE was involved in the care of 
the insane for many years, and his biography states that in 1853-1854 he 
"traveled extensively in the United States and British provinces, in the 
company of a private patient under his care." Was Ebenezer GOODHUE (father 
of Homer GOODHUE) appears to have been a brother of both Nathaniel and Samuel 
B. GOODHUE mentioned above.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly