“Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County,” published:  
Chicago;  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1892.

JAMES P. GOODNIGHT, deceased, settled in Dallas county, Texas, 
November 19, 1854, and for many years was a prominent citizen of the 
county and an important factor in promoting its best interests.  Briefly given 
a sketch of his life is as follows:

James P. Goodnight was born in Allen county, Kentucky, November 21, 
1831, a son of Henry and Jane (Billingsly) Goodnight.  His father was a 
native of Kentucky.  His great-grandfather came to this country from 
Germany on account of religious persecutions, settling in Virginia before the 
Revolutionary war and subsequently going to Kentucky.  Two of his 
brothers went to the latter State at a very early period to prepare a home for 
the family, and one of them was killed by the Indians and the other was 
wounded but made his escape.  The mother of our subject was a native of 
Allen county, Kentucky.

Mr. Goodnight was reared on a farm and received an academical education.  
He remained with his parents until his marriage, which even occurred 
September 21, 1854, to Miss Mary A. Hill, a daughter of Isaac and Pelina 
(Carter) Hill.  Her father was a native of Virginia and a son of Jesse Hill, a 
descendant of an old Virginia family that moved to Tennessee when he was 
a child.  He was reared in Wilson county, that State, and there married to the 
above named lady, a native of Davidson county, Tennessee.  Her grandfather 
emigrated to Tennessee from North Carolina, and was among the very first 
pioneers of the part of the country.

In two weeks after their marriage, Mr. Goodnight and his wife with several 
other families started for Dallas county.  They made the journey with horse 
teams; the roads were poor and bridges few, and they were six weeks en 
route.  Arriving here, he purchased 220 acres of land, on which was a small 
field fenced in and a little log cabin.  The cabin served them as a home for 
five years, after which they built a small frame house, and from time to time 
added to it until they had a commodious and well appointed residence.  Here 
Mr. Goodnight followed farming the rest of his days.  For many years he 
was prominent in local affairs.  He was elected the first Constable of 
precinct No. 7, and served one year.  Some years later he was elected 
Assessor and Collector of Dallas county, and served two terms of two years 
each.  At the breaking out of the late Civil war, he entered the service and 
was connected with the commissary department in Mississippi, Texas and at 
other points.  After the war he was again elected Assessor of the county and 
served several years.  During the war and previous to his entering the army, 
he served one term in the Legislature.  His death occurred February 11, 
1885.  He was a member of Wheatland Lodge, Dallas Chapter and the Royal 
Arch degree of the A. F. & A. M., Dallas.  In politics he was a Democrat.  
He and his wife were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
Church, of which he was a ruling Elder.

The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Goodnight were thirteen in number, nine 
of whom lived to be grown, namely: Jane P., wife of A. H. Nash, of Dallas; 
Isaac Henry, of this county; Amanda Ellen, wife of W. T. Gracey, of 
Stephens county, Texas; Thomas M., of Dallas; John B., of this county; 
Fanny L.; Frank H.; Allie M., wife of B. F. Johnson; James P.  William B. 
died at the age of ten years, and the others died in infancy.

Submitted by: Justina Cook