Phillip Goodridge

Biography

Philip Goodridge, son of Joseph, was born in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts 23 Nov 1669.

Philip Goodridge married 16 Apr 1700 Mehitable Woodman, born 20 Sep 1677, daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth (Stevens) Woodman of Newbury.

They lived there until after their twelve children were born. He was a highly respected citizen and took an active part in town affairs. He was the captain of the local company for defense against the Indians.

In 1724, he moved to Lunenburg with his entire family. He was the original proprietor of lot number 70. According to the proprietor's records, this land was allotted to "Philip Goodridge of Newbury," as the 35th allotment, at a meeting held at Concord, Massachusetts 11 May 1720, of a committee appointed for "the allotment of lands in the two towns lying westward and contiguous to ye town of Groton." As one "of the Several Grantees of ye South Town called Turkey Hills," he made a first payment of two pounds ten shillings, and later paid the balance due, four pounds five shillings. (Early Records of Lunenburg).

He died 16 Jan 1729, aged 59 years. During the five years he was in Lunenburg, he was very active in public affairs, a leader in bringing about the incorporation of the town, and one of the founders and first deacons of the Lunenburg Congregational Church. His gravestone indicates that he was the first man interred in the South Cemetery. His homestead was about three miles south of the center of the town and overlooked a small, beautiful sheet of water. His widow survived him for 26 years, and died in Lunenburg, 24 Feb. 1755, aged 77 years.

The descendants of Philip Goodridge include a remarkably large number of men and women who have held local public offices and served as teachers, individuals marked with a high sense of moral and civic responsibility and unselfish service, coupled with a lack of personal ambition which limited their public offices to the communities in which they lived. Their strength of character is due in no small measure to Philip's wife, Mehitable Woodman, a highly respected woman.

The will of Philip Goodridge, dated at Lunenburg, 7 Jan. 1729, states that he was a carpenter and was then very sick. He made special bequests to his children and gave his "dearly beloved wife, Mehitable Goodridge" the improvement of half the land in the first and second divisions, half the housing and fencing, and half the utensils as long as she remained his widow, and all other moveable estate "to bring up my young children withal." He gave his son, Joshua, the other half, and the residue. The special bequests were: to his son John, 15 pounds, 17 shillings; to his "youngest daughters, namely Dorothy Goodridge and Rebekah Goodridge," 20 pounds when they shall come of age; to his "three youngest sons, Philip, David, and Joseph," 5 pounds each as they come of age and equal shares in the undivided lands in Lunenburg; to his eldest daughter Mehitable Goodridge, 20 pounds; to his daughter Hannah, 5 shillings, "she having her portion already"; to his eldest son Benjamin, 5 shillings, "I having given him a good 'tread' (trade) and money to furnish him with tools to carry on his work and a lot within the town of Lunenburg." His wife, Mehitable, and his son, Joshua, were made executors. (Middlesex County Probate Records, file #9401).[8]

Origins

In error, Goodrich Family in America lists Philip Goodridge as the son of Jeremiah Goodridge and Mary (Adams) Goodridge.[6] Alternatively, Philip Goodridge is attributed the son of Joseph Goodridge and Martha (Moores) Goodridge. The Newbury Vital Records show Philip as son of Joseph[7]. Additionally, the will of Joseph Goodridge transcribed on his profile does list a son Philip.

Long ago, an error was made by someone who asserted that Philip was the son of Jeremiah, the earliest printed statement to that effect being in the "History of Newbury", by Joshua Coffin. The error was copied by Savage and by Bond. It appears in the "Goodrich Family in America", by Case, and is left as a doubtful point in the "Goodrich Genealogy."

The following data was obtained from the original records. "Philip, son of Joseph Goodridge, b. 23 nov. 1669," is one of the items of record reported by Anthony Somerby to the Salem Court. (Records of the Quarterly Court of Essex County, published, 4:172). The duplicate of the vital records of Newbury, copied by Henry Short about 1690, states that Philip was the son of Joseph, but gives the date of birth as 13 Nov, because of the difference of 10 days between old and new style dating. These vital records include all the children of Joseph and of Jeremiah. (Newbury Vital Records). There is no Philip in the family of Jeremiah. The gravestone of Philip states that he was the son of Joseph and Martha. In his will, Joseph made a bequest to his son Philip. (Essex County Probate Records, 311:397-398).

References

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jan 8 2020, 23:06:51 UTC
• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 12 2020, 20:36:22 UTC
• https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2013/109/84225475_136647378102... is a picture of his gravestone.
• https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Newbury/aBirthsG.shtml "(GOODRIDG (Goodridge)) Phillip [s. Joseph, Nov. 23, 1669. CTR; Nov. 13. S. dup.]"
• https://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Newbury/aMarriagesG.shtml "(GOODRIDG (Goodridge)) Phillip, and Mehittable Woodman, Apr. 16, 1700.*"

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References

• Residence: Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
• Residence: Massachusetts, British Colonial America - 1669
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jul 12 2023, 0:31:26 UTC
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Goodridge-151 cites
• Pg. 185 - https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101057499525;view=1up;...
• Modified 26 August 2013 by Shanna L. Goodrich
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FZLX-9Y9 : 10 February 2018), Joseph Goodridge in entry for Philip Goodridge, 13 Nov 1669; citing NEWBURY,ESSEX,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 886,202, 886,203.
• Source: S1 Lafayette Wallace Case M.D., Author Role: Editor The Goodrich Family in America. A Genealogy of the Descendants of John and William Goodrich of Wethersfield, Conn., Rich Publication: Fergus Printing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1889, Second Date, 1984
• "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/Q29L-T5MT : 3 November 2017), Phillip, Lt. Goodridge, 16 Jan 1728; citing Death, Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 861,119.
• "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FZ9S-SVK : 10 February 2018), Phillip Goodridg in entry for Benjamin Goodridg, 03 Feb 1700; citing NEWBURY,ESSEX,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 823,653.
• "Massachusetts Marriages, 1695-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FCX4-3HJ : 9 February 2018), Phillip Goodridg and Mehittable Woodman, 16 Apr 1700; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 823,653.
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QVLM-1Q6T : 13 December 2015), Philip Goodridge, 1728; Burial, Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States of America, South Cemetery; citing record ID 84225475, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
• "Massachusetts Deaths and Burials, 1795-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FHYN-6B3 : 10 February 2018), Phillip, Lt. Goodridge, 16 Jan 1728; citing Lunenburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, reference Roll 4813 P264 R9; FHL microfilm 861,119.
• GED file graciously provided to Whitney Rapp on 10/18/17 by Goodrich Family Association (http://www.goodrichfamilyassoc.org) for upload to WikiTree.

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He was an early settler in Lunenburg, Mass., and d there.