Early Goodmans of America
Eastern Tennessee Records
Tax Lists
From abstracts in "Early Tennessee Tax Lists", Edited by Sistler, and also from "Early East Tennessee Taxpayers", compiled by Pollyanna Creekmore from original tax lists from the E. TN Historical Society's annual publications, with references to the current collections and owners of the original lists.
Note that both Sistler's and Creekmore's lists show these as GOODMAN, while other abstractors of grants and deeds from other period records may show Goodin, Gooden, or Goodwin, and sometimes with the different spellings in the same abstract.
| Last Name | First Name | County, List | Year(s), Property |
| GOODMAN | Amos | Blount | 1805 |
| GOODMAN | Benjamin | Greene, 3rd Dist., Henry Conway | 1783, 4H, 4C, Value £44 |
| GOODMAN | Benjamin, Jr. | Greene, 3rd Dist., Henry Conway | 1783, 8H, 8C, Value £88 |
| GOODMAN | James | Greene, 3rd Dist., Henry Conway | 1783, 3H, 8C, Value £34 |
| GOODMAN | Joseph | Blount | 1800 |
| GOODMAN | Stephen | Blount, List of Capt. Montomery's Co | 1801, 1 poll |
| GOODMAN | Thomas | Greene, 3rd Dist., Henry Conway | 1783, 6H, 4C, £64 |
| CONWAY | Henry | Greene | 1783,1805,1812 |
| CONWAY | Henry, Jr. | Greene | 1812 |
| CONWAY | George | Greene | 1805 |
| CONWAY | Joseph | Blount, List of Capt. Montomery's Co. | 1801, 1 poll |
| CONWAY | Jesse | Blount, List of Capt. Montomery's Co. | 1801, 1 poll |
| CONWAY | Thomas | Blount, List of Capt. Montomery's Co. | 1801, 1 poll |
| HUSTON | Saml. | Greene, 4th Dist. | 1783, 4H, 14C, Value £42 |
| HUSTON | Robert | Greene, 4th Dist. | 1783, 350ac, 1H, Value £112 |
| RICHARDSON | John | Greene, 4th Dist. | 1783, 3H, 13C, Value £78 |
| RICHARDSON | John | Blount | 1800 |
| RICHARDSON | Jno. | Blount, List of Capt. Bogle's Co. | 1801, w/200 ac |
| RICHARDSON | Obadiah | Blount, List of Capt. Montomery's Co. | 1801, 1 poll |
| RICHARDSON | John | Wilson | 1815 |
The James, Thomas, Benjamin and Benjamin Jr. Goodmans on the 1783 Greene Co. 3rd Dist list cannot be accurately identified at this time. However, it is tempting to speculate that they would all be related in some way, and that this James Goodman could be the same James Goodman, grandfather of Robert Hope Goodman, and previously of Hanover Co., VA, then Bedford Co., VA, as mentioned in the Robert Hope Goodman letter.
The Huston (sic. Houston) names are included here, because it shows how that name could have been brought into the family of Robert Goodman, later of Wilson Co., TN, from such a prominent family in the same county as their 1790 and later guardian, John Richardson.
I currently believe that Henry Conway was either the father or uncle of the Thomas Conway of Blount Co., TN, who gave security for the marriage of Amos I. Goodman and Sarah Conway in 1801 in Blount Co. Certainly by the common listing of Stephen Goodman, Obadiah Richardson, husband of Amos Goodman's sister Sarah Jane, and also Thomas, Jesse and Joseph Conway, all in Capt Montgomery's Co. in Blount Co. in 1801, more specifically identifies that this must be the same Thomas Conway who provided security for the marriage of Amos Goodman to Sarah Conway in Blount Co., that same year. Col. Henry Conway's brother, Joseph Conway, did go to TN, and died in Cocke Co., TN about 1807. That Joseph Conway had sons Thomas and Joseph, also a daughter Sarah, birth dates all unknown. However, Sarah, dau. of Joseph Conway, supposedly married William Hogan, date unknown.
Henry Conway's wife was Sarah Hundley. At this time, it is believed that Thomas was the father of Sarah Conway, 1st wife of Amos I. Goodman. However, it is also possible that Sarah was the daughter of Henry or one of the other Conways of early Greene or Blount Co., TN. More on Henry Conway. This family is still being researched to determine with certainty the parentage of Sarah Conway who married Amos I. Goodman, and Thomas Conway, who gave security.
Eastern Tennessee, 1780 - 1810
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| 1776 Watauga Petition, from early settlers of TN, then western part of NC, to NC Assembly, one signer was Drury Goodin (possibly Goodman). Drury Goodin is listed in other records of early Washington Co., TN variously as Gooden or Goodwin or Gooding. His inventory (and presumed death in 1800) is recorded under Goodwin. |
| NC Land Grants in TN, 1778-1791: recorded in Greene Co, 1787. (Note that in Sistler's "Early Tennessee Tax Lists", above, all of those names listed below as Goodin, he interprets as Goodman!) |
# 172 John Richardson 274 ac on Boones Creek
# 770 Joseph Goodman 100 ac. on Sinking Creek
#1687 Thomas Goodin (Goodman) 150 ac a draught of Lick Cr.
#1709 Thomas Flippin 200 ac n. side Holston R.
#1718 Thomas Flippin 200 ac n. side Holston R.
#1805 John Terrill 200 ac n. side Holston R.
#1825 Benjamin Goodin (Goodman?) 230 ac. Big Gap Cr.
#1867 Benjamin Goodin (Goodman?) 400 ac. Lick Cr.
#1894 Wm Terrill Lewis 5,000 ac N side TN River
#1914 John Richardson 240 ac. Grassy Branch of Lick Cr.
#1967 Benjamin Goodin (Goodman?) 120 ac Swan Pond Cr.
#1995 James Goodin (Goodman?) 200 ac both sides of Lick Cr.
#2188 James Richardson 640 ac S side Nolachucky R.
#???? Joseph Conway ?? ac on Clay Lick Creek, S. side Nolachucky
#2190 Henry & William Conway 300 ac n side Nolachucky R.
#???? Henry Conway, 640 ac joining a place called the barrens (Middle Dist.)
#2286 Benj. Goodin (Goodman?) & Joel Lewis 600 ac Lick Cr.
... others to same individuals in various Greene Co. locations ....
Benjamin Goodman, husband of Maria Williams, died before this time, so these grants were to another Benjamin Goodman, perhaps the Benjamin Goodman mentioned as brother of Timothy Goodman of Hanover Co., VA.
| Greene Co., TN Marriages: Joseph Richardson m. Susanna Goodman, 1 Jul 1790. |
| In Tennessee Tidbits, 1778-1914, Vol 1, compiled by Marjorie Hood Fischer, p. 146: Goodman, John - August 1790 (Greene TN, Co Court Minutes #/170). "Robert and Amos Goodman, children of John Goodman, were ordered committed to the care of John Richardson until further orders. Stephen and Sarah and Rachel Goodman were committed to the care of Jos. Richardson." |
| The above action may have been contested, and John Goodman may not have actually died in 1790, as in same ref as above, is found: (Greene TN, Co Court Minutes #/207), John Goodwin (sic. Goodman?) and his wife were to appear at the next court and show cause why their children should not be bound out. (As previously ordered to the Richardsons?). They may have done just that, as Robert Hope Goodman's letter says that John (age 18), and Robert (age 16) Goodman did go with their father (James according to RHG Letter) to Wilson Co. |
| Microfilm of Greene Co., TN Clerk's fees, includes mention of fees paid by John & Susan (Susanna) Richardson, 1792. |
| John Richardson's will, dated 18 Aug 1794. Greene TN, Co Court Minutes, no#/391. He died before 1795 in Greene Co., TN, when his will was entered. Susanna Richardson was named executrix. The will lists wife Susannah, children Jonathan, Obadiah, Elizabeth, Mary. My youngest children Joseph, Jesse, Siller (Pricilla?). Wit. John Price, Mary King, John Gass. |
| Blount Co. TN (formed from Greene Co) Court minutes, Nov Term, 1804, #B/32: Orphans Joseph Richardson, 11 yrs & 5 mo, and Drury Richardson, 7 yrs & 4 mo, bound to John Black Cusak until they are 21. These were probably the natural sons of Joseph Richardson & Susanna (Goodman) Richardson, who married July 1790 in Greene Co. It may have been shortly after their death that Amos I. Goodman and his 1st wife, Sarah Conway, who married in Blount Co. in 1801, and lived in Greene Co., removed to KY, where they joined Stephen Goodman and other Goodman and Richardson kin, and possibly also Conway kin. |
| A Samuel Goodman married Elizabeth Houston, 5 January 1803, in Rockbridge County, VA (Virginia Genealogist Vol. 22 no. 1, Jan-Mar 1978). The Houston name occurs as a middle name of Delbert Houston Goodman, b. 1884, whose great-grandfather was the Robert Goodman, Sr., b. about 1775 in VA, and who was the son of the John Goodman who died in 1790 in Greene Co., TN. The family of Gen. Sam Houston was also of Greene Co., and later Blount Co., TN. Many of the TN Goodmans went to Texas, and some fought in nearly all of the famous battles for Texas independence. |
William Terrill Lewis and related Clarkson & Goodman families of Albemarle:
| From Woods, History of Albemarle, VA.: "William Terrell Lewis had 11 children. Three sons, Micahah, Joel and James, were at King's Mountain battle. Son John m. Sarah Taliaferro, then Susan Clarkson, sister of Peter. Manoah Clarkson, brother of Peter and Susan, was the father of Sally Clarkson, wife of Jeremiah A. Goodman, son of Charles Goodman of Albemarle. Another of Manoah's daughters, Mildred, was the wife of Nathan Goodman, brother of Jeremiah A. Goodman." |
| William Terrill Lewis' son, Joel Lewis, was the partner of Benjamin Goodin (possibly Goodman?) in other land grants on Lick Creek, Greene Co., TN. (of previous mention). |
| William Terrell Lewis was the recipient of many NC land grants in TN: |
1786 #1580 600 ac., w/ James Hubbard, n. side French Broad R., incl N. Copper Cr., Greene Co.
1787 #2162 3,500 ac, w/ Wm. Lenoir, n. side of TN River, Greene Co.
1787 #2227 500 ac on the Alexander Branch of the Nolachucky River, Greene Co.
1787 #2232 2,500 ac. adjoining Henderson's & Compy Line, Greene Co.
1788 #2579 400 ac. n. side Clinch R., Hawkins Co.
1788 #2580 500 ac. Creek into Clinch R., above mouth of Emery's Cr.
1789 #2589 400 ac. n. side of Clinch
1789 #2593 500 ac. s. side Clinch
1789 #2595 500 ac. s. side Clinch
1788 #2879 5,000 ac. Big Cr. on Elk R., Middle Dist.
1788 #2881 5,000 ac. w. side of Richland Cr., Middle Dist.
1788 #2899 5,000 ac. s. side Duck R., Globe Cr., Middle Dist.
1788 #2933 5,000 ac. Big Cr. on Elk R., Middle Dist.
... and many more thousands of ac. in Middle & Western Districts of TN.
Hart
In "Tennessee Bible Records and Marriage Bonds", Acklen, 1933, the following passage is found: "Christina Moltern was the daughter of John Moltern and his wife Sally Hart. Sally Hart was the daughter of Leonard Hart and his first wife, Sally Goodman. Leonard Hart was a Revolutionary War Soldier; he was with the King’s Mountain patriots. He was a surveyor and was appointed to survey a great road from Shoals to the Holston River ...". The King’s Mountain reference tells us that he was with Col. James Williams, the brother of Maria Williams who married Benjamin Goodman, during that historic battle. The Holston River valley is west of Greene Co., TN, so it also tells us that Leonard Hart and Sally Goodman were pioneers of that area of TN.
Early Tennessee Marriages
There were several Goodman marriages in Blount and Greene Counties, TN, probably related to the Goodmans who are the main subject of this site. Others may have occurred in Sevier Co., which lies between Greene and Blount Co. Madison Co. adjoins Blount Co.
John Goodman married Ruthy Roach June 10, 1819 in Blount Co.
Robert Goodman, Jr. married Martha Richardson Feb 20, 1820 in Wilson Co.
William Goodman married Betsy Samples, 5 Mar 1824 in Blount County, TN.
Joel Goodman married Polly Wright, 8 Apr 1826 in Blount County, TN.
Rachel Goodman married Dr. Simpson Doughtry in 1832 in Greene Co.
Thomas Goodman married Mary Hix, 4 Sep 1836 in Blount County, TN.
Those after 1810 are probably of descendants of Robert or Stephen, or of their older siblings, if any.
Ansel Goodman married Polly Walton, 22 Dec 1832 in Wilson County, TN.
Goodman Richardson married Rebecca Couples in Madison Co., TN Jul 14, 1849.
