Goodman Emigrants to American Colonies Before 1700

Richard Goodman who came from England to Cambridge, Mass. in 1632. See Richard Goodman of New England.

The "Directory of the Ancestral Heads of New England Families 1620-1700", compiled by Frank R. Holmes, pub. The American Historical Society, Inc., New York (1923), lists two of the Mayflower passengers as John Goodman, unmarried male, and Richard Goodman. This is incorrect. John Goodman was a Mayflower passenger, who died in illness in the 2nd year of the colony. Richard Goodman came to the colony a number of yeras later. See preceeding. It also claims that John subsequently married in Sudbury, Mass., in 1656, which is incorrect. Subsequent research has found no such marriage, and has established that John Goodman had no known descendants.

The following emigrants to VA and the Carolinas are in approximately date order.

Robert Goodman is listed in the 1623 Colonial Census, as being a on the Quick Rent Roll of the Virginia Company, living in Elizabeth City, VA, having arrived in 1619 on the "Bona Nova", and age 24 at that time. So, he was b ca 1595, presumably in England or Wales. He is also listed in the book "Original Lists of Persons of Quality 1600-1700", and is listed with wife Ely and infant Ely (abbrev. Elizabeth?). Elizabeth City, now part of the independent city of Hampton, is at the tip of the peninsula between the James and York Rivers. This Robert Goodman is again mentioned in a list of land holders in 1637. He was probably the same Robert Goodman of York County (adjacent to and just north of Elizabeth City) who was owed a debt by Richard Wyate (sic: Wyatt) in 1646. York County was divided in 1654, with the northern parts becoming New Kent County. These mentions confirm that he owned lands in what was to later become New Kent County, home of Benjamin/Samuel/Benjamin/Robert Goodman family in the early 1700s, and that he married, prospered, and had issue. Therefore, this Robert Goodman seems to be a likely ancestor of those Goodmans, and probably of many of the other prominent Goodman lines of early colonial Virginia. Interestingly, just north of the Newport News airport, is Denbigh Blvd, which at its NE end, becomes "Goodwin's Neck".

Thomas Goodman was 25 years old when he arrived from London on the ship "Merchant Bonaventure", in 1634. His fellow passengers to Virginia included John Dunn, Thomas Anderson, John Anderson, Arthur Howell, and John Fontaine. These names are commonly found near Goodmans in land records, and some intermarried with Goodmans.

Tymothie Goodman, age 27, was transported to Barbados on 2nd of May 1635, aboard the ship Alexander.

A Francis Goodman came to Virginia and is listed in the 10 Jun 1637, headright grant of Thomas Powell, of Upper New Norfolk County, and another Francis Goodman is claimed on the headright grant of Thomas Dewe (Dewey), also of Upper New Norfolk County, on 1 Aug 1638. These may be one and the same person, having been claimed twice, as sometimes happened.

Richard Goodman appears on the 7 May 1638 headright grant of Thomas Burbage in Upper Norfolk Co., east of Nansemond and Isle of Wight. A Richard Goodman is also listed in the register of Christ Church Parish, on 22 Dec 1679, with 8 acres of land and 9 negroes.

John Goodman is listed on the 10 Mar 1638 headright grant of Thomas Burbage of Accomack Co., on the Eastern Shore. The will of a Jno. Goodman, perhaps this immigrant, dated 1683, is on record in Accomack Co.

A Francis Goodman was in the Virginia Colony Census of 1651, in the Virginia East Shore County. He also took a loyalty oath March 11 of that year, and John Williams and Walter Williams also took the oath in that county. A William Williams is also on a list of the Virginia Company, dated 16 Feb 1623, of those at the Eastern Shore.

Jno. Goodman, son of Francis Goodman, was born Aug/Sep "of the summer after the Fleet came into Virginia to reduce ye country to the obedience of ye Parliament of England" (1651/52). This Francis Goodman may have been a soldier brought to Virginia by the Fleet, or one of the earlier Francis Goodmans, or may have been a son of John Goodman, the 1638 emigrant listed above. This reference closely corresponds to the previous mention of the William Goodman, appointed by Oliver Cromwell, "to reduce Maryland and Virginia to the obedience of Parliament".

A William Goodman came in 1651, headright grant of Richard Coleman, of York Co., 6 May 1651, lands on N side of Rappahannock River.

A Richard Goodman came in 1652, headright grant of Capt. Henry Fleete, Lancaster Co., 1 Aug 1652, lands on N. side of Rappahannock River.

A George Goodman came in 1653, and was claimed on a headright grant of Thomas White and Peter Sexton, Norfolk Co., 31 Mar 1653.

John Godsman (Goodman), Edward Tirrell (Terrell) and Richard Bayley (Bailey) are listed on the grant of Joseph Crowshaw of York County, 8 Nov 1653, lands on S. side of York River.

A Richard Goodman is named in the grant assumed by Capt. Edward Streeter of Westmoreland County, 19 Mar 1657, lands on S. side of Potomac, and originally granted to Elizabeth Burbage 30 Mar 1655.

The will of a William Goodman is recorded in England in July 1662. He was of the ship "Honor’s Desire", and died in Virginia, a bachelor. In June 1685, Joseph Jones, miller, was apprenticed to William Goodman, mariner, for 4 years in Jamaica. This tells us that some Goodmans were soldiers and sailors, and were on the ships that traversed between England and the colonies.

A Henry Goodman is one of a list of 67 persons transported by George Catchmaid, grant on N. side of Roanoke R., on the sound, on Perquimans River (NC), 1 Apr 1663. Others on the list of those transported include: Roger ap Robert, Thomas Terrell, Thomas Powell, others with clearly Welsh names. This land, later named as "Birkswear,", was later sold by George Catchmaid's heirs in England, to John Stevenson of Perquimans County in 1747.

A John Goodman is named in the headright grant of Thomas Robinson and Quintaine Sherman, Rappahannock County, N. side of river, 3 Nov 1664

A Henry Goodman arrived in Maryland in 1665, where he was given land.

Thomas Goodman and Thomas Hart are listed as transported by Col. John Catlett, grant of 2 Jun 1666, N. side of Rappahannock River.

A Samuel Goodman and Walter Hart were among 12 persons transported to Virginia, according to the headright grant to Thomas Jett, dated 21 January 1666, and on record at Richmond VA Land Office. On the same date, this same list of transportees is claimed in a headright grant by a Peter Jett.

Richmond is in Henrico Co., adjacent to New Kent / Hanover Co. A Benjamin Goodman baptized his son Samuel, at St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent County, VA, 27 April 1701. This was also the church of the Bethea family, several of which inter-married with the Goodman families of Hanover / New Kent in the early 1700s. In Hanover County, formed from New Kent County, the 1729 will of Benjamin Goodman, recorded May 5, 1735, lists sons Samuel Goodman, Robert Goodman and Benjamin Goodman, and wife Lucie. Although it cannot be certain, these are probably descended from the Samuel Goodman who came in 1666 or before with Walter Hart, or the Robert Goodman who was in Elizabeth City in 1623. More on these families later.

Andrew Goodman and Edward Henderson are listed in the headright grant of Thomas Button, 19 Jul 1666, for 3650 ac in Rappahannock Co., s. side of river.

Humphrey Goodman was among 12 persons transported by Thomas Royston, grant of 6 Feb 1667, of Gloucester County, VA.

Edward Goodman was apprenticed 18 Nov 1667 in Bristol to William Wathan, for 4 years in Virginia. Occupation was unspecified.

Richard Goodman recorded 424 ac in Rappahannock Co., N. side of Rappahannock R. by Bryry Swamp, 20 Nov 1670. 300 ac purchased from Edward Wetherborne and Gerrard Reynolds, 124 ac for transporting 3 persons. By the location, this appears to be the same Richard Goodman transported by Henry Fleete in 1652. This later land transaction indicates that this Richard Goodman lived and prospered, and probably had issue.

Edward Thelwell of Nansemond County, patented three grants in that county with his partners, on 14 Apr 1670, 24 Feb 1675 and on 29 Nov 1679. It is unknown if Edward Thelwell, a name and family intimate with the Goodmans of Ruthin, N. Wales, ever visited or lived in Virginia, One of those transported was Lewis Williams.

Benjamin Goodman, a prisoner at Middlesex prison, was reprieved for transportation to Barbados in 1672. Benjamin Goodman, of St. Catherine’s, and a prisoner at Newgate, was reprieved for transportation to Barbados 17 Sept., 1672. One researcher, Donald Goodman of Ft. Worth, believes that one of these was the ancestor of the Benjamin (Samuel/Robert/Benjamin) Goodman line of New Kent / Hanover / Louisa Counties, VA., and that he was in Barbados for only about a year before removing to Virginia.

A Robert Goodman, born before 1652, was one of several indentured servants or tenants transported to VA by John Page before 1672, when John Page was awarded 1900 ac and 1700 ac, by grant of 14 Mar 1672, both grants being in New Kent Co., VA, Those transported often worked the lands of their sponsor for a number of years to serve out their indenture, and were often promised lands of their own out of the sponsor's grant as part of the indenture and bargain with their transportation sponsor. John Page, deceased, and his son, Capt. Mathew Page, are mentioned in The Vestry Book of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., on 3 Nov 1688, as is one Henry Wyatt, perhaps a descendant of the Richard Wyatt who owed a debt to Robert Goodman in 1646 in York County, mentioned previously. Mathew Page was a vestryman of St. Peters, elected on 22 May 1686, in the place of Mr. James Turner, deceased, and Charles Turner was Clerk of the Vestry at that meeting. Others listed as being transported in the John Page grant include: Nicholas Hamner, Francis Williams, and Richard Drury.

John Goodman came to New England on "The Blessing" in 1673. "The Blessing" was an English Man of War.

Robert Goodman went to New England in 1673, aboard "The Katherine".

John Goodman was among 16 persons transported by (Mr.) Thacker, grant of 27 Sep 1678, lands on Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers (Middlesex County, VA).

John Goodman, Martha Neal, Richard Baley (Bailey), Eliz. Baley (Bayley/Bailey), transported by Lt. Col. John West, grant of 25 Nov 1679, 2500 ac in Accomack Co., between Crooked Creek and Potomac River.

A George Goodman is listed as one of 12 persons transported in the headright grant of Richard Booth on 20 Apr 1680, the grant being in Isle of Wight County, near Col. Bridger's line.

A Richard Goodman was listed as transported by Abraham Weeks and Hugh Williams, in their 26 Sep 1680 grant of 109 ac in New Kent County, Ware Creek, Tasatam (sp?) Creek, called Solomon's Garden.

Nicholas Goodman arrived in SC in October 1682 with Robert Hill and his wife. There are many records of Goodmans in the LDS databases, that claim relationship to a William Nicholas Goodman, who may also be related to this Nicholas Goodman, the emigrant.

William Goodman is listed among those transported by John Bryan, grant of 20 Apr 1682, for 470 ac in Nansemond County.

Richard Goodman is listed among those transported by Benjamin Harryson (Harrison), awarded 620 ac. in Surry County, by grant of 20 Apr 1684.

Edward and Matthew Goodman appear on a list, dated 8 July 1685, of those convicted of waging war against the King, probably the rebellion by the Duke of Monmouth, bastard son of Charles II, which failed. They were sentenced to be transported to the Americas. There were about 600 other names on the same list, of Dorset, Summerset and Devon Counties.

Thomas Goodman is listed as one of five persons transported on the 28 Apr 1691 headright grant of John Blackborne, who received 211 ac. in Charles City County, N. side of James River.

A Samuel Goodman arrived in SC with Major Benjamin Waring, December 1693. This Samuel Goodman, or possibly his son, is probably the one who was JP of Bladen Co. 1743-45, and whose grants in Bladen Co. NC, on the border with SC, totaled over 3160 ac. by 1751. Was this Benjamin Waring related to the Henry Waring above?

In 1695, in the estate of Capt. John Goodman of York County, VA, two slaves were valued at 60 pounds sterling together (Records of York County, vol. 1694-1702, p. 410, VA State Library). Since this John Goodman is not listed as an emigrant, he was probably the son or grandson of one of the earlier prominent Goodmans of York County, Possibly the Robert Goodman who came in 1619. This record, and others in York County, indicate that we need to further research all available and surviving York County records.

The Virginia Company Rent Roll of 1704 lists Peter Goodman with 400 ac. in York County, and John Goodman with 275 ac in James City County.

Henry Goodman received a grant of 256 ac in Nansemond County, 28 Apr 1711. This is probably Henry, son of the William Goodman who was in Nansemond County and Isle of Wight County before 1700.

Conrad Goodman, b. 29 Nov 1756 in Orange Co., NC, married Elizabeth in 1782 in Guilford, NC. Their issue were: John b. about 1783, Sally, David, Jacob, b. 1787, James, Jane Ann, Benjamin, Godfrey, Francis, Elijah, and Elizabeth. The name Godfrey, associated with Benjamin and Francis, further establishes the relationship of these colonial Goodmans to the Goodman families of Wales.

Several other Goodmans were listed in various later Colonial census and tax lists and militia rolls of these times. Many of these are described in more detail in the following sections. In addition to those mentioned previously, other families with early Colonial ties to the Goodmans in Tidewater Virginia and North Carolina include Lewis, Anderson, Gwaltney, Hart, Henderson, Williams, Conway and Pipkin.

Primary Sources:

"Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of VA Land Patents and Grants 1623-66"
"Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of VA Land Patents and Grants 1666-95"
"Virginia County Records, Vol VI", Crozier
"Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666", Greer
"Eastern Shore of Virginia", Wise
"Minutes of the Council and General Court of Colonial Virginia"
"Colonial Residents of Virginia's Eastern Shore", Houston and Mihalylea
"English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records", R. Cognets Jr.