Charles Goodyear (politician)

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Charles Goodyear
Mathew Brady photo, circa 1860-1865
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from New York
In office
March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867
Preceded byJohn V. L. Pruyn
Succeeded byJohn V. L. Pruyn
Constituency14th district
In office
March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847
Preceded byJeremiah E. Cary
Succeeded byGeorge A. Starkweather
Constituency21st district
Member of the
New York State Assembly
from Schoharie County
In office
January 1, 1840 – December 31, 1840
Serving with Seymour Boughton
Preceded byHarvey Bliss, George F. Fox
Succeeded byNicholas Beekman, Jacob C. Skillman
Personal details
BornApril 26, 1804
Cobleskill, New York
DiedApril 9, 1876 (aged 71)
Charlottesville, Virginia
Resting placeMaplewood Cemetery, Charlottesville, Virginia
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseCharlotte Seitz Gebhard (m. 1815-1876, his death)
Children3
ProfessionAttorney

Charles Goodyear (April 26, 1804 – April 9, 1876) was a banker, attorney, and politician from New York. He was most notable for his service as a United States representative from 1845 to 1847 and 1865 to 1867.

Early life[edit]

Goodyear was born in Cobleskill, New York on April 26, 1804, the son of Jared Goodyear and Bede (Ives) Goodyear.[1] He attended Hartwick Academy in Otsego County and graduated from Union College in 1824.[1] He studied law with Henry Hamilton, was admitted to the bar in 1826 and commenced practice with Hamilton in Schoharie, New York.[1]

Start of career[edit]

A Democrat, he was Schoharie's town supervisor from 1834 to 1837.[2] In 1840 he also served in the New York State Assembly.[3]

Goodyear was appointed first judge of Schoharie County in February 1843 and served until November 1847.[4]

Tenure in Congress[edit]

Goodyear was elected to the United States House of Representatives and served in the 29th Congress (March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847).[5] During this term, Goodyear was a member of the Committee on Invalid Pensions.[5]

He did not run for reelection and resumed the practice of law in Schoharie.[5] In 1852 he established the Schoharie County Bank, of which he was president.[1]

In 1864 Goodyear was again elected to the U.S. House, and he served in the 39th Congress (March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867).[5] His committee assignments during this term included the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions and the Committee on Private Land Claims.[5] He was not a candidate for re-nomination in 1866 and resumed the practice of law in Schoharie.[5]

Later career[edit]

Goodyear was a delegate to the National Union Convention in 1866 and to the 1868 Democratic National Convention.[5] In 1868 an investment bank in which Goodyear was a partner, Goodyear Brothers & Durand, became insolvent.[6] After liquidating his New York assets and property to help pay the firm's debts, in 1869 Goodyear moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.[7] He practiced law in Virginia and in 1869 received an appointment from Virginia's post-Civil War military government as a justice of the peace for Albemarle County.[8]

Death and burial[edit]

Goodyear died in Charlottesville on April 9, 1876,[9] and was interred at Maplewood Cemetery in Charlottesville, Division E, Block 8, Section 7.[10][a]

Family[edit]

In 1835, Goodyear married Charlotte Seitz Gebhard (1815–1887) of Schoharie.[1] They were the parents of three children—Charles A., George G., and Mary.[1]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The transcript entry for Goodyear's grave gives his date of birth as April 4, 1801.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Kirkman, Grace Goodyear (1899). Genealogy of the Goodyear family. San Francisco, CA: Cubery & Company. pp. 98–99, 101–102 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ Roscoe, William E. (1882). History of Schoharie County, New York, 1713-1882. Vol. II. Syracuse, NY: Truair, Smith & Bruce. p. 381 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ New York State Assembly (1840). Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Sixty-third Session. Vol. I. Albany, NY: Thurlow Weed. p. 2 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Roscoe, William E. (1882). History of Schoharie County, New York, 1713-1882. Vol. I. Syracuse, NY: Truair, Smith & Bruce. p. 102 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Lanman, Charles (1887). Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States. New York, NY: J. M. Morrison. pp. 196–197 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ In the Court of Appeals: Cases and Exceptions. Albany, NY: The Argus Company. 1869. pp. 37–39 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Treese, Joel D., ed. (1996). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-1996. Alexandria, VA: GQ Staff Directories, Inc. p. 1106. ISBN 978-0-87289-124-1 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Military Appointments". Richmond Dispatch. Richmond, VA. May 13, 1869. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Letter from Charlottesville: Death of Judge Charles Goodyear". Richmond Dispatch. Richmond, VA. April 13, 1876. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Maplewood Inscriptions" (PDF). Charlottesville.org. Charlottesville, VA: City of Charlottesville. p. 132. Retrieved July 19, 2021.

External links[edit]

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 21st congressional district

1845–1847
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 14th congressional district

1865–1867
Succeeded by