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Nathan Goodell
(1798 - 1883)
1859,1864
Nathan Goodell was born in Pomfret, Windham County, Connecticut, August 8, 1798, to Richard and Marcia (Parkhurst) Goodell. He was next to the youngest of twelve children. He lived on a farm until age twenty-one and received a public school education. He moved to Henders, Jefferson County, NY, becoming a land agent for a Mr. Henderson and operated a store, distillery, and ashery for himself. On March 25, 1825, he married Miss Hannah Mosely Weeks, daughter of a Swedenborgian clergyman. They had two children, Harriet Ann and Mary.
Shortly after his marriage, Mr. Goodell served two years as steward on the steamer Henry Clay, running between Buffalo and Detroit. In 1828, he moved to Detroit and engaged in merchandising. In 1881, he came to Green Bay as sutler (One who follows an army and sells to the troops provisions, liquors, and the like) to Fort Howard, Burley Follett, Sgt. Clark and Mr. Bushnell accompanying him as clerks. When a part of the troops were ordered to Fort Winnebago, now Portage, he went there, farmed, and kept a tavern. He returned to Detroit about 1835 and became a partner of Oliver Newberry in merchandising and forwarding.
About 1840, he once again returned to Green Bay where he spent the rest of his life. Nathan bought the property on the corner of East Walnut and South Adams Streets where the Courthouse Annex now stands. Here he built a comfortable house where he lived the rest of his life.
For many years, he kept a store and was steamboat agent at the Astor warehouse. Until about 1846, he was agent for the Newberrys of Detroit and distributed supplies to the Indians. He built one or two small steamers and a mill at Duck Creek and furnished wood fuel for steamers. He was also a contractor for many years and an agent of the Astor estate. In the early part of the Civil War, he became a sutler among the troops on the Mississippi, devoting about three years to it. He became Mayor of Green Bay in 1859 and again in 1864 and was Street Commissioner for several years.
For much of his four-plus decades in Green Bay, Nathan Goodell was Superintendent of Streets. He kept his own corner in the best condition of any street in the city and the City Council finally recognized his service by establishing the street position and giving it to him.
He had a strict devotion and affection for his wife, daughters, and grandchildren. He had a winning way with the children and was affectionately called Uncle Goodell by the young. Although an old man, he didn't show or act his age. Throughout the winter of 1882-83, he was bothered by a lingering cold but by late spring had recovered so completely that just two weeks before he died he seemed as indestructible and active as ever. His death, apparently from pneumonia, shocked the city. He died on June 2, 1883, and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Green Bay riverfront in 1865. Picture taken looking at the east side between Main and Walnut bridges.