Emmett Spencer Goodrich and Emma Josephine Watkins

Emmett Spencer Goodrich was born on the 3rd of August 1851 in Belfield, Greensville County, Virginia to Thomas W Goodrich and Mary E Blick. In 1860 he was 8 years old living in Belfield with his family. In 1870 he was still living with his family and he was 18. He married his first wife Alice Graham Wynn on December 13th 1873. She was born on July 4th 1857 in Brunswick, Virginia. He was living in Belfield,VA during 1880 and was a farmer. On November 26th 1897 Alice Wynn died in Petersburg, Va.  In 1900 Emmett was living in Henderson, Vance North Carolina. Emmett Spencer Goodrich then married Emma Josephine Watkins on the 11th of June 1900. She was born on May 6th 1881 in Blacksburg, VA to James Williams Watkins and Josephine Owen. In 1901 he became a trunk-maker at Seward Luggage Company in Petersburg, Va. In 1910 they were living in Petersburg Ward 4. On May 14th 1915 Emmett committed suicide due to a lingering illness at age 63 with a shotgun. This is from the Progress Appeal Newspaper in May 1915. Emma Josephine then married Washington Payne. He was born abt 1866. Emma Josephine Watkins Goodrich Payne died on October 22nd 1961 in Petersburg, Va.

Emmett Spencer Goodrich

Emma Josephine Watkins Goodrich Payne at age 5

Emma Josephine Watkins Goodrich Payne

Emma Josephine Watkins Goodrich Payne

Emma and her sister Mattie Eugene Watkins Edwards

Where Emmett worked in Petersburg,VA.

Petersburg back in the day.

Obituaries

Emmett Goodrich:

MR. GOODRICH ENDS LIFE WITH SHOT-GUN, Trips Trigger With Poker- Despondent Over Ill-Health, for Months

Tripping the trigger with a poker, Emmet S. Goodrich, 63 years old, yesterday used a shot-gun to end his life in his home on Shepard Street. He had been in ill-health for several months and this is thought to have made him despondent. Corner Leigh, after investigating the suicide, decided an inquest unnecessary. Mr. Goodrich placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and the load tore away part og his head. The explosion attracted members of the family, but he was dead ere they reached his side. Ten years ago, Mt. Goodrich came to Petersburg from North Carolina. He had been employed at the Seward trunk factory and was twice married. Among the sever children surviving who were born of the first union is Mr. T.C. Goodrich, proprietor of the Bell Food Store on Harrison Street. Mr. Goodrich als0 is survived by a widow and several small children.

Emma Josephine Watkins Goodrich Payne:

Mrs. Emma Josephine Payne, widow of W.P. Payne, and a former resident of the West End, died yesterday in the Jackson Nursing Home, after a long period of declining health. She was a native of Blacksburg, but had resided in Petersburg most of her life, and was a daughter of the late James W. and Josephine Owen Watkins of Warrenton, N.C. Mrs. Payne was a member of the West End Baptist Church. She is survived by three daughters: Mrs. W.R. Moore of Petersburg; Mrs. Howard Gittman Sr. of Colonial Heights, and Mrs. Henry J. Fisher of Richmond; two sons: Clinton D. Goodrich of Chester and Gilbert Y. Payne of Petersburg; a sister, Mrs. S.G. Edwards of Warrenton, N.C.; two step-sons :W.H. Goodrich of Henderson, N.C. and Gerald Payne of Richmond; a step-daughter, Mrs. Elmer Butler of Matoaca; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. A funeral service will be conducted tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in the chapel of J.T. Morris & Son with Rev. W.W. Hill, pastor of West End Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Blandford Cemetery. The family will be at the funeral home today from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m.

Census Records: See parents pages for earlier censuses.

1880: Emmett and Alice are living in Belfield, VA. Thomas and Emmett Spencer Jr are also living.

1900: Emmett is widowed and living with Hiram, Vivian and William Hilton.

1910: Emmett and Emma are living in Petersburg with Maude, Clinton, Roland and Ola.

1920: Emma is widowed and living with her children Clinton, Roland, Ola, Frances, and Maude. Also living with the family are Maude’s husband Willie and their son Willie Jr.

1930: Emma has married Washington Payne and has had Gilbert Young Payne.  She is also living with her children Clinton, Roland, Ola Goodrich.

Newspaper Articles:

Emmett Goodrich and Alice Wynn had eight children:

1. Thomas Channing Goodrich (11 Mar 1875-2 Jun 1934) married Fannie Andrews and had three children.

2. Emmett Otis Goodrich (24 June 1878-May 12 1900).

3. Hiram Dearacy Goodrich (20 Apr 1881-Aug 1962) married three times. The first time was to Effie Lindwood House and had three children. He then married Margaret A and had three more children. He then he married Annie F and had one more child.

4. Vivian Goodrich (1 Aug 1884-19 Feb 1949) married John B Pearce and had 9 children.

5. Mary Lillian Goodrich ( 26 Jan 1887-28 Jul 1888).

6. William Hilton Goodrich (17 Feb 1890-29 May 1970) married Eula Hamm and had three children.

7. Mertis Ruby Goodrich (28 August 1893-15 April 1900)

8. Alice Goodrich (11 September 1896-8 April 1900)

Emmett Goodrich and Emma Watkins had five children:

1. Maude E. Goodrich (20 Apr 1901-22 Jan 1989) who married Willie Moore and had three children.

2. Clinton Goodrich (10 Dec 1903-Oct 1980) who married Lillian Andrews and then married Rosa Hawk.

3. Roland Goodrich (1906-13 May 1952) who married Bernice Thompson.

4. Ola T Goodrich (9 Aug 1909-21 Jun 2002) who married Howard Farley Gittman and had two children.

5. Mary Frances Goodrich ( 8 Sep 1912-13 Nov 2001) who married Henry Fisher and had two children.

Emma Watkins Goodrich and Washington Payne had one child:

1. Gilbert Young Payne (02 Sep 1924-02 Dec 1994)