History of the Home Farm

Here I will attempt to discover and record the history of what I call the Home Farm, the farm where I grew up, located at the intersection of Clark Road and Columbia County Rt. 9, in the Town of Chatham, Columbia County NY.

This farm was known to previous generations as The Stewart Farm, and later as The Goodrich Place (or Homestead), an appellation not known to me until I started researching the history of the farm and learned my great-grandfather, Frederick C. Goodrich, succeeded the Stewarts on the place.

What I present here comes from remembered family lore, old family documents, recorded deeds, and some published articles and websites I have found. I can't vouch for the absolute accuracy of it all but have done my best to suss out a reasonable history.

Contents

• 1 ~ Early History of the Farm

Originally settled by "old John Clark", most likely before 1786, after passing through several hands it was bought by Jesse Goodrich Jr. in 1837. The farm remained in Goodrich family hands until my folks slowly parceled it off, beginning about 1950.

• 2 ~ 1837 - Jesse Goodrich Jr.

The farm came into the Goodrich family on 26 Jul 1837 when Jesse Goodrich Jr. bought the farm from Milton Niles.

Seven weeks later Jesse died.

• 3 ~ 1837 - William D. & Betsey Stewart

Betsey (25yo) and her brother, Lorenzo (14yo), inherited the farm on the death of their father, Jesse Jr. Betsey and her husband, William D. Stewart took over the farm. Their tenure was the peak period in the life of the farm.

• 4 ~ 1894 - Frederick C. Goodrich

After Betsey & William's son, William G. Stewart, died in April 1894, his cousin, Frederick C. Goodrich and his father inherited the farm from Betsey's estate.

• 5 ~ 1928 - Jesse C. Goodrich

On January 20th, 1928, Jesse Carlton & Elsie Goodrich bought the farm from Jesse's father's estate, a few months after Frederick C. died.

• 6 ~ 1932 - Lucy Lamoree

This page will serve as a placeholder until I develop some content.

• 7 ~ 1945 - John E & Ethel Coxon

Dad and Mom bought the farm from Lucy Lamoree's estate in 1945. I was two.

Appendices

• APPENDIX A - Early Deeds and Mortgages

This is a collection of early deeds, mortgages and a release relating to the home farm, transcribed from the originals I found in an envelope amongst my grandfather Frederick L. Goodrich's effects I inherited from my mother. His father, Frederick C. Goodrich, bought the farm from William Stewart's estate. William Stewart bought it from Jesse Goodrich Jr.'s estate.

• APPENDIX B - Published References

Included here are relevant excerpts from a few published sources.

• APPENDIX C - Babcock - Allen - Goodrich Burial Ground

This small burial ground is on the Home Farm to the north-east of the house, across County Rt. 9 and up on the bank to the left of the driveway into the Wichmann's place.

• APPENDIX D - The Ancestors and Descendants of Frederick Carlton Goodrich

This is a transcription of the original typewritten genealogy compiled by Harold P. Goodrich in 1985 which I found amongst Mom's papers.

• APPENDIX E - Stewart Farm to Frederick C. Goodrich

This is a collection of deeds of Frederick C. Goodrich's acquisition of title to the William and Betsey Stewart farm.

Home Farm Chain of Title

Following is a list of Goodrich family members in the chain of title to the farm from Jesse & Lucy Powell Goodrich Jr. after Jesse died shortly after purchasing the farm in 1837 (emphsis added for those in the direct chain of title).

• 1837 ~ Jesse Goodrich Jr., b. 1787, d. 1837

• 1837-1891 ~ } Betsey, b. 1812, m. Wm D. Stewart, d. 1891
• 1837-1849 ~ } Lorenzo J., b. 1823, d. 1901


• 1894-1899 ~ } Lorenzo J., b. 1823, d. 1901
• 1894-1899 ~ } Jesse D., b. 1849, d. 1922
• 1894-1927 ~ } Frederick C., b. 1859, d. 1927
• 1928-1932 ~ Jesse Carlton, b. 1891, d. 1941
• 1932-1944 ~ Lucy Betsey, b. 1881, m. Daniel Lamoree, d. 1944
• Frederick Lorenzo, b. 1879, d. 1959
• 1945-1985 ~ Ethel Mae, b. 1910, m. John E. Coxon, d.1985
• 1985-2009 ~ John H. Coxon b. 1943

— revised 2024-07-16 jhc