Joseph Goodrich (May 12, 1800 – October 9, 1867) was an American pioneer, businessman, and politician. Born in

Hancock, Massachusetts Hancock is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 757 at the 2020 census. History Hancock was first settled in 1762 as the Plantati ...

, Goodrich moved to

Stephentown, New York Stephentown is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,903 at the 2010 census. The town, which was originally Jericho Hallow in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was renamed for Stephen Van Rensselaer. The town is lo ...

, in 1812, to live with an uncle where he was involved with farming and was a member of the

Seventh Day Baptist Seventh Day Baptists are Baptists who observe the Sabbath as the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as a holy day to God. They adopt a covenant Baptist theology, based on the concept of regenerated society, conscious baptism of believers by immers ...

Church. In 1819, Goodrich moved to

Alfred, New York Alfred is a town in Allegany County, New York, United States. The population was 4,896 at the 2020 census. The Town of Alfred has a village named Alfred in the center of the town. Alfred University and Alfred State College are located in t ...

where he had a sawmill, store, and hotel. Then in 1839, Goodrich and his family moved to Prairie du Lac,

Wisconsin Territory The Territory of Wisconsin was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 3, 1836, until May 29, 1848, when an eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Wisconsin. Belmont was ...

. There he founded the village of

Milton, Wisconsin Milton is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,716 at the 2020 census. History The city was formed as a result of the 1967 merger of the villages of Milton and Milton Junction. In November of that year, ballot ...

and

Milton College Milton College was a private college located in Milton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1844 as the Milton Academy, it closed in 1982. Its campus is now part of the Milton Historic District. History The college was founded as the Milton Academy (high scho ...

. He served in the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

in 1855 as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. In Milton, Wisconsin, Goodrich built the Milton House. Goodrich was a supporter of the abolitionist movement and used his house for the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

.State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau.
Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly 1848-1899
'', Informational Bulletin 99-1. Madison: 1999.

Notes

1800 births 1867 deaths People from Berkshire County, Massachusetts People from Alfred, New York People from Milton, Wisconsin American abolitionists American city founders Milton College people People from Stephentown, New York 19th-century American politicians Activists from New York (state) Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly {{Wisconsin-WIAssembly-Republican-1800s-stub