Family Group Sheet
Family Group Sheet
NameRalph Allison Goodfellow
Birth25 Jun 1879, Malvern, Mills Co., IA, USA
Death8 Aug 1943, Valentine, Cherry Co., NE, USA Age: 64
BurialValentine, Cherry Co., NE, USA
FatherJames Knox Polk Goodfellow (1844-1916)
Children
Birth8 Jul 1907, Cherry Co., NE, USA
Death22 May 1964, Merriman, Cherry Co., NE, USA Age: 56
Notes for Ralph Allison Goodfellow
"Uncle Ralph," as he was usually called in the family was the big financial success of his generaltion. "K.P.", as his father was called, would send the boys out to western Nebraska at a very early age, to herd cattle thru the summer in the early days; later on he established the gigantic Spearhead ranch; a substancial amout of which is still owned by family members and in-laws as of September, 2003 when I, Mark Goodfellow, visited the area with my wife, Janna.
After a very short visit with Hugh Goodfellow, son of Hugh and Minnie Goodfellow, Ralph's brother and sister-in-law, in Douglas, Wyoming; Janna and I went east on highway 20 to Gordon, Nebraska. There we met Jack and Genevra (Goodfellow) Cobb. Genevra is the daughter of Hugh and Minnie Goodfellow and a sister of Hugh Goodfellow of Douglas, Wyoming.
Genevra, (at this date about 88) wasn't feeling well, but she told us several stories about family members (recorded elsewhere in this record). Jack, who'll be 93 on 20 Nov. this year seemed to be feeling fine and was very happy to tell me many, many stories about my father, who he knew very well as a boy and young man since they worked together many times over a number of years when they both were employed by the various Goodfellow ranches and brothers. Jack had never met James K.P.; Jack was only 6 when he died in 1916, and he had never met Fred Goodfellow, K.P.'s oldest son who by that time spent most of his time around Ashland, Nebraska where he farmed and worked for the power company. He also had never met Robert Goodfellow, K.P.'s youngest son, but Jack knew well the other sons, Ralph, Hugh, and Jim and mentioned that he'd met Eunice, who generally was called Jane by the family. They also knew Elsie, another daughter of K.P., but she and Genevra hadn't gotten along too well for some reason.
We arrived at Jack and Genevra's Friday afternoon, and they told us stories and asked questions for 2 or 3 hours till supper time. We came back again the next day about 10 am, and Jack was ready to take us down to the ranches that he and my father's family had been working on for, in the case of my older family members, well over 100 years.
We drove to the little town of Merriman, Nebraska, about 30 miles east of Gordon on highway 20 and turned south on the county road about 10 miles. Then we went east on a gravel road through the sand hills for several miles. We took off across the pasture for another mile or two and stopped on a bluff overlooking the Niobrarra River, where Louden creek joins it from the north. In the trees below Jack showed us where Jim Goodfellow's ranch had been; where many of his children had been born, including my father, and where his son Gerald had died at age 12. A few years after Gerald died the family moved up to the south side of the river, on the bluff, and Jack said he thought it was because my grandfather didn't want to keep being reminded of his lost son anymore. He told people that it was too inconvienient to live there because they couldn't get the car down to that house, but Jack thought it was more likly that Jim was still grieving over Gerald.
Many more stories that Jack told us are recorded in other places in this record.
While we were in Gordon Jack took us to see a fine brick house that Ralph had built at 720 Main street.
It appears to have been well cared for over the years and he said that my dad would have lived there when he went to his one year of high school which would have been about 1929 or so. Ralph's daughter, Belva, stayed there a lot before she got married. Jack didn't say whether the builders were Ralph's wife's Hattie's brothers from Tabor, Iowa, or some local contractors. The Weatherhead's were very good mason's and built a lot of the big buildings in western Iowa.
"I met Bill Goodfellow when I was in San Diego. Aunt Hattie was living with him and was so thrilled that someone in the family would come visit. She was blind most of my life and lived with Belva. We used to go see belva a few times a year. Dad had sort of grew up on Ralph's ranch, when they moved back from Iowa, and Belva was sort of like a sister to him. I liked Belva. Bill Goodfellow wasnt very well thought of by most of the family down here. I guess its probably just a bunch of rumors. You may have picked up on those from Jack. I knew Smoky very well ... he was at our house in Gordon a lot - he and my dad really liked each other. He had a great sense of humor.... and he really liked kids. Usually he brought Susan and I stuff when he came over. It really set everyone back when he had that accident -- it was probably more like a shock - it was hard to believe that happened for a long time. I can still hear his voice if i think back. Guess he was one of my heroes or whatever you call them. I met his sister once - all i remember is that she had red hair. From what I gather she wasnt that popular with most of the family. Ralph must have been a great guy. Dad grew up on his ranch, and I know Dad thought the world of "uncle" Ralph. Maybe it was mutual as when Ralph died he left dad quite a bit of money with instructions that is was to be spent to go to college. Dad said there was enough to go through college three times - but, he didnt spend it the way he was supposed to - he lost it farming. Simmons now live on the place Belva lived on. When Smoky was going to school he drove an antique chevy probly from the early 40's ..it was really cool, instead of being black like most of those cars were it was tan with a light brown interior. Dad said it was Ralph's car. It even had heated seats! I saw that car sitting along a fence line a dozen years ago, and asked Don (Simmons) if he would sell it. He said if I had a hundred dollars it was mine. He had taken the seats out and had put them where they couldnt get eaten by mice and stuff. I spose I should have bought it. Doubt there is much left now. Too bad I didnt take him up on it - that would have been a steal!" ( This from an E-mail from Roger Goodfellow, son of Dorland Hugh Goodfellow and Louise Purdy to Mark Goodfellow, b. 1945, on May 24, 2009)
Here are the people mentioned in the letter. Bill Goodfellow was Ralph's son William Allison Goodfellow, Aunt Hattie was Ralph's wife, Hattie Weatherhead Goodfellow, Belva is Ralph's daughter, "Smokie" is Bill Goodfellow's son who died in an airplane crash, (he was the pilot), near St. Johns, Arizona, 25 January, 1974. His sister, with the red hair, was Merian Delores Goodfellow, Daughter of Bill Goodfellow.
After a very short visit with Hugh Goodfellow, son of Hugh and Minnie Goodfellow, Ralph's brother and sister-in-law, in Douglas, Wyoming; Janna and I went east on highway 20 to Gordon, Nebraska. There we met Jack and Genevra (Goodfellow) Cobb. Genevra is the daughter of Hugh and Minnie Goodfellow and a sister of Hugh Goodfellow of Douglas, Wyoming.
Genevra, (at this date about 88) wasn't feeling well, but she told us several stories about family members (recorded elsewhere in this record). Jack, who'll be 93 on 20 Nov. this year seemed to be feeling fine and was very happy to tell me many, many stories about my father, who he knew very well as a boy and young man since they worked together many times over a number of years when they both were employed by the various Goodfellow ranches and brothers. Jack had never met James K.P.; Jack was only 6 when he died in 1916, and he had never met Fred Goodfellow, K.P.'s oldest son who by that time spent most of his time around Ashland, Nebraska where he farmed and worked for the power company. He also had never met Robert Goodfellow, K.P.'s youngest son, but Jack knew well the other sons, Ralph, Hugh, and Jim and mentioned that he'd met Eunice, who generally was called Jane by the family. They also knew Elsie, another daughter of K.P., but she and Genevra hadn't gotten along too well for some reason.
We arrived at Jack and Genevra's Friday afternoon, and they told us stories and asked questions for 2 or 3 hours till supper time. We came back again the next day about 10 am, and Jack was ready to take us down to the ranches that he and my father's family had been working on for, in the case of my older family members, well over 100 years.
We drove to the little town of Merriman, Nebraska, about 30 miles east of Gordon on highway 20 and turned south on the county road about 10 miles. Then we went east on a gravel road through the sand hills for several miles. We took off across the pasture for another mile or two and stopped on a bluff overlooking the Niobrarra River, where Louden creek joins it from the north. In the trees below Jack showed us where Jim Goodfellow's ranch had been; where many of his children had been born, including my father, and where his son Gerald had died at age 12. A few years after Gerald died the family moved up to the south side of the river, on the bluff, and Jack said he thought it was because my grandfather didn't want to keep being reminded of his lost son anymore. He told people that it was too inconvienient to live there because they couldn't get the car down to that house, but Jack thought it was more likly that Jim was still grieving over Gerald.
Many more stories that Jack told us are recorded in other places in this record.
While we were in Gordon Jack took us to see a fine brick house that Ralph had built at 720 Main street.
It appears to have been well cared for over the years and he said that my dad would have lived there when he went to his one year of high school which would have been about 1929 or so. Ralph's daughter, Belva, stayed there a lot before she got married. Jack didn't say whether the builders were Ralph's wife's Hattie's brothers from Tabor, Iowa, or some local contractors. The Weatherhead's were very good mason's and built a lot of the big buildings in western Iowa.
"I met Bill Goodfellow when I was in San Diego. Aunt Hattie was living with him and was so thrilled that someone in the family would come visit. She was blind most of my life and lived with Belva. We used to go see belva a few times a year. Dad had sort of grew up on Ralph's ranch, when they moved back from Iowa, and Belva was sort of like a sister to him. I liked Belva. Bill Goodfellow wasnt very well thought of by most of the family down here. I guess its probably just a bunch of rumors. You may have picked up on those from Jack. I knew Smoky very well ... he was at our house in Gordon a lot - he and my dad really liked each other. He had a great sense of humor.... and he really liked kids. Usually he brought Susan and I stuff when he came over. It really set everyone back when he had that accident -- it was probably more like a shock - it was hard to believe that happened for a long time. I can still hear his voice if i think back. Guess he was one of my heroes or whatever you call them. I met his sister once - all i remember is that she had red hair. From what I gather she wasnt that popular with most of the family. Ralph must have been a great guy. Dad grew up on his ranch, and I know Dad thought the world of "uncle" Ralph. Maybe it was mutual as when Ralph died he left dad quite a bit of money with instructions that is was to be spent to go to college. Dad said there was enough to go through college three times - but, he didnt spend it the way he was supposed to - he lost it farming. Simmons now live on the place Belva lived on. When Smoky was going to school he drove an antique chevy probly from the early 40's ..it was really cool, instead of being black like most of those cars were it was tan with a light brown interior. Dad said it was Ralph's car. It even had heated seats! I saw that car sitting along a fence line a dozen years ago, and asked Don (Simmons) if he would sell it. He said if I had a hundred dollars it was mine. He had taken the seats out and had put them where they couldnt get eaten by mice and stuff. I spose I should have bought it. Doubt there is much left now. Too bad I didnt take him up on it - that would have been a steal!" ( This from an E-mail from Roger Goodfellow, son of Dorland Hugh Goodfellow and Louise Purdy to Mark Goodfellow, b. 1945, on May 24, 2009)
Here are the people mentioned in the letter. Bill Goodfellow was Ralph's son William Allison Goodfellow, Aunt Hattie was Ralph's wife, Hattie Weatherhead Goodfellow, Belva is Ralph's daughter, "Smokie" is Bill Goodfellow's son who died in an airplane crash, (he was the pilot), near St. Johns, Arizona, 25 January, 1974. His sister, with the red hair, was Merian Delores Goodfellow, Daughter of Bill Goodfellow.
Notes for Belva Louise (Child 1)
In conversation with Hulda Goodfellow she told me a little of Belva's husband, Royal McGaughey. Hulda said that he was a "Teddy Bear" of a fellow, loved Belva and was very good to her. He was a local boy, who's father had died when he was quite young. His mother was a beautiful woman, very outgoing and Royal took after her.
Notes for William Allison (Child 2)
Tonight at 8 oŸuclock the members of the Junior class of the local high school will present their play, "Skidding." A matinee was given this afternoon and a second performance will be held Friday night. This comedy of American family life was the outstanding Broadway hit of 1929. The cast is as follows: Judge James HardyŸR.LeRoy Vollentine Mrs. HardyŸRŸRŸRŸR.Gwendolyn PurdyEstelleŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸR..Doyle Derry MyraŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸR.Irene Bower AndyŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸRŸR.Mack Boyle Wayne Trenton IIIŸRŸRŸRŸRJoe Saults StubbinsŸRŸRŸRŸR.William Goodfellow Between acts will be presented what are reported as "unusually good features" by other members of the class. Girls participating in these acts are Pauline Paul, Dorothy Grove, Hazel Benson, Mary Nelson, Hedwig Schaer, Margaret Schaer and Mildred Gay. The ushers will be: Dora Jones, Evelyn Ross, Ruth Furman, Alyce Teipel, Marie Frederickson, Avah Waddill, Leslie Child, Lois Lein, Emery Reed, Vincent Skinner, Orville Conner, Raymond Versaw, Merrit Diehl, William Cobb and Frank Ragsdale.
There he is, Billy Goodfellow, as my Father always called him. Also note the ushers; one is William Cobb, younger brother of Genevra Goodfellow Cobb's husband, Richard, or "Jack" as he was usually called.
I wrote to all the cousins any one could tell me about when I started the project back in the late 1970's. Bill was very quick to answer and wrote enless amounts of helpful information to me. He was living in Guadalajara, Jalisco,
Mexico, in retirement after many years with the Agriculture Department. In those days one did not make long distance phone calls causually, much less international calls, but one day he called me and invited me to come to Mexico and visit him. It was New Years Day, probably 1978, and he teased me about the weather and told me he'd picked a grapefruit off a tree in his yard for breadfast that very day. I didn't go; I was poor at the time and didn't realize the true value of things like this.
A few months later, in the following summer, I answered the door bell to find an older gentleman I did not know standing on the porch beaming at me. It was Bill, with his wife Marge! " We were just driving around and happened to pass through the neiborhood;" he said. They'd been on a trip home for Bill to Nebraska and thought the extra 2000 mile drive no big deal. although Bill's health wasn't very good and he was 67 or 68 years old. Bill was a true Goodfellow.
We had a long visit during which he told me a lot of "old days" stuff. I taped 2 or 3 hours on a little cassette recorder; it's not perfect but it is understandable and I've kept it to this day[ Aug.,2000]. Bill had a great love for the old west and it's a shame that he never learned about our connection with Doc. Goodfellow of Tombstone and other interesting places. He really enjoyed meeting a big family of Goodfellow's; we had 4 or 5 children then and I told him we hoped to have a whole lot more. I think he was disapointed that he wasn't going to have any decendents and he encouraged me to have a big family.
I remember how much Marge meant to him. In letters and calls and his one visit he always mentioned how lucky he was to have so devoted and loving a partner. After his death she wrote me a nice letter and told me what had happened. I wrote her back with the most comforting things I could say and got another letter from her: a very gracious and kindly woman.
Bill was one of the most interesting correspondents, one might even say challenging, one could ever hope to have. If you ever see one of his letters you immediately know that he knew where the punctuation keys were, and he made regular use of each and every one of them. I'm still trying to make sure I understand what he was trying to tell me in some of those letters of his.
There he is, Billy Goodfellow, as my Father always called him. Also note the ushers; one is William Cobb, younger brother of Genevra Goodfellow Cobb's husband, Richard, or "Jack" as he was usually called.
I wrote to all the cousins any one could tell me about when I started the project back in the late 1970's. Bill was very quick to answer and wrote enless amounts of helpful information to me. He was living in Guadalajara, Jalisco,
Mexico, in retirement after many years with the Agriculture Department. In those days one did not make long distance phone calls causually, much less international calls, but one day he called me and invited me to come to Mexico and visit him. It was New Years Day, probably 1978, and he teased me about the weather and told me he'd picked a grapefruit off a tree in his yard for breadfast that very day. I didn't go; I was poor at the time and didn't realize the true value of things like this.
A few months later, in the following summer, I answered the door bell to find an older gentleman I did not know standing on the porch beaming at me. It was Bill, with his wife Marge! " We were just driving around and happened to pass through the neiborhood;" he said. They'd been on a trip home for Bill to Nebraska and thought the extra 2000 mile drive no big deal. although Bill's health wasn't very good and he was 67 or 68 years old. Bill was a true Goodfellow.
We had a long visit during which he told me a lot of "old days" stuff. I taped 2 or 3 hours on a little cassette recorder; it's not perfect but it is understandable and I've kept it to this day[ Aug.,2000]. Bill had a great love for the old west and it's a shame that he never learned about our connection with Doc. Goodfellow of Tombstone and other interesting places. He really enjoyed meeting a big family of Goodfellow's; we had 4 or 5 children then and I told him we hoped to have a whole lot more. I think he was disapointed that he wasn't going to have any decendents and he encouraged me to have a big family.
I remember how much Marge meant to him. In letters and calls and his one visit he always mentioned how lucky he was to have so devoted and loving a partner. After his death she wrote me a nice letter and told me what had happened. I wrote her back with the most comforting things I could say and got another letter from her: a very gracious and kindly woman.
Bill was one of the most interesting correspondents, one might even say challenging, one could ever hope to have. If you ever see one of his letters you immediately know that he knew where the punctuation keys were, and he made regular use of each and every one of them. I'm still trying to make sure I understand what he was trying to tell me in some of those letters of his.