Daniel E. Goddard

D.E. Goddard, Pioneer Resident of Lusk, Succumbs Tuesday A.M.

Funeral Service To Be Held in Lusk, Saturday, at 10 A.M., From St. Leo's Catholic Church

Daniel E. Goddard, 74, a resident of Lusk since the first days of the town died Tuesday morning at 2 o'clock at his residence in Lusk, the victim of a heart attack. He had been in poor health for the past two years, but his sudden death came as a shock to members of the family.

The deceased was stricken Monday morning and passed quietly away, while sleeping, less than 24 hours later.

When but a young man, Mr. Goddard moved to Lusk in 1886, from Alton, Kansas, and, realizing the opportunities in this young community, made arrangements for establishing his home here. He has seen the town grow from a family group of thirty-five people to its present status as one of the leading small towns in the state, and during this time he has taken an active part in promoting this growth.

Since coming to the United States from London, England, his birthplace, Mr. Goddard has been affiliated with the Republican party and was prominent in county politics for many years. However, his greatest work toward building for the future and local expansion came in assisting newcomers in filing on homesteads. It is estimated that more than 80 per cent of the land filed and proved up on in this county was transacted before him.

Mr. Goddard was appointed United States Commissioner in 1905 by Judge John H. Riner and was, on June 10th of this year, re-appointed for the 11th time to this office by Federal Judge T. Blake Kennedy. For 19 years he was postmaster of Lusk, resigning this office when Wilson was elected president in 1912.

He was a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church, of Casper Council, K. of C., and a charter member of Custer Lodge No. 21, I.O.O.F., of which he was a past grand.

During the early part of his life he was acting pastor of the local Episcopal Church and it was largely through his efforts that the present Episcopal Church was built.

He was admitted to the bar of Kansas in 1884, and while living in Alton, Kansas, was a member of the law firm of Moore & Goddard. For a short period he and his lawyer-partner of Alton, were editors and publishers of the Western Empire, purchasing the paper when they felt that they needed its influence in attempting to have the county seat of Osborne county moved to Alton.

Rosary services will be held Friday evening at 8 o'clock at the Midwest Funeral Home, with Father Miller officiating.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday from St. Leo's Catholic Church of Lusk and burial will be in the Lusk cemetery. The arrangements are in charge of the Midwest Mortuary.

Hon. Daniel E. Goddard
The work of Hon. Daniel E. Goddard, United States Commissioner and Court Commissioner of Niobrara county, shows in its every detail a thoroughness and an intimate knowledge of all matters relating to this office. In fact he was recognized as one of the most capable government officials in the state, and was held in high regard as a man as well as a public servant. Commissioner Goddard was born in London, England, June 28, 1860, a son of the late Daniel E. Goddard, whose birth occurred in Bristol, and his death in Wallington, Surrey, England, when he was eighty four years old.

The elder Daniel E. Goddard was reared in New Castle-on-Tyne, England, and was graduated from Kings College, London, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Until his retirement in 1874, he held a position with the Bank of England, through a period of forty-five years, and he was regarded as one of that institution's most valued employees. In politics he was a conservative. The Established Church of England held his membership. In young manhood he was color sergeant of the Twenty-sixth Middlesex Volunteers. He married Elizabeth Cockin, who was born at Christ Church, Hempshire, England, in 1829, and died in Wallington, Surrey, England, in 1874. Their children were as follows: Commissioner Goddard, who is the eldest; Elizabeth Wilson, who is unmarried and resides in Teignmouth, South Devonshire, England; Arthur Henry, who was engaged in the investment and brokerage business, died in Loveland, Colorado in 1927; Francis E., who is living retired in England, was formerly a ship broker; Charles Vincent, who died in England during 1928, was at the time of his demise retired from business life; Edith Marian, who died in England, was married; Florence M., who is unmarried, resides in Teignmouth, England; and Ethel, who is also unmarried, resides with her two sister, Elizabeth Wilson and Florence M., in Teignmouth.

Growing to manhood in Wallington, Surrey, England, Commissioner Goddard attended a public school, and was a six form boy, in which connection he received an education equivalent to a university training. Following the termination of his school days he went to the Fiji Island, in the South Pacific Ocean, and for two and one-half years held a position in the custom house, but severed that connection in 1878 and came to the United States, and for the subsequent eight years was engaged in cattle raising in Osborne county, Kansas. When he left that locality, in 1886, it was to establish himself in Niobrara county, Wyoming, where he became postmaster of Lusk and continued to hold that government office for nineteen years. Since 1905 he has been United States Commissioner for Niobrara county and Court Commissioner of Niobrara county, having been appointed to the latter office by Judge Mentzer in 1913. In addition to his official duties Commissioner Goddard has had experience along other lines, for some time having published the Western Empire in Alton, Kansas, and for several years being a member of the firm of Moore & Goddard, Attorneys-at-Law, in Alton. His legal training was obtained through his law studies in the office of Irael Moore, of Alton, and he was admitted to the bar of Kansas, in 1884. A Republican, he served as town clerk of Lusk for a number of years, and he has been active in party councils during his long priod of residence in this locality.

During the World War he was chairman of the Council of Defense of Niobrara county, was one of the four-minute speakers, and helped in all of the drives for the purpose of raising war funds, devoting much time to the cause. Commissioner Goddard is a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church, of Casper Council, K. of C., and a charter member of Custer Lodge No. 21, I.O.O.F., of which he is a past grand. He was made an Odd Fellow in Custer Lodge No. 166, in Alton, Kansas, and he demitted to the local lodge, which he assisted in founding, and to which he gave the name Custer. For years he has been one of the helpful members of the Lions Club of Lusk. He owned a fine modern residence opposite the Ranger hotel, on Main street, which is set in the midst of beautifully kept grounds planted and laid out by himself. This is one of the show places of the county. In addition to his home he was an extensive realty owner in Lusk and Niobrara county, some of the most valuable ranches in this section belonging to him.

Commissioner Goddard was married in 1881, in Russell, Kansas, to Miss Matilda Spain, who was born in Seven Oaks, Kansas, and died in Lusk, Wyoming, in 1905. The following children were born of that marriage: Daniel E., who owns and operates a ranch located twenty miles from Lusk, is an extensive rancher and stock raiser; Elizabeth Wilson, who resides near Mountain Grove, Missouri, is the wife of James S. Bonsell, a farmer; and Edith Marian, who resides in Los Angeles, California, is the widow of Edgar Rouse, a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and captain of Company F., Wyoming National Guard. In July, 1910, Commissioner Goddard was married, in Lusk, to Miss Florence W. Webster, who died in Long Beach, California, in 1927. She was graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and was a highly educated lady, very prominent in the work of the Women's Club and similar organizations. Largely to her is due the credit for securing the Carnegie Public Library for Lusk. In all of her endeavors she was actuated by the highest ideals, and she strove to raise the standards for educational and cultural advancement. In religious faith she was a Roman Catholic. By his second marriage Commissioner Goddard had two children born to him: Florence W., who resides in Lusk, and is the wife of Benjamin Updike; and Robert S., who resided with his father, was graduated from the Lusk High School in 1930.

RESOLUTION
WHEREAS: It has been the will of the Almighty God to take from our midst, one of our most respected citizens, D. E. Goddard, and

WHEREAS: D.E. Goddard has rendered valuable service to the people of this community and the Town of Lusk, as Town Clerk, which office he held with honor and fidelity for a number of years,

NOW THEREFORE: be it resolved by the Town Council of the Town of Lusk, Wyoming in regular session assembled this second day of October, 1934, that we deeply deplore the loss of our beloved citizen, D. E. Goddard and that we do, on behalf of the people of the Town of Lusk, sincerely extend to his family, the sympathy of the entire community,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that a copy of this resolution be spread upon the official minutes of this meeting, and a copy presented to the family as a memorial of the love and esteem borne by the Town of Lusk toward the late D. E. Goddard.

FOSTER R. ROGERS, Mayor Town of Lusk.
E. FLOYD DEUEL, Town Clerk

RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It has please Almighty God to call to his eternal rest, a distinguished statesman, lawyer and citizen of this county, Daniel E. Goddard; and,

WHEREAS,Daniel E. Goddard was an outstanding, and one of the most public spirited citizens of this community, and has served as Post Master of Lusk for nineteen years, is Court Commissioner for twenty-one years, and as United States Commissioner for twenty-nine years, with honor and fidelity; and,

WHEREAS, the entire life and career of Daniel E. Goddard have been such as to serve as a shining example to men of every age and in all walks of life; and,

WHEREAS, The community as a whole feels the loss of this great and good man. Now, therefore, be it Resolved, By the Niobrara County Bar Association, that the fullest sympathy of this Association for the death of Daniel E. Goddard be extended to his bereaved family and to the people of this community and of the entire State of Wyoming.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the family of the deceased, to the Clerk of the District Court of Niobrara County, Wyoming, to be spread upon the records of this Association as a perpetual memorial of the love and esteem borne toward the late Daniel E. Goddard by this Association, and of its sad sense of loss in his demise.

Done at Lusk, this third day of October, 1934.

NIOBRARA BAR ASSOCIATION,
FRANK A. BARRETT,
THOMAS O. MILLER,
PAUL M. GARMAN,
JUDSON P. WATSON,
M.H. NEIL

Images & Attachments

Related/Linked Records