My Genealogy Hound

GOODYEAR BROTHERS. The Goodyears in Cumberland county are of German extraction and probably descended from J. Henry Gutjahr, who landed at Philadelphia from the ship “St. Michael” in September, 1753. The family settled first in Warwick township, Lancaster county, but more than a hundred years ago came to Cumberland county, the first appearance of the name upon the records in this county being in 1799, when Peter Goodyear was assessed as land holder and resident in Allen ( now Monroe) township. The next to appear upon the tax list was Frederick, also in Allen township. These two were located in the vicinity of the present village of Churchtown, where some of their descendants still reside.

In December, 1803, a Ludwick Gutyear bought at sheriff sale a tract of land lying along the York road, in Middletown (now South Middleton) township, adjoining lands of James Hamilton and others. This tract contained 200 acres and was a part of the estate of Alexander Blaine, who was a brother of Col. Ephraim Blaine. Nine months after purchasing this farm Ludwick Gutyear died, and Rudolph Krysher and Frederick Goodyear, as administrators, settled up his estate. His wife survived him more than thirty years. Both are buried in an old graveyard in Churchtown and their tombstones bear the following inscriptions: Ludwick Goodyear, born Oct. 20, 1757; died September 16, 1804. Regina Goodyear, born March 15, 1756, died January 5, 1836.

Ludwick and Regina Goodyear had the following children: John, Jacob and Lena. At the time of their father’s death none of these children were yet twenty-one years old, but the two sons were nearly so, and on reaching that age took the farm at the appraisement and owned it jointly for many years afterward.

John Goodyear, the eldest of these three children, was born in Warwick township, Lancaster county, March 11, 1784, and was a young man when his parents settled in Cumberland county. On Dec. 24, 1805, he was married to Ann Burkholder, by Rev. W. Helfenstine, pastor of the Reformed Church of Carlisle. Ann Burkholder was a daughter of Christian and Fronica Burkholder, who formerly were of Dauphin county, and was born March 16, 1783. They began their married life on the farm in the eastern part of South Middleton township and lived there to the end of their days. John Goodyear died Dec. 29, 1864: his wife on Feb. 28, 1861, and their remains are buried in a graveyard on the Lisburn road, where once stood a Mennonite church, three miles east of Carlisle. They had the following children: David, John, Catharine, Jacob, Abraham, Samuel, Benjamin and Regina.

Samuel Goodyear, son of John, was born July 16, 1818, and grew to manhood on the farm in South Middleton township. He engaged at farming in South Middleton until 1865, when he removed to Carlisle, where he first followed baking and later engaged at lime burning and dealing in coal. He married Mary Ann Morrett, who was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Strock) Morrett, of Churchtown. Jacob Morrett was a son of Hartman and Gertrude Morrett, both of whom are buried in the same graveyard in which Ludwick Goodyear and wife are buried. Samuel Goodyear died Dec. 15, 1891; his wife died June 10, 1904, and their remains rest in Mt. Zion cemetery near Churchtown.

To Samuel and Mary Ann (Morrett) Goodyear were born the following children: William, Jacob Morrett, Anna, John, Catharine and Rebecca; also Henry, Mary Jane, Regina Alice and Samuel, who died in infancy.