Goodrich, William Henry, Dd

Goodrich, William Henry, D.D.

a Presbyterian minister, was born in New Haven, January 19, 1823, being the son of Reverend C.A. Goodrich, D.D., grandson of Noah Webster, LL.D., and great-grandson of Reverend Elizur Goodrich, D.D. He graduated at Yale College in 1843, and Yale Divinity School in 1847, and was tutor in Yale College two years. After making the tour of Europe, he accepted, in 1850, a call to the pastoral charge of the Congregational Church of Bristol, Connecticut, where he remained four years. He was then called to the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church of Binghamton, N.Y., where he remained till 1858, and then removed to Cleveland, Ohio, as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, where his work was marked by very great success. In 1872, after securing the settlement of the Reverend H.C. Haydn as associate pastor, he left for a visit to foreign lands, that thus his health might be restored; but he died at Lausanne, Switzerland, July 11, 1874. As a preacher, Dr. Goodrich was seldom speculative and theoretical, never dogmatic nor sectarian, but eminently spiritual and practical. A very strong point in his character was his downright, never-failing commonsense. He was remarkable for insight into the character of all with whom he had to do.