My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

* * * *

W. A. Goodwin was born in Calloway County, Ky., in 1850, where, till he was nineteen years of age, he worked on his father’s farm. Having had but few educational advantages, his acquisitions are the result of his own toil. At the age of nineteen he entered Murray Institute, in his native county, which he attended one term and so distinguished himself that he was employed the following year as assistant instructor. His efforts as an educator were crowned with satisfaction to those whom he served; but brighter prospects rising before him, he left Kentucky in 1876 to take charge of Spring Hill Academy, Henry County, Tenn., where he served with that success that has ever characterized his efforts. During the second year of his connection with this school, 1877, he married Cora, daughter of W. E. and A. A. Pybas, of Trenton, Tenn. Having been educated at the Peabody High School at this place, she was eminently qualified to enter upon the work of educating the youth, which she did, in connection with her husband, immediately after their marriage. In 1879 they moved to Weakley County, Tenn., where they took charge of Central Academy. The school, under their skillful management, was raised to a degree of perfection never before reached. A new educational interest was awakened among the people, and the standard of education was raised to the first rank in the county. In 1883 they were called to take charge of the Martin School. They found the building poorly furnished and in bad repair; the school ungraded and in a state of disintegration; but under the management of Prof. Goodwin and wife the work of reconstruction commenced and continued, until now a nine-years’ high school graded course of study has been established; the building furnished and improved in a most creditable manner, a general plan for the upbuilding of the school having been vigorously prosecuted. Three years have passed under the new system, and the results have been gratifying to all. The government, in many respects, is peculiar. Rewards and punishments are not suspended upon single acts, but upon the aggregate of a sufficient number of acts to form a character. The pupils are led to engage in the study and work of character-building. The secret of good government is to make the pupils thoughtful builders; for there are few who are so depraved that they will thoughtfully and intentionally build a bad character. “Vigilance is the price of good discipline” only when it applies to habit, and not to single acts. When we consider its present excellent standing as the result of but three years’ work, we are constrained to say that the Martin School sprang into being, as it were, “at a touch of the magician’s wand.” It is the leading school of the county, its average daily attendance having increased from about sixty to 107 pupils, and requires the services of three teachers. The next term opens on the first Monday in September, 1886, and the outlook is even more flattering than the past has been.

* * * *

This family biography is one of 108 biographies included in The History of Weakley County, Tennessee published in 1887 by Goodspeed.  The History of Weakley County was included within The History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley & Lake Counties of Tennessee. For the complete description, click here: History of Gibson, Obion, Dyer, Weakley, and Lake Counties of Tennessee

To view additional Weakley County, Tennessee family biographies, click here

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.