The Jefferies & Goodman Families from the Plantations of South Carolina to a Legacy in Smith County, Texas

I have been researching mine and my husband's family history for over 25 years and I thought there would be no more surprise discoveries. This time my goal was to find the maternal lineage of my husband's great grandfather, Dee Jefferies Wilkins. I had researched the Wilkins quite a bit but I didn't have much to go on regarding the Jefferies. The surname is spelled many ways in the records and Jefferies/Jeffries have been used most often. I decided to use Jefferies because that is how I saw it most in the older records and many signatures in their writing. It's a long story but when I first saw that Rebecca C. Jefferies' aunt was married to Samuel A. Goodman I didn't think too much about it. I decided to look into the Jefferies-Goodman family a little more when I found that they had migrated from South Carolina to Smith County, Texas sometime between 1850 and 1860 based on the census records. The biggest shock came when I discovered that they were the Goodman family of the Goodman-LeGrand House on North Broadway in Tyler, Texas - my hometown! I have had fun with this project because of my earliest memories of seeing this huge plantation style house. My family attended Calvary Baptist Church which was one block north of the Goodman-LeGrand house and so I saw it every week of my young life. Another memory was going to a Bluebird (Girl Scout) event with games and a picnic on the grounds. I have visited the museum as an adult but it has been many years. I don't live in Tyler anymore but I will be visiting again very soon. I plan to take my mother-in-law and I know we will both have quite a different perspective of this beautiful and grand antebellum house. I look forward to sharing with her the history and past times of her ancestors.

Pamelia Corry Jefferies (1811-1878)

Pamelia Jefferies Goodman

Pamelia Corry Jefferies was born into a wealthy family of plantation owners from Union County, South Carolina. She was born 11 February 1811 to Nathaniel "Nate" Jefferies, II and Rebecca Corry. Pamelia is the 4th great aunt of my husband Mike and she had two older brothers, John Corry Jefferies and William Corry Jefferies, who is Mike's great-great-great grandfather. Her two grandfathers, John Randolph Jefferies, Sr., and Nicholas Corry and one great grandfather, Nathaniel Jefferies were Patriot veterans of the Revolutionary War and her two sons, William Jefferies Goodman, and Samuel A. Goodman, Jr. were Confederate veterans of the Civil War. Her maternal grandfather Nicholas Corry immigrated from County Down, Ireland in about 1767 and just nine years later joined his friends and neighbors in supporting the fight for independence in the American Revolution.

Pamelia was only 10 years old when her mother died in the summer of 1821 at the very young age of 29. Her father married his second wife, Frances Goudelock, in 1822 and they had eight children between 1825 and 1842 - the youngest only lived a year.  Pamelia and her brothers were not alone for long with the addition of five half-brothers and three half-sisters.

Samuel Adams Goodman, Sr. (1805-1892)

In the late 1820s, Pamelia met and fell in love with a quiet and handsome young man, Samuel Adams Goodman. Samuel was born 22 October 1805 near Nashville, Tennessee to Benjamin and Maria William Goodman, a somewhat poor family.  When Samuel was old enough he apprenticed as a tanner in Tennessee and practiced his trade around Tennessee and Kentucky.  His older brother, Benjamin Lewis Goodman, who was practicing law in Union District, South Carolina persuaded Sam to move to South Carolina and study law. However, before long Sam realized his interest was not in the law but medicine so Ben supported his brother and put him through medical school. I have not found any records regarding what medical school he attended. One source mentioned a certificate signed by Dr. A. Lancaster dated 22 November 1828 states that "through hard study and diligent application Samuel Adams Goodman qualified for the practice of medicine."

Samuel Adams Goodman, Sr.

According to one source, Pamelia's family objected to Sam being a professional man instead of a plantation owner and he was indebted to his brother for his medical education which amounted to about $2,200 - a great deal of money in the early 1800s. He was afraid to tell Pamelia about the debt but he began practicing medicine in Thickety Creek, an area of wealthy people and in a year had paid off half of the debt. Pamelia and Sam were married 11 February 1830 in Union County, South Carolina.

An excerpt from The Goodman Family, An Intimate History by Marjorie Goodman Carlisle:
Sam always felt greatly indebted to Pamelia's family. In the last letter he ever wrote to his wife's half-sister Mrs. Rachel Littlejohn - in 1898 at age 93 - he expressed his feelings:
"... Well do I remember my first days at Thickety Creek among the Jeffries - without friends - without money, poor, very poor indeed. Thus I toiled until that connection backed by numbers - by wealth - by character and influence took me up and numbered me with their own. They gave me position in society, patronage and success there. They were a power behind me. May I never forget those days. May I never fail to acknowledge my lasting obligation to the name of Jeffries...".

The Goodman Family of Union County, South Carolina

The Goodmans lived in the community of Gaffney in Union County for a while after they married but eventually moved to Gowdesville in Union County and purchased a plantation of their own. Sam and Pamelia did not have what would be considered a large family for that time period. There were four children - only two of which survived to adulthood: (one source states there were five children - two lost in infancy)
1.  James B. Goodman
     b. 7 Sep 1831, Union County, SC
     d. Nov 1831, Union County, SC, Age: 2 months

2.  William Jefferies Goodman
     b. 9 Dec 1833, Union County, SC
     d. 26 Aug 1921, Tyler, Smith, TX, Age: 87
     m. 13 Feb 1867, Mary Priscilla Gaston

3.  Samuel Adams Goodman, Jr.
     b. 3 Feb 1836, Union County, SC
     d. 19 Aug 1899, Tyler, Smith, TX, Age: 63
     m. 1 Sep 1863, Nancy Catherine "Kate" Vinson

4.  Sarah Rebecca Pamelia Goodman
     b. 18 Jul 1838, Union County, SC
     d. 17 Dec 1852, Union County, SC, Age: 14

In the 1840 Union, South Carolina census Dr. Sam had a large plantation home and owned 10 slaves which he managed in addition to his medical practice. I have found very little information about their life during the 1840s.

By the 1850s there were many changes for the Goodman family. The plantation had grown and prospered with many improvements. With the help of 28 slaves, they maintained and farmed a very large and profitable 265 acres of improved land and 187 acres of unimproved land. In the agricultural census of 1850 the livestock included, horses, mules, cows, oxen, cattle (300 pounds of butter), swine, and sheep (50 pounds of wool). The produce farmed in 1850 was 75 bushels of wheat, 1200 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of oats, 32 bales of ginned cotton (bales weighed 400 pounds each), and 100 bushels of sweet potatoes. The cash value of the farm in 1850 was $2,550 - equivalent of just over $82,000 in 2018. That is a surprise - and wouldn't buy much of a plantation today!

The Goodmans were very determined to provide the children with a good education. Both of their sons attended South Carolina College at Columbia and Sarah attended Limestone Springs Female High School in Spartanburg. Sadly, their only daughter became ill while away at school and died from inflammatory influenza. William continued his education at the Medical College in Charleston then on to Bellevue Hospital, and lastly College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City.  Sam Jr. entered South Carolina College in 1854. Letters from family seemed to focus on his behavior and William's focused on the "demon rum" telling him to "never let a drop of that accursed liquid pass your lips." Sam stayed at South Carolina College until 1857.

Goodman Family Migrates to Texas

The Goodman family migrated to Texas sometime in 1857 according to the Texas Voter Registration Lists of 22 November 1869 which shows that Samuel A. Goodman, Sr. had lived in the state and county for 12 years. It is difficult to understand why they would leave their home in South Carolina which they had built into a beautiful and prosperous plantation. There was some political unrest simmering in the deep south but possibly the fact that Sam's brother Benjamin had migrated to Texas in 1852 was a factor as well as the availability of inexpensive land. They built a large two-story house on a plantation near Jamestown in Smith County and Sam became a dedicated and successful farmer. Pamelia's brother, William Corry Jefferies, also migrated to Texas with his family about 1860. He is in the 1870 U.S. Census in the Starrville community of Smith County.

Samuel A. Goodman, Sr.
Jamestown 1860 Agriculture Record
(#18 John Jeffries was probably Pamelia's nephew)

In the 1860 U.S. Census of Jamestown, Smith County, Texas, there was only Sam and Pamelia living in the house on a large farm in Jamestown. It must have been a large plantation because they had 43 slaves listed on the 1860 U.S. Census-Slave Schedule. Their real estate value was $10,000 and their personal estate was valued at $20,000.

The eldest son William was practicing medicine and living in Tyler in the household of his uncle Benjamin L. Goodman - who was practicing law. Sam Jr. is living in Tyler and practicing law also.

S. A. Goodman Business Card

I have not found any records or letters regarding his education in law but he did attend South Carolina College for three years.  In the 1860 U.S. Census, it appears that Sam Jr. is probably living in a hotel or boarding house. The head of the house is listed as a merchant and all residents have different surnames, ages, and vocations.

Civil War Surgeon

In February 1861 Texas seceded from the Union and before the end of the year, the Goodman sons had enlisted in the Confederate States Army. William enlisted first on 1 October 1861 in Tyler, Smith Co., Texas:  https://www.fold3.com/image/13699644
He mustered in as a Private in Capt. Douglas' Co., Col. Joseph Bates Regiment. In his service records, William is referred to as Major and this was because he was a surgeon but did not have any authority commanding. In late 1863 he was appointed Surgeon of the Provisional Army of the Confederate States. Most of his military career was spent in Velasco, Brazoria Co., Texas. He remained in the war until the end - the last roll he was on was dated 13 March 1865. He was paroled as Surgeon, 13th Texas Infantry, Marshall, Harrison Co., Texas. He returned to Tyler after the war and continued his medical practice.

Samuel Adams Goodman, Jr.
(1836-1899)

Samuel Adams Goodman, Jr. 

Sam Jr. enlisted on 26 December 1861 in Tyler, Texas:  https://www.fold3.com/image/13699364
Sam Jr. was discharged on 1 March 1862 for sickness. On 4 March 1863, he was given a Certificate of Disability for Discharge due to disease of the lungs. Sam Jr. married Kate Vinson 1 September 1863 in Rusk County, Texas. They had seven children and all survived to adulthood. Their first child, Mattie May, died when she was 18 years old. Kate Vinson filed a Widow's Application for Confederate Pension on 22 February 1927 and it was approved 24 February 1927.

A Cottage on North Broadway

Kate Vinson's
Widow's Application for Confederate Pension

In 1866 Samuel and Pamelia sold their farm which probably was not very profitable after the end of the war with prices for cotton collapsing and the loss of his slave labor. They purchased a cottage and nine acres on North Broadway in Tyler and made a few exterior alterations to the one-story cottage.

In 1867 when William and Mary Priscilla Gaston were married they moved into the cottage with his parents. In the 1870 U.S. Census both Samuel, Sr. and Samuel, Jr. Goodman families were living in Starrville, Texas next door to each other. I don't know what took place to cause them to move to land in Starrville but they kept the cottage and acreage in Tyler. Their son William and his wife Mary continued to live there and in 1873, the elder Goodmans sold their cottage and acreage to William and Mary who had two daughters by this time.

Kate Vinson
(1842-1933)

Pamelia C. Goodman dictated her last will and testament on 2 December 1877. She had very specific instructions regarding what she bequeathed to who and how it was all to be handled by the executors even to the point of seemingly dictating her husband's will as well. Most of their assets were in city and state bonds executed to the Houston and Great Northern Railroad Company, and "brick stone houses and warehouse on the west side of the public square in the city of Tyler on lots purchased by my husband" - rents were collected from these properties. Considering all I have read regarding the Jefferies and Goodman families I imagine that the majority of the wealth of their estate was due to her family inheritance. Samuel Jr. was left the majority of the interests and investments. This could be due to his bad health, limited means of making a living, and a large family to support. Pamelia Goodman died at the age of 67 on 21 Sept 1878. Dr. Sam lived almost 24 more years and died 23 April 1902 at the age of 96. They are buried in Oakwood Cemetery, in Tyler, Texas which is designated a Historic Texas Cemetery by the Texas Historical Commission in Austin, Texas.

William Jefferies Goodman (1833-1921)

The William J. Goodman family was growing and by 1880 they decided to enlarge the cottage. They added a second story and double galleries on all four sides of the house. They rebuilt the cottage into a grand house with an elaborate painted and stenciled parlor ceiling. All of their children were born and raised in the house. Their children were:

William Jefferies Goodman

1.  Berta Goodman
     b. 14 Aug 1868 in Tyler, TX
     d. 19 Mar 1870 in Tyler, TX
         Age: 19 months

2   Sallie Gertrude Goodman
     b. 19 May 1871 in Tyler, TX
     d. 12 Oct 1939 in Tyler, TX
         Age: 68
     m. 25 Oct 1893 in Tyler, TX
          James Hutcheson LeGrand

3.  William Gaston Goodman
     b. 21 Jan 1875 in Tyler, TX
     d. 23 Oct 1937 in Tyler, TX
        Age: 62
     m. 19  May 1926 in Dallas, TX
           Lucille Pate

4.  Etta Gwendolen Goodman
     b. 21 Jan 1878 in Tyler, TX
     d. 11 Jun 1915 in Tyler, TX
                                                                         Age: 37

Mary Priscilla Gaston Goodman
(1847-1915)

The Goodmans lived in the house on their estate until their deaths. Mary Priscilla Gaston Goodman died on 1 January 1915 after several weeks of illness. Their youngest daughter, Etta, died 11 June 1915 in San Antonio. Her obituary stated that the death of her mother earlier in the year had caused a breakdown from which she could not recover. She had been in San Antonio in hopes that a change of climate would be helpful in her recovery.  Dr. William Jefferies Goodman died on 26 August 1921. Most of the Goodmans are buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler, Texas.

Sallie Gertrude Goodman LeGrand (1871-1939)

Their oldest daughter, Sallie Gertrude Goodman, married James Hutcheson LeGrand on 25 Oct 1893 in Tyler. She inherited her parents home and with her husband James's large inheritance they added on to the home to accommodate their social activities. The house was rebuilt once again in its present form in 1924. The LeGrands enjoyed entertaining and opened their home for charity functions and Tyler rose activities which were an annual tribute to the city's rose-growing industry.

James Hutcheson LeGrand died 18 April 1935 and Sallie Goodman LeGrand died 12 Oct 1939. She bequeathed the Goodman-LeGrand home to the City of Tyler as a park, museum, and cultural center. In 1964, the Junior League of Tyler restored the house and converted the second floor into a local historical museum with many exhibits from the Civil War period. Many photographs of the family and other historical photographs are on display. The first floor rooms are used for public receptions, recitals, and meetings of various cultural, historical and civic organizations.

Sallie Gertrude Goodman

Sallie Gertrude Goodman LeGrand

Mr. & Mrs. LeGrand

Goodman-LeGrand House, Tyler, Texas

PHOTO GALLERY

Samuel A. Goodman, Sr.

Samuel A. Goodman, Jr. at his farm in Jamestown

Etta Gwendolen Goodman
(1878-1915)

Four Generations: Samuel Vinson Goodman holding his daughter Anne Marjorie Goodman,
Samuel A. Goodman, Jr., Samuel A. Goodman, Sr.

Samuel A. Goodman, Jr. & daughter Mattie

William J. Goodman & daughter Sallie

5 Generation Descendancy Chart :

This descendancy chart starts with Nathaniel "Nate" Jefferies, II & Rebecca Corry who are Pamelia Corry Jefferies Goodman's parents to my husband's grandparents, Leroy Zeigler & Nelda Mae Wilkins generation. URL for descendancy chart:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18mNbNtk2RpwR8CTCiplanDYwnVdESv42/view

Sources:

Carlisle, Marjorie Goodman (1897-1979). "The Goodman Family, An Intimate History", Part One: Up to Abt 1864.
(Shared by ShirleyGarrett80, ancestry.com)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b15IWW6dUUX_ccxwejqu07_yusEoZOWp/view?usp=sharing

The author is the granddaughter of Samuel A. Goodman, Jr. and is the baby - Ann Marjorie Goodman - in the photo of four generations of Goodmans in the photo gallery. URL for article:

The TXGenWeb Project, Smith County, Texas. Sponsored by the East Texas Genealogical Society;
The Goodman-LeGrand House.
https://www.etgs.org/txsmith/histmark/goodman.html

East Texas Genealogical Society, Smith County Pioneers
https://www.etgs.org/txsmith/pioneers/

Source of the photo of Goodman-LeGrand House - Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Goodman-LeGrand-House/236117573131521

"Texas, Wills and Probate Records, 1833-1974," Ancestry.com,
https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2115

Pamelia C. Goodman, Last Will and Testament:
https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/2115/007576647_01083?pid=759377&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D2115%26h%3D759377%26tid%3D157165700%26pid%3D302068166872%26hid%3D1001366752842%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DDvi7714%26_phstart%3Ddefault%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Dvi7714&_phstart=default&usePUBJs=true#?imageId=007576647_01094

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 11 December 2018), memorial page for Dr Samuel Adams Goodman, Sr (22 Oct 1805-23 Apr 1902), Find A Grave Memorial no. 63919443, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Tyler, Smith County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Tyler (contributor 46592885).

Ancestry.com. Alabama, Texas and Virginia, Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010.

Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010.

Ancestry.com. 1850 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2004.

Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2009. Images produced by FamilySearch.

Ancestry.com. 1860 U.S. Federal Census - Slave Schedules [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc., 2010.

Photos shared by Perry Jefferies Goodman (Ancestry.com):
Pamelia Jefferies Goodman

Photos shared by rechrg (Ancestry.com):
Samuel Adams Goodman, Sr.
Kate Vinson
Four Generations: Samuel Vinson Goodman, Ann Marjorie Goodman, Samuel A. Goodman, Jr., Samuel A. Goodman, Sr.
Samuel A. Goodman, Jr. and daughter Mattie
William Jefferies Goodman and daughter Sallie

Photos shared by wparr1979 (Ancestry.com):
S. A. Goodman Business Card
Samuel Adams Goodman, Jr. (soldier and farm in Jamestown)
William Jefferies Goodman
Mary Pricilla Gaston Goodman
Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand
Samuel A. Goodman, Sr. (front porch with fan)

Photos shared by jgbj2016 (Ancestry.com):
Sallie Gertrude Goodman
Etta Gwendolyn Goodman
Sallie Goodman LeGrand