History of the Goodwin Family as related to me by Monroe Goodwin of near Bessemer, Ala. Sunday June the 9th 1945. Monroe Goodwin being now 86 years old and the oldest one of the family now living. His Grandfather Joshua Goodwin and wife Dollie Goodwin settled (what is now or near Oak Grove) in this county about 1820 or a few years earlier coming from Greenville S.C. having two boys at the time Perry and John Goodwin. After growing up both married Parson girls Nancey and Omelia, Nancey being my grandmother and Omelia being the mother of Pinkey E. and Virgil A. Goodwin, both deceased at this time and Monroe and John Goodwin both still living. Too Perry Goodwin had 2 sons and 2 daughters, oldest/my father/Pinkey E. Goodwin at the beginning of Civil War, both he and John Goodwin went to War and never returned. John Goodwin was killed near Rome, Georgia and Perry Goodwin died in the service some where in Mise. The Parsons' girls married by the Goodwin bros was daughters of old Dr. Parsons who came to adjoining community from South or North Carolina about same time, Monroe Goodwin says Joshua Goodwin had married Granny Sally at the age of 15 and that her and parent came from Ireland and he believed Grand Dad Joshua was also full Irish but he could not remember. Too the daughters of Perry Goodwin was Mrs. J.C. Huey and Mrs. C.R. Nail both dead now also their husbands. Virgil A. Goodwin died at Irondale several years ago, leaving 2 sons, Ira and Will Goodwin of Ensley, Birmingham. Pinkney E. Goodwin being also dead and only the one son now living P.O. Goodwin of East Lake.
My mother being Martha A. Nail, daughter of James Nail an other old settler of this County. Came from near Knoxville, Tennessee first into Georgia and on to Alabama. Working as slave overseer and doing stone mason work, he brought Grandmother on horseback with him, they finally settled on Lick Creek east of Virginia Mines is since located. Raised a big family of which two of oldest sons served in Civil War. They was J.L. and Nick Nail. Other sons too young for War was Charley, Jule, and Calhoun Nail, 4 daughters in the family was my mother Martha Ann, Elizabeth, Lena and Carry all of which is dead. Mother being the last to pass from this life the 17th day of September 1944 being at time of her death 97 years 10 months and 29 days old. The oldest one in the family at death. Elizabeth married Nealy Miggs one son but now dead, Leana married W.M. Crooks and left big family. Crooks had been dead several years. Carry married Tol Robertson now dead, all children also dead, J.L. and Charley Nail, dead several children of both living. Charley nail married my father's sister Ellen Goodwin, both died at Lincoln, Alabama. James L. Nail married first a Dickey and has 2 daughters now living. Jule Nail married Nannie Jones and has two or three children one George Nail of Birmingham. My family consisted of 4 children Lillie A., Pinkney O., James P. and Nannie Lee all dead but myself Pinkney O.
Lillie A. married John B. Phillips
James P. married Carrie Phillips
Nannie Lee married Wm J. Phillips (Carrie and WM J being brother and sister)
All living children scattered all around. Above is as complete as I can make to this date and I am writing this History which will soon be hard to obtain if could be at all.
Pinkney O. Goodwin
Age 72 years 17th of last March
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I overlooked naming the other children of Joshua Goodwin which Monroe related. He said there was some younger sons that went to Northern Army but he did not call their names nor he didn't say if they returned. However, I have heard of a Leon Goodwin some where in Miss. that I think was one of the sons but I think he is dead now. He did visit Monroe several years ago and came by and saw my mother at that time but I didn't see him.
Joshua Goodwin had either 5 or 6 daughters one married Sam Parsons, one T.M. Parson (both being brothers to my Grandmother Nancey parson. Her first marriage to Perry Goodwin second to Sam Huey. One daughter by Sam Huey, Net Huey), 3rd to Marrion Crooks, 4th to John Knight, 5th to Bob Thompson, 6th if I am correct to Jim Ramey Aunt Sara we called her, all of above dead but all have living children except Aunt Sara Ramey she not having raised any only adopted boy Lucian Shoemaker Ramey. All of both families lived and reared their families in the Mud Creek Settlement in Western Section of Jefferson County and seemingly all came from South Carolina about the same time somewhere in the 1830's.
Pinkney Oll Goodwin
