My Genealogy Hound

MARTIN A. GOODHART. Among the leading representatives of the best interests of Churchtown, Monroe township, is Martin A. Goodhart, born April 14, 1861, in Penn township, this county, son of Alexander, and grandson of Isaac Goodhart.

Isaac Goodhart was of German origin, born in Lancaster county, but he came to Cumberland county, settling in Penn township at Palmstown, where he married a Miss Palm, of the same place, her people being among the first settlers of the county. Locating on the old Palm farm, he later added to the property, and lived there about thirty years, dying about 1870. His wife also died on their home place. They had a family of ten children: Elizabeth died at Palmstown; Rebecca died in West Pennsboro; Lewis died in Penn township; William died in West Pennsboro; Isaac died in Newton township; Alexander is livng at Palmstown; Marian is living at Mifflin; Anna is living on the old homestead; Mary resides at Palmstown; and Drucilla makes her home in Stoughstown.

Alexander Goodhart, son of Isaac and father of Martin A., was born at Palmstown in 1832, and was educated at the common schools. His boyhood and youth were passed in work upon the farm. In 1850, he married Mary Ann Beetem, a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Beetem, of Penn township. After their marriage they located in Penn township, where he now resides, living on a portion of his father’s homestead, and there his wife died in 1882. The children born to himself and wife were: W. B. married a Miss Rhoads, and is a teacher living at Newville; Berdilla lives Upper Allen township; James A. died in Penn township, aged twenty-six years; Howard, living in Upper Allen township, is in the mercantile and milling business; Elmira married John Dalton, and is living at Chester City, Pa.; John; Mary Jane married John Widder, and lives at Gettysburg, where he is in a lumber business; Martin A.; Ella is living in Upper Allen township; Edwin is living at Mount Rock, West Pennsboro township where he is a merchant.

Martin A. Goodhart was well educated in the common schools of his neighborhood. In 1885 he married Sarah Beck, a daughter of Jacob and Caroline (Wise) Beck, of North Middleton township. After marriage the young couple located in Dickinson township, where they lived a year, and then went to West Pennsboro township, spent a year, and finally came to Churchtown, Monroe township, in 1892, where he engaged in a general mercantile business, making it the leading store of the place. In 1903, he bought the old George Strode farm of forty-two acres at Churchtown, and has a beautiful home there. The children born to himself and wife were: Bessie, born in 1886; Fred, born in 1888; Helen, born in 1890, attending school at Newville: Elmer, born in 1891; Jeannette, born in 1894; Paul, born in 1898; Lester and Leone, twins, born in 1902. In politics Mr. Goodhart is a Republican, but he has never aspired to public office. He is a member of the Lutheran Church of Churchtown, of which he has been a deacon for six years, and he takes a very active part in Sunday-school work. Mr. Goodhart is a man well and favorably known in this community, where his honorable methods of doing business, and pleasant, genial manner have made for him many friends, and firmly established him in the confidence of his fellow townsmen.