Obit: Goodell, Thomas (1844 - 1941)

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Surnames: Goodell, Stoebe

----Source: Spencer Record, Spencer, Wis.) 01/09/1941

Goodell, Thomas (NOV 1844 - 01 JAN 1941)

Thomas Goodell, 96 one of Clark county’s few remaining Civil War veterans, died Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 1, at the home of his son, Howard Goodell, in the town of Loyal Clark county.  He had been ill since Christmas day.  The body has been taken to Lansing, Iowa, where a military funeral will be conducted.

He was born in November 1844, in Springfield, Ill., and was married to Esther Stoebe, who preceded him in death.  He enlisted in company A of the 15^th Illinois infantry at the age of 15 years.  He fought under General Grant and was with General Sherman on his famous march to the sea.  While on guard duty at Davis island, he was one of many soldiers who contracted measles, which resulted in the death of numerous soldiers on the island.

Goodell was among the Civil war veterans who were invited to visit Gettysburg for the 1938 Memorial day celebration and for the accompanying reunion of the soldiers of the north and south, but he was forced to decline the invitation due to his poor eyesight.