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GOODWIN, JAMES,   farmer, P. O. Fair-field, who is a descendant of one of our oldest pioneers on his mother's side, was born July 5, 1842, in Wayne County. Ill.  His father, John Goodwin, was principally reared in Illinois. He resides on the place where our subject was born, having come to this county about 1840. The mother of our subject was Elizabeth (Harris) Goodwin, a daughter of Isaac and Jennie Harris, natives of Kentucky.  He, it is said, erected one of the first houses in Leech Township, if not in the county.

Mrs. Elizabeth (Harris) Goodwin was born March 15, 1804, in Kentucky, She died August 15, 1883. She was a remarkable woman, and one who could have aided, by her wonderful memory, considerable in the compilation of this history. But she, like many of our old pioneers, passed away too soon. She was the mother of ten children, of whom five are now living—William Meritt, Isaac Meritt, Polly Hodges and Malinda Posey, are from her first husband, whose name was Steven Meritt, now deceased, our subject being the fifth. Her father lived for some time in a fort in White County; on account of Indian troubles, he returned to Kentucky, but finally came back to Illinois, where he died.

Our subject went to school in this county, and here he was also married, February 12, 1863, to Miss Julia A. Mathews, born September 15, 1844, in Wayne County, Ill  She is a daughter of William T. and Levitha (MoCulough) Matthew, natives of Kentucky.
This union was blessed with nine children—John W., Mary O., Charles B., Samuel, Jane, Robbie (deceased), Louisa, Emma and James E.

Mrs. Goodwin is a member of the C. P. Church. He has a farm of 370 acres and is considered one of the best farmers in the township. In politics, he is a Democrat.