Goodlander, George Breon, was born in Lycoming county, this State, on the 27th day of April, in the year 1827. His father, Henry Goodlander, was a native of Pennsylvania, born near West Milton, Union county, March 17, 1805, and his mother, Margaret (Breon) Goodlander, was born at New Berlin, Union county, March 5, 1809. In the month of March, 1837, the family came to Clearfield county and settled near Luthersburg, Brady township, where the father worked at his trade (shoemaking), and also farming.
At the age of eighteen years George, who was the oldest of thirteen children, was apprenticed to Miles Hartsock, of Curwensville, to learn the trade of wagon-making. He remained at work with Mr. Hartsock for a term of three years and three months, the only compensation received by him, besides instruction in the art referred to, being board and clothing. It is a well authenticated fact that George B. Goodlander was the first regularly apprenticed person of Curwensville, who served the full time of indenture and went therefrom with a full and complete knowledge of the craft that he had chosen. After the expiration of the term of his apprenticeship, Mr. Goodlander returned to Luthersburg, where, from 1848 to 1858, he was established in business, working at the trade he had previously learned. During eight of the ten years in which he was so employed, Mr. Goodlander held township offices, three years as constable and five years as justice of the peace.
In the year 1853, having acquired an extensive and favorable acquaintance throughout the western portion of the county, and being well supported in other quarters, he was nominated as a candidate, on the Democratic ticket, for the office of county treasurer, and, in the fall of the same year, was elected.
In the month of March, 1860, Mr. Goodlander became a resident of Clearfield. During the same year, at the earnest solicitation of some of the leading citizens, among them Governor Bigler, Judge Barrett, Senator Wallace, Judge Leonard, and others, he purchased a half-interest in the Clearfield Republican, and became associated in the management of that paper with Daniel W. Moore. From July, 1861, to July, 1865, he held the position of deputy sheriff of the county. In the last named year he became sole owner and editor of the Republican, and immediately commenced the task of placing that paper upon a substantial and profitable basis. His success in this direction is shown by the paper itself, as it soon became, and still is, the recognized organ of the Democratic party in the county, and leads all others in point of circulation and influence. Three times during Mr. Goodlander's occupancy of its editorial chair has the paper been enlarged: first, in 1867, from a six to a seven-column; second, in 1869, to an eight-column; and lastly, in 1874, from an eight to a nine-column paper. It now appears as a thirty by forty-six sheet. The present circulation of the Republican reaches nearly two thousand.
The fixed and determined policy of this publication has been to represent the interests of the Democratic Party and the public weal, and not for individual advancement, or the advocacy of the cause of personal friends or relatives; and any perversion of this policy by other papers, or requests to the contrary by political aspirants, meets with vigorous opposition on the part of its editor. Of these principles he has always been a warm advocate. At a convention of the State Editorial Association, held twenty-two years ago, he favored this position; ever since has he battled for it, until at last, the policy has been adopted by a majority of the papers of the State.
In the year 1849 Mr. Goodlander united in marriage with Sophia Jane Evans, daughter of Josiah Evans, an old and highly respected resident of Curwensville. Of this marriage no children have been born.
Source: Pages 698-699, History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich, Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Co., Publishers, 1887.
Transcribed October 1999 by Richard L. McKee for the Clearfield County Aldrich Project
Contributed for use by the Clearfield County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/~clearfield/)
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