The Goodliffe Family of Lambley Lodge, RutlandJohn Thomas GOODLIFFE - oldest son of John and ElizabethJohn Goodliffe was born 23 November 1832 in the family home of Lambley Lodge near Belton in the County of Rutland. In the 1841 Census John was 8 years old and living at Lambley Lodge:
In 1851 he was 18 and still at Lambley Lodge:
Marriage and Emigration to AmericaJohn Thomas married Mercy STALEY in London in early 1856. The date of marriage is recorded by various people on the IGI database as 30 June 1862, but the year must be wrong, as John and Mercy emigrated to the United States, departing Southhampton on 1 September 1856 on the Palestine. He is shown as John T GOODLIFF, age 24 and a carpenter.
John and Mercy first settled in the town of New Rochelle, on the northern edge of New York, and close to the head of Long Island Sound. They are in the 1860 census with their young daughter Ida. The census also recorded the value of property owned at $600 and of personal estate at $100:
John became a naturalized citizen on 7 March 1865:
In 1870, John and family were still in New Rochelle. It would appear that Ida had died, and they had a daughter Elizabeth L, aged 2. Their property was now worth $8,000:
In the 1880 census the family had moved to Mamaroneck, a few miles to the north of New Rochelle. John was no longer a carpenter, but had become an "ice dealer".
With the growth of New York and other cities, the demand for ice grew. By 1880 New York and surrounding suburbs were requiring 1.5million tons annually. All this ice was harvested from the Hudson River each winter, then stored in vast storehouses. Ice harvesters were being paid $1-$1.50 per day. Before the severe winter of 1880, the wholesale price of ice in mid-summer was up to $20/ton. After that winter, the price dropped to around $2/ton. There is more information about ice here. John would have been buying at that price then selling small blocks for home use. In the 1900 census, the family are at Mamaroneck. This census shows that John and Mercy had 8 children, only 5 were still alive. Their son John Thomas was living with them with his wife Jennie and their son John T. John senior was still an Iceman, and son John was a driver.
Death of John and MercyJohn Thomas GOODLIFFE died at Mamaroneck on 8 May 1901. His wife Mercy died there on 7 Jan 1908. The children of John and MercyAccording to the 1900 census, John and Mercy had 8 children. I can only find the records for 6. The daughter named on the 1870 as Elizabeth L, aged 2 is certainly the Laura aged 12 in 1880. The six are:
Their oldest son John Thomas remained at Mamaroneck. He married Jane (Jennie) CUNNINGHAM (from Ireland) on 12 June 1896. They had 7 children:
In 1910, Thomas and Jennie were at Mamaroneck. John had become a retail merchant of Ice:
In 1920 John was still managing the icehouse. Three of his sons were in the ice business: John and Frederick were labourers in the icehouse, George drove the ice wagon:
In 1930 John was still in the ice business, now with son Clifford. Daughter Ida was the bookeeper for the ice business and son Adolph was the chauffeuer:
Last updated: 24/05/2010 |
