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!.....E96.0512.36 SKU 14(2)52 Skinner, Mary
!Chapter XVIII The Town School: William Godden, or possibly Gooden, as Goodwin was then and long afterward pronounced, was perhaps a roving trader who exchanged sugar and tobacco for beaver pelts and other merchantable productions of the country. He seems to had no stated place of residence. In 1652, being, as he wrote, "at present in Nuingland but leaving the land," he left the value of sixteen pounds in the hands of Ralph Shepard of Malden (Midd. Court Files, 1666, xv.4.); and about the same time he witnessed, with Ralph Shepard, the unfortunate bargain of John Lewis with Paul Wilson, which, being unrecorded, afterwards gave Mr. Wigglesworth much trouble. He was again in Massachusetts Bay in 1662, being then about sixty four years of age; and he afterwards wrote a will, which he signed in the presence of Samnuel and Mary Blanchard, of Wilson's Point, in which he speaks of himself in the following terms:- In the Name of God Amen. and through the strength of Jesus christ my alone Saviour. I, William Godden being Sicke and weake, but of Sound memory and understanding, Do upon th 9th day of the 12th mo commonly called febr. 1663. Do make and consititue my last Will & teatament in mannr following. To Mary, the witness, wife of Samuel Blanchard, he gave fifteen pounds in money, "if it may be found of my estate in New England, or else to be made up 15£ of the best of my estate in any place where it is due to mee in New England, where shee please or in what shee please." To Mary, the wife of Thomas Skinner of Malden, and to Simon Mellens and Thomas Barruce he also made devises. There were sums of money due him from Edward Wiar and William Egar, Scotchmen, and James Green, amounting to two pounds and two shillings, which he set apart, - "all wch money is to be payd to my Excecutors, these moneys is to disposed for my buriall, Also I give to the foure yt cary me to my grave 2s a peece, to be payd by my Excecutors." For the rest he says: - my debts and funrall charges first discounted, I give the remainder of my estate that can any way be found in New England, by bill, bond, or otherwise due to mee, I say I give the remainder of my estate to be disposed of for the shooling of the Poore children of charlestowns, & Mauldon, into equall pporccons to be payd by the direccon of the Select men of each Towne, under their hands to my Excecutors His friend, Samuel Blanchard, and another whom he might choose were made executors. In March, 1665/6, he was found drowned ("[March 10, 1665/6] Beinge Informed that William Godwin is Lateley drowned." Midd. Probate Files, in loco. Godden's original will, with other papers, is in Midd. Probate Files, in loco; and a copy is in Midd. Court Files, 1666, xv.4, with papers relating to the case with Ralph Shepard. The inventory shows a balance of £122 16s 1d.); and soon after Samuel Blanchard, having proved the will as executor, brought a suit against Ralph Shepard for the sixteen pounds which he owed in 1652. What benefit the poor children of Charlestown and Malden received from the good intentions of William Godden is neither a matter of record nor of tradition. Only the fact remains that his name is the first connected with the idea of free education in Malden.