The Saga of John Robert Godwin
God, in His infinite wisdom, often selects quiet places to breed His most strenuous spirits. In the tiny village of Bethlehem was born His only Son, Jesus Christ. From the Isolated wilderness of Judea came John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ. It was the obscure hamlet of Thetford in England that produced the great American revolutionary, Thomas Paine, whose pen turned the tide of affairs in the lives of his fellow Americans. A log cabin near Springfield, Illinois, sent forth to the White House in Washington, DC the renowned Abraham Lincoln. And from a peanut farm in the small town of Plains, Georgia, rose Jimmy Carter to the office of President of the United States.
The examples a far too numerous for all to be mentioned, but there is one other that must be cited. In the eyes of man, this individual did not achieve the same level of fame as those previously noted; however, in the eyes of God, he was an illustration of true greatness. Does greatness not really consist of doing to the best of one's ability the task that God plans for him, no matter what it may be? Life for John Robert Godwin began on a farm 3.25 miles south of the center of Dunn, NC in Cumberland County (Today Averasboro Township of Harnett County). It was beyond the wildest dreams of his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Godwin, that their son would become a public official in the future, namely, Justice of the Peace and Mayor of the Town of Dunn.
Edwin Godwin (probably of Sampson County) and Edith Branch (of Cumberland County), united in marriage on March 4, 1833, reared six children. The earliest record of Edwin's purchasing land was on March 9, 1848, when he bought for $150 a tract of 150 acres on Bare (Bear) Branch in northern Cumberland County from Lovit and Mary Royals. It is evident that he continued to prosper, for on December 5, 1882 (3 years after his death and 2 years after the death of Edith, his wife) his six children divided equally his property totaling 194.5 acres at the time.
John Robert, the fourth child who was born on March 4, 1841, enlisted in the Confederate Army on May 10, 1861. He served as a Private in Company H, 20th Regiment, NC Troops. In the War Between the States he was wounded in the left foot and thigh on June 27, 1862, at Gaines Mill, Virginia. He was also captured by the Yankees on September 19, 1864, at Winchester, Virginia. He was later exchanged (probably at the close of the war in 1865) see notes
After this war about 1866 or 1867 he married Lettie Jane Reaves (b. September 9, 1841, and d. May 1, 1907), the daughter of Asher (Asa) Reaves and the former Edith Surles of Cumberland County (now Harnett County). It is interesting to note that Lettie Jane Reaves was the sister of Rebecca Eliza Reaves, the wife of John Robert's brother--Archibald Bryant Godwin. John Robert and Lettie Jane were the parents of ten (10) children, four sons and six daughters whose families are discussed at length in the remaining chapters of this record which covers a period of approximately 110 years beginning about 1868 and concluding in April, 1979.
On his farm of 111 acres (purchased from Mordecai Parrish on October 7, 1868 for $250) just outside the Dunn City limits on the Greenwood Cemetery Road in a very small frame house which is still standing, Lettie Jane gave birth to their ten children; E.E. (Rassie) about 1868; Edith B. about 1869; Octavius (Ock) on September 12, 1870; Laura Jane on April 15, 1872; John Leroy on March 24, 1877; Mary Frances on Dec. 23, 1878; Martha Rebecca on May 3, 1880; and Arthur Troy on January 21, 1884. According to Maud Bass Beasley, a granddaughter of John Robert and Lettie Jane, it was necessary for three or four children to share the same bed at night because of insufficient space. These children were reared here on the farm "close to the soil," and God smiled on this large, happy family.
At the age of 41 in December, 1882, John Robert's fortune was increased by an inheritance of 31.5 acres on Bare (Bear) Branch in Harnett County from his deceased father's estate, and his family increased two years later in 1884 with the birth of his last child Arthur Troy. The following year on December 16, 1885, he and Lettie Jane sold a strip of their land (130' wide) for $1 to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad company.
Two years earlier in 1883 he had mortgaged his 31.5 acres (his inheritance) to Margaret Holmes for $51.50. This mortgage deed was cancelled a year afterward in 1884 upon his payment of his indebtedness in the amount of $51.50. Finally on January 26, 1888, he and Lettie Jane sold this tract of land (31.5 acres) to Jame R. Norris. (The deed does not state the amount received.) The deed for this transition was not recorded in the Cumberland County Courthouse until January 22, 1900.
John Robert and his family continued to live on the farm, where he enjoyed life as a respected, popular citizen. Miss Blanche Grantham (b. 1895), a well-known retired Dunn teacher, reports that her father, Mr. George K. Grantham (prominent Dunn druggist), and "Mr. John Rob" were good friends at this time. She recalls how delighted she and her sister Pearl were when their father frequently carried them on Sunday afternoon for a horse and buggy ride out to "Mr. John Rob's" farm. Miss Rachel Clifford, another renowned retired teacher of Dunn, remembers gathering with her brothers and sister chestnuts from a tree in the front yard of their home when they were children. When they found a nice big nut, they called it a "Mr. John Rob" because they were so impressed by his immense size.
But the God who brings happiness into our lives, also brings sorrow. "Into each life some rain must fall," wrote the illustrious American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. And John Robert's life was no exception. The cloud of darkness hovered over his family on August 19, 1891, when a daughter, Mary Frances (aged 12) died. The Grim Reaper descended again on the family about a year later on July 25, 1892, when another daughter--Luella B. who had married Reverdy Jordan of Rocky Mount, NC and was living there--departed this life. Maud Bass Beasley reports that Luella died of food poisoning from fish when her son, Paul, was 4 months old. She goes on to quote her mother, Hepsie Ann: "The hardest thing we ever had to face was hearing that train coming into Dunn, whistle blowing and bringing Luella's body for burial."
With these two losses behind him, the sun shone again in John Robert's life. Throughout the remainder of the 1890's wedding bells rang for his sons Rassie and Octavius, and for his daughters Edith, Laura, and Hepsie Ann. In the year 1900 he was already the proud grandfather of approximately 15 grandchildren.
Not only did his family grow larger, but also did he. Lettie was an excellent cook, so John Robert too frequently satisfied his voracious appetite and drank the water from the well in his yard. His excessive weight from eating, an drinking the impure well water, prompted his physician, Dr. O.L. Denning, to advise him strongly to leave the farm and move into the town of Dunn, where at least he would have the benefit of cleaner drinking water.
Consequently in 1903, John Robert and Lettie Jane moved to North Fayetteville Street in Dunn. The house, although remodeled, still stands today and is used as a dwelling place. see notes This was destined to be there residence for the remainder of their lives. On September 29, 1903, they sold 27 acres of their farm to K.L. Howard for $1350, and on the same date they purchased from K.L. Howard for $1350 the lot on North Fayetteville Street in Dunn. (Both of these transactions are recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse, but it really appears to be an even "swap" or "trade".) The remaining acreage on the farm was rented until his death.
During these years in their home in Dunn, their grand-daughters, Maud and Myrtice Bass from Spivey's Corner, went for extended visits every summer. On one such visit one day Lettie Jane was snapping beans, and Maud and Myrtice began to fight. Calmly she put down her pan of beans, slapped Maud with one hand and Myrtice with the other, and said, "You nasty little boogers!" It was the only time she ever administered "corporal punishment" to these two, for Maud said that it was never necessary again. Maud comments thus: "She was a good, little woman!"
In addition, a great nephew of John Robert (Perry Godwin who is 85 years of age) states that Lettie Jane had become sickly and Maud Bass Beasley tells of her anxiety and grief over her son John Leroy. For seven years John Leroy pursued his job with a traveling carnival. These years can be called the "Seven Silent Years" in the life of John Robert, for during this period of time he was unaware of his son's whereabouts.
So, John Robert's prestige and comfort as a landed country gentleman were somewhat marred by the heartaches that come with the trials and tribulations of life, in his case, a sickly wife, a missing son, and he himself fast becoming more and more unable to do manual labor. Perhaps it was his age (now about 64 or 65), or was it his tremendous size (about 325 pounds)? Maud Bass Beasley makes this assertion: "I never saw him really work! I saw grandma laboring, but not Grandpa!" She goes on to remark that he was so fat, his stomach so big, he could neither put on his shoes and socks, nor wash his fet, and that she as a child had done both for him many times.
The greatest blow of all came when this enormous man was required by his Heavenly Father on May 1, 1907, to give Him his own devoted wife and companion of approximately 40 years, his little Lettie Jane. However, he stood the test and appears to have found strength in his adversity. Instead of withdrawing from the world and wallowing in his self-pity, he seemed to say, "God, here am I. Send me."
And for the rest of his life, God used him as a public servant. As early as 1905 he was Justice of the Peace of Averasboro Township, for two weddings that he performed in that year are on record in the Harnett County Courthouse. On March 22, 1909, he was again sworn in to the post of Justice of the Peace of Averasboro Township in Harnett County, having been appointed by the North Carolina General Assembly. This term expiring in April 1915, he was reappointed by the NC General Assembly for the succeeding term, which would expire in April 1921. Also, according to the statements of relatives, his acquaintances, and elderly Dunn citizens, included one term, (perhaps more), as Mayor of Dunn. (see notes) A lengthy newspaper article written by a 'friend' and dated May 14, 1907, eulogizes Lettie Jane after her recent death, and speaks of her as "the beloved wife of Mayor John R. Godwin." Since records in the Mayor's office in Dunn go back no further than 1921, and since a record of Dunn Mayors has never been kept in the Harnett County Courthouse, there is no official account of his term(s) in this capacity available. (see notes)
These years devoted to serving his fellow man helped to fill the void that had come with the loss of his wife. His public duties kept him in contact with the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, the black man, the white man, and the Indian, The townspeople, holding him in high esteem, called him Squire Godwin, the term squire having been used in 18th and 19th century England as a title of respect for certain public officials such as sheriff's, country gentlemen, and justices of the peace.
According to Maud Bass Beasley, he sat for hours each day on his front porch smoking his pipe, and people (black, white, Indian) came seeking his advice or assistance with a legal transaction. Refusing to discuss business matters with Negroes on his front porch, he tactfully invited them to go around the house, enter the back gate, and come to the back porch where they received the benefit of his wisdom. It was his business association with the black people at this time, coupled with his military service in the Civil War in which slavery was the big issue, that brought about his prediction to his daughter, Rebecca, one evening: "Beck, the Negroes will someday rule the United States."
Indians also sought his help, a fact verified by an affidavit on file in the Harnett County Courthouse. In addition, he frequently officiated at wedding ceremonies, some of which are these.
Between 1905 and 1916 he 'tied the knot' for 51 couples in Averasboro Township. His daughter, Rebecca, witnessed a great number of his weddings; his granddaughter, Lettie Brown, witnessed three in 1912, one in 1913, and two in 1915; and his son, John Leroy, served as a witness for one in April, 1916.
Evidently he knew financial prosperity at the time, too, for recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse are transactions in which he was given mortgage deeds by R.L. Godwin on August 19, 1909; October 14, 1909; July 2, 1910; and October 6, 1911. (All of these mortgage deeds were paid in full by R.L. Godwin, a Dunn lawyer and nephew of John Robert.
Also recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse, is his sale of 9 1/3 acres of land along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad for $1400 on November 15, 1911, to J.W. Gregory. The deed to Gregory was signed and sealed by John Robert and notarized by J.L. Hatcher, a mortician of Dunn.
Not only was his public service well-known, but so was his presence on the downtown sidewalks. Mr. Charles Skinner (aged 73), his great-nephew, says: "As he walked he was a slow-going fellow called Squire. Tall, stooped, pot-bellied, and wore gallows." Mr. Perry Godwin of Dunn, another great-nephew, comments: "He wore a little goatee. I remember seeing him sit on the sidewalk bench with various business men such as Mr. Jimmy Taylor, a merchant, chatting with one another. Mr. Taylor chewed his tobacco and spit on the sidewalk while Uncle John Rob smoked his pipe. Now that was a sight! Mr. Taylor was a small man and Uncle John Rob was as big as a bale of cotton!"
Maud B. Beasley tells of the following event which occurred one day on the street downtown, a story revealing John Robert's mischievous nature as well as his sense of humor: "There was an unmarried woman, Ad Brock, in Dunn who peddled her vegetables in a little wagon that she pulled up and down the streets of Dunn. One day, Grandpa and his buddies saw her approaching; so they decided to offer her a quarter if she would pull up her ankle length dress and show them her legs. Ad complied, but only after they had paid her the quarter. Then it so happened that they saw another woman coming down the street toward them. Not wishing to be caught in their prank, they said to Ad: "Hurry, put your dress down. Yonder comes a lady." It was then Ad who "turned the tables on them," for she said: "I got a quarter to pull it up, so it costs you another quarter to get it down." Grandpa and his pals quite hurriedly gave her a quarter to avoid gossip.
Maud relates that John Robert came home that night telling about it. She says: "I can still see him. He was laughing heartily as he talked to Aunt Beck about it, and his fat belly just shook up and down. He was really amused."
Yes, his perseverance in the execution of his duties as a public official and his host of friends brought him comfort and peace of mind in the sunset years of his life, but there were others who made a definite contribution toward his well-being. What a mistake it would be to omit the name of Lettie Brown (Aunt Laura's daughter), who lived with him and Aunt Beck for several years after Lettie Jane's death. They tenderly cared for her and sent her to school in Dunn. Again, it is Maud B. Beasley to whom we are indebted for this information: "They spoiled her rotten. I remember one time when Lettie was sitting on Grandpa's lap (or really his belly). His belly shaking up and down as usual when he laughed, little Lettie was getting a good ride. So she said: 'Laugh again Grandpa.' Quickly becoming aware of her wile, he said: 'O pshaw!"
Another source of pleasure was his son John Leroy, his wife Irene, and their tiny baby, Paul McQueen. They lived with him in 1916, and his fondness for Irene and the baby made a strong impression on Maud B. Beasley. It is not truly wonderful that John Leroy, who for the long "Seven Silent Years" had brought anxiety to his parents, was now able to bring his father a devoted daughter-in-law, a precious little grandson, and his own companionship?
But his closest companion and confidante in his Golden Years was his ever faithful, loving, spinster daughter, Beck. She had never left him. It was she who made a home for him after Lettie Jane's death until his own. It was she who shared his innermost thoughts, and it was she at his bedside when God called him home.
He had long been a devout member of the Dunn Presbyterian Church, and reportedly, he and Dr. A.R. McQueen, pastor of this church for 33 years, were intimate friends. His wife, Lettie Jane, had also changed her church membership (Primitive Baptist) to his. Maud B. Beasley attests to the fact that he was a regular in church attendance, and that it was Dr. McQueen who preached his funeral, for he would have had no one else.
And what were the circumstances surrounding the demise of this man of God? Having eaten supper, he attended a tent revival in progress in Dunn one evening. Upon his return home, he ate another large meal, after which he began to suffer severe chest pains. The family physician, Dr. O.L. Denning, was summoned, and he diagnosed the sudden illness as acute indigestion. When Dr. Denning quickly returned to his office for the proper medication, John Robert said: "Beck, I won't live until he gets back." When the doctor returned, John Roberts' soul had already silently slipped through the gates of heaven and joined his loved ones there, namely, his little Lettie Jane, his daughters, Mary Frances and Luella, and seven grandchildren.
His body was laid to rest beside his beloved Lettie Jane in Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn, NC on August 29, 1916. The secret of his life of greatness is recorded on his monument: "The Cross is my anchor." His grandson, Ralph Bass, recalls that John Robert's body was carried to the cemetery on a wagon drawn by horses. Ralph also says that he was really impressed by the horses, how quiet and still they were during the funeral service. As a final tribute to this popular, civic-minded gentleman, all the Dunn business establishments were closed during the funeral hour signifying that the citizens of Dunn were saying along with God: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
About 2.5 months later with his son, Arthur Troy, serving as Administrator, his nine heirs (8 children and 1 grandson, Paul Jordan) proceeded to sell on November 15, 1916, the old home place containing 73 acres near Greenwood Cemetery to J.D. Barnes for $18,025. His home and lot in Dunn (140'x150') for $3300. All his property now being disposed of, each of his nine heirs received 1/9 of the total value.
Thus ends the saga of (Squire) John Robert Godwin. The nine diverse but interesting families directly succeeding him have felt the impact of this truly great man, and have revealed it by following his precepts, and by distinguishing themselves in the various walks of life. Farming, homemaking, railroading, teaching, nursing, engineering, military service, the ministry, and electronics, not to mention a broad range in the business world.
They have been inspired and encouraged to seek opportunity; to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build. They have faced and coped with failure, and they have known the thrill of fulfillment. They have been unwilling to trade their freedom for beneficence and their dignity for a handout.
They have appreciated fully their heritage, to stand erect, proud, and unafraid; to think and act for themselves; to enjoy the benefit of their honest labors, and to face the world boldly and say: "This, with God's help, I have done."
Therefore, may the descendants of John Robert Godwin forever pursue these same principles as the basis for meaningful lives as American citizens. May our posterity always be so proud of their ancestors, that they too will diligently emulate them, perpetuate their ideals, their integrity, their memory, and make their own "footprints on the sands of time."
~Wilma D. Godwin~
(Mrs. Elwood Godwin)
April 1979
The examples a far too numerous for all to be mentioned, but there is one other that must be cited. In the eyes of man, this individual did not achieve the same level of fame as those previously noted; however, in the eyes of God, he was an illustration of true greatness. Does greatness not really consist of doing to the best of one's ability the task that God plans for him, no matter what it may be? Life for John Robert Godwin began on a farm 3.25 miles south of the center of Dunn, NC in Cumberland County (Today Averasboro Township of Harnett County). It was beyond the wildest dreams of his parents, Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Godwin, that their son would become a public official in the future, namely, Justice of the Peace and Mayor of the Town of Dunn.
Edwin Godwin (probably of Sampson County) and Edith Branch (of Cumberland County), united in marriage on March 4, 1833, reared six children. The earliest record of Edwin's purchasing land was on March 9, 1848, when he bought for $150 a tract of 150 acres on Bare (Bear) Branch in northern Cumberland County from Lovit and Mary Royals. It is evident that he continued to prosper, for on December 5, 1882 (3 years after his death and 2 years after the death of Edith, his wife) his six children divided equally his property totaling 194.5 acres at the time.
John Robert, the fourth child who was born on March 4, 1841, enlisted in the Confederate Army on May 10, 1861. He served as a Private in Company H, 20th Regiment, NC Troops. In the War Between the States he was wounded in the left foot and thigh on June 27, 1862, at Gaines Mill, Virginia. He was also captured by the Yankees on September 19, 1864, at Winchester, Virginia. He was later exchanged (probably at the close of the war in 1865) see notes
After this war about 1866 or 1867 he married Lettie Jane Reaves (b. September 9, 1841, and d. May 1, 1907), the daughter of Asher (Asa) Reaves and the former Edith Surles of Cumberland County (now Harnett County). It is interesting to note that Lettie Jane Reaves was the sister of Rebecca Eliza Reaves, the wife of John Robert's brother--Archibald Bryant Godwin. John Robert and Lettie Jane were the parents of ten (10) children, four sons and six daughters whose families are discussed at length in the remaining chapters of this record which covers a period of approximately 110 years beginning about 1868 and concluding in April, 1979.
On his farm of 111 acres (purchased from Mordecai Parrish on October 7, 1868 for $250) just outside the Dunn City limits on the Greenwood Cemetery Road in a very small frame house which is still standing, Lettie Jane gave birth to their ten children; E.E. (Rassie) about 1868; Edith B. about 1869; Octavius (Ock) on September 12, 1870; Laura Jane on April 15, 1872; John Leroy on March 24, 1877; Mary Frances on Dec. 23, 1878; Martha Rebecca on May 3, 1880; and Arthur Troy on January 21, 1884. According to Maud Bass Beasley, a granddaughter of John Robert and Lettie Jane, it was necessary for three or four children to share the same bed at night because of insufficient space. These children were reared here on the farm "close to the soil," and God smiled on this large, happy family.
At the age of 41 in December, 1882, John Robert's fortune was increased by an inheritance of 31.5 acres on Bare (Bear) Branch in Harnett County from his deceased father's estate, and his family increased two years later in 1884 with the birth of his last child Arthur Troy. The following year on December 16, 1885, he and Lettie Jane sold a strip of their land (130' wide) for $1 to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad company.
Two years earlier in 1883 he had mortgaged his 31.5 acres (his inheritance) to Margaret Holmes for $51.50. This mortgage deed was cancelled a year afterward in 1884 upon his payment of his indebtedness in the amount of $51.50. Finally on January 26, 1888, he and Lettie Jane sold this tract of land (31.5 acres) to Jame R. Norris. (The deed does not state the amount received.) The deed for this transition was not recorded in the Cumberland County Courthouse until January 22, 1900.
John Robert and his family continued to live on the farm, where he enjoyed life as a respected, popular citizen. Miss Blanche Grantham (b. 1895), a well-known retired Dunn teacher, reports that her father, Mr. George K. Grantham (prominent Dunn druggist), and "Mr. John Rob" were good friends at this time. She recalls how delighted she and her sister Pearl were when their father frequently carried them on Sunday afternoon for a horse and buggy ride out to "Mr. John Rob's" farm. Miss Rachel Clifford, another renowned retired teacher of Dunn, remembers gathering with her brothers and sister chestnuts from a tree in the front yard of their home when they were children. When they found a nice big nut, they called it a "Mr. John Rob" because they were so impressed by his immense size.
But the God who brings happiness into our lives, also brings sorrow. "Into each life some rain must fall," wrote the illustrious American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. And John Robert's life was no exception. The cloud of darkness hovered over his family on August 19, 1891, when a daughter, Mary Frances (aged 12) died. The Grim Reaper descended again on the family about a year later on July 25, 1892, when another daughter--Luella B. who had married Reverdy Jordan of Rocky Mount, NC and was living there--departed this life. Maud Bass Beasley reports that Luella died of food poisoning from fish when her son, Paul, was 4 months old. She goes on to quote her mother, Hepsie Ann: "The hardest thing we ever had to face was hearing that train coming into Dunn, whistle blowing and bringing Luella's body for burial."
With these two losses behind him, the sun shone again in John Robert's life. Throughout the remainder of the 1890's wedding bells rang for his sons Rassie and Octavius, and for his daughters Edith, Laura, and Hepsie Ann. In the year 1900 he was already the proud grandfather of approximately 15 grandchildren.
Not only did his family grow larger, but also did he. Lettie was an excellent cook, so John Robert too frequently satisfied his voracious appetite and drank the water from the well in his yard. His excessive weight from eating, an drinking the impure well water, prompted his physician, Dr. O.L. Denning, to advise him strongly to leave the farm and move into the town of Dunn, where at least he would have the benefit of cleaner drinking water.
Consequently in 1903, John Robert and Lettie Jane moved to North Fayetteville Street in Dunn. The house, although remodeled, still stands today and is used as a dwelling place. see notes This was destined to be there residence for the remainder of their lives. On September 29, 1903, they sold 27 acres of their farm to K.L. Howard for $1350, and on the same date they purchased from K.L. Howard for $1350 the lot on North Fayetteville Street in Dunn. (Both of these transactions are recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse, but it really appears to be an even "swap" or "trade".) The remaining acreage on the farm was rented until his death.
During these years in their home in Dunn, their grand-daughters, Maud and Myrtice Bass from Spivey's Corner, went for extended visits every summer. On one such visit one day Lettie Jane was snapping beans, and Maud and Myrtice began to fight. Calmly she put down her pan of beans, slapped Maud with one hand and Myrtice with the other, and said, "You nasty little boogers!" It was the only time she ever administered "corporal punishment" to these two, for Maud said that it was never necessary again. Maud comments thus: "She was a good, little woman!"
In addition, a great nephew of John Robert (Perry Godwin who is 85 years of age) states that Lettie Jane had become sickly and Maud Bass Beasley tells of her anxiety and grief over her son John Leroy. For seven years John Leroy pursued his job with a traveling carnival. These years can be called the "Seven Silent Years" in the life of John Robert, for during this period of time he was unaware of his son's whereabouts.
So, John Robert's prestige and comfort as a landed country gentleman were somewhat marred by the heartaches that come with the trials and tribulations of life, in his case, a sickly wife, a missing son, and he himself fast becoming more and more unable to do manual labor. Perhaps it was his age (now about 64 or 65), or was it his tremendous size (about 325 pounds)? Maud Bass Beasley makes this assertion: "I never saw him really work! I saw grandma laboring, but not Grandpa!" She goes on to remark that he was so fat, his stomach so big, he could neither put on his shoes and socks, nor wash his fet, and that she as a child had done both for him many times.
The greatest blow of all came when this enormous man was required by his Heavenly Father on May 1, 1907, to give Him his own devoted wife and companion of approximately 40 years, his little Lettie Jane. However, he stood the test and appears to have found strength in his adversity. Instead of withdrawing from the world and wallowing in his self-pity, he seemed to say, "God, here am I. Send me."
And for the rest of his life, God used him as a public servant. As early as 1905 he was Justice of the Peace of Averasboro Township, for two weddings that he performed in that year are on record in the Harnett County Courthouse. On March 22, 1909, he was again sworn in to the post of Justice of the Peace of Averasboro Township in Harnett County, having been appointed by the North Carolina General Assembly. This term expiring in April 1915, he was reappointed by the NC General Assembly for the succeeding term, which would expire in April 1921. Also, according to the statements of relatives, his acquaintances, and elderly Dunn citizens, included one term, (perhaps more), as Mayor of Dunn. (see notes) A lengthy newspaper article written by a 'friend' and dated May 14, 1907, eulogizes Lettie Jane after her recent death, and speaks of her as "the beloved wife of Mayor John R. Godwin." Since records in the Mayor's office in Dunn go back no further than 1921, and since a record of Dunn Mayors has never been kept in the Harnett County Courthouse, there is no official account of his term(s) in this capacity available. (see notes)
These years devoted to serving his fellow man helped to fill the void that had come with the loss of his wife. His public duties kept him in contact with the rich and the poor, the learned and the unlearned, the black man, the white man, and the Indian, The townspeople, holding him in high esteem, called him Squire Godwin, the term squire having been used in 18th and 19th century England as a title of respect for certain public officials such as sheriff's, country gentlemen, and justices of the peace.
According to Maud Bass Beasley, he sat for hours each day on his front porch smoking his pipe, and people (black, white, Indian) came seeking his advice or assistance with a legal transaction. Refusing to discuss business matters with Negroes on his front porch, he tactfully invited them to go around the house, enter the back gate, and come to the back porch where they received the benefit of his wisdom. It was his business association with the black people at this time, coupled with his military service in the Civil War in which slavery was the big issue, that brought about his prediction to his daughter, Rebecca, one evening: "Beck, the Negroes will someday rule the United States."
Indians also sought his help, a fact verified by an affidavit on file in the Harnett County Courthouse. In addition, he frequently officiated at wedding ceremonies, some of which are these.
- Paschal Johnson and Emma Wilkins on March 5, 1911 (These two are the father-in-law and mother-in-law of the former Sadie Gray Godwin, the granddaughter of John Robert Godwin and the wife of John Calvin Johnson of Dunn.)
- W.C. Maynard and Sinnie Pope on January 14, 1915. (Maud Bass Beasley was a witness to this ceremony)
Between 1905 and 1916 he 'tied the knot' for 51 couples in Averasboro Township. His daughter, Rebecca, witnessed a great number of his weddings; his granddaughter, Lettie Brown, witnessed three in 1912, one in 1913, and two in 1915; and his son, John Leroy, served as a witness for one in April, 1916.
Evidently he knew financial prosperity at the time, too, for recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse are transactions in which he was given mortgage deeds by R.L. Godwin on August 19, 1909; October 14, 1909; July 2, 1910; and October 6, 1911. (All of these mortgage deeds were paid in full by R.L. Godwin, a Dunn lawyer and nephew of John Robert.
Also recorded in the Harnett County Courthouse, is his sale of 9 1/3 acres of land along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad for $1400 on November 15, 1911, to J.W. Gregory. The deed to Gregory was signed and sealed by John Robert and notarized by J.L. Hatcher, a mortician of Dunn.
Not only was his public service well-known, but so was his presence on the downtown sidewalks. Mr. Charles Skinner (aged 73), his great-nephew, says: "As he walked he was a slow-going fellow called Squire. Tall, stooped, pot-bellied, and wore gallows." Mr. Perry Godwin of Dunn, another great-nephew, comments: "He wore a little goatee. I remember seeing him sit on the sidewalk bench with various business men such as Mr. Jimmy Taylor, a merchant, chatting with one another. Mr. Taylor chewed his tobacco and spit on the sidewalk while Uncle John Rob smoked his pipe. Now that was a sight! Mr. Taylor was a small man and Uncle John Rob was as big as a bale of cotton!"
Maud B. Beasley tells of the following event which occurred one day on the street downtown, a story revealing John Robert's mischievous nature as well as his sense of humor: "There was an unmarried woman, Ad Brock, in Dunn who peddled her vegetables in a little wagon that she pulled up and down the streets of Dunn. One day, Grandpa and his buddies saw her approaching; so they decided to offer her a quarter if she would pull up her ankle length dress and show them her legs. Ad complied, but only after they had paid her the quarter. Then it so happened that they saw another woman coming down the street toward them. Not wishing to be caught in their prank, they said to Ad: "Hurry, put your dress down. Yonder comes a lady." It was then Ad who "turned the tables on them," for she said: "I got a quarter to pull it up, so it costs you another quarter to get it down." Grandpa and his pals quite hurriedly gave her a quarter to avoid gossip.
Maud relates that John Robert came home that night telling about it. She says: "I can still see him. He was laughing heartily as he talked to Aunt Beck about it, and his fat belly just shook up and down. He was really amused."
Yes, his perseverance in the execution of his duties as a public official and his host of friends brought him comfort and peace of mind in the sunset years of his life, but there were others who made a definite contribution toward his well-being. What a mistake it would be to omit the name of Lettie Brown (Aunt Laura's daughter), who lived with him and Aunt Beck for several years after Lettie Jane's death. They tenderly cared for her and sent her to school in Dunn. Again, it is Maud B. Beasley to whom we are indebted for this information: "They spoiled her rotten. I remember one time when Lettie was sitting on Grandpa's lap (or really his belly). His belly shaking up and down as usual when he laughed, little Lettie was getting a good ride. So she said: 'Laugh again Grandpa.' Quickly becoming aware of her wile, he said: 'O pshaw!"
Another source of pleasure was his son John Leroy, his wife Irene, and their tiny baby, Paul McQueen. They lived with him in 1916, and his fondness for Irene and the baby made a strong impression on Maud B. Beasley. It is not truly wonderful that John Leroy, who for the long "Seven Silent Years" had brought anxiety to his parents, was now able to bring his father a devoted daughter-in-law, a precious little grandson, and his own companionship?
But his closest companion and confidante in his Golden Years was his ever faithful, loving, spinster daughter, Beck. She had never left him. It was she who made a home for him after Lettie Jane's death until his own. It was she who shared his innermost thoughts, and it was she at his bedside when God called him home.
He had long been a devout member of the Dunn Presbyterian Church, and reportedly, he and Dr. A.R. McQueen, pastor of this church for 33 years, were intimate friends. His wife, Lettie Jane, had also changed her church membership (Primitive Baptist) to his. Maud B. Beasley attests to the fact that he was a regular in church attendance, and that it was Dr. McQueen who preached his funeral, for he would have had no one else.
And what were the circumstances surrounding the demise of this man of God? Having eaten supper, he attended a tent revival in progress in Dunn one evening. Upon his return home, he ate another large meal, after which he began to suffer severe chest pains. The family physician, Dr. O.L. Denning, was summoned, and he diagnosed the sudden illness as acute indigestion. When Dr. Denning quickly returned to his office for the proper medication, John Robert said: "Beck, I won't live until he gets back." When the doctor returned, John Roberts' soul had already silently slipped through the gates of heaven and joined his loved ones there, namely, his little Lettie Jane, his daughters, Mary Frances and Luella, and seven grandchildren.
His body was laid to rest beside his beloved Lettie Jane in Greenwood Cemetery in Dunn, NC on August 29, 1916. The secret of his life of greatness is recorded on his monument: "The Cross is my anchor." His grandson, Ralph Bass, recalls that John Robert's body was carried to the cemetery on a wagon drawn by horses. Ralph also says that he was really impressed by the horses, how quiet and still they were during the funeral service. As a final tribute to this popular, civic-minded gentleman, all the Dunn business establishments were closed during the funeral hour signifying that the citizens of Dunn were saying along with God: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
About 2.5 months later with his son, Arthur Troy, serving as Administrator, his nine heirs (8 children and 1 grandson, Paul Jordan) proceeded to sell on November 15, 1916, the old home place containing 73 acres near Greenwood Cemetery to J.D. Barnes for $18,025. His home and lot in Dunn (140'x150') for $3300. All his property now being disposed of, each of his nine heirs received 1/9 of the total value.
Thus ends the saga of (Squire) John Robert Godwin. The nine diverse but interesting families directly succeeding him have felt the impact of this truly great man, and have revealed it by following his precepts, and by distinguishing themselves in the various walks of life. Farming, homemaking, railroading, teaching, nursing, engineering, military service, the ministry, and electronics, not to mention a broad range in the business world.
They have been inspired and encouraged to seek opportunity; to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build. They have faced and coped with failure, and they have known the thrill of fulfillment. They have been unwilling to trade their freedom for beneficence and their dignity for a handout.
They have appreciated fully their heritage, to stand erect, proud, and unafraid; to think and act for themselves; to enjoy the benefit of their honest labors, and to face the world boldly and say: "This, with God's help, I have done."
Therefore, may the descendants of John Robert Godwin forever pursue these same principles as the basis for meaningful lives as American citizens. May our posterity always be so proud of their ancestors, that they too will diligently emulate them, perpetuate their ideals, their integrity, their memory, and make their own "footprints on the sands of time."
~Wilma D. Godwin~
(Mrs. Elwood Godwin)
April 1979