GOODWILL,
WEST VIRGINIA HISTORY
Robert
and Phillip Goodwill opened a
coal mine and started building
this coal camp in 1886. Justus
Collins opened another mine in
1887. There were two saw mills,
two coal tipples, two power
plant, two company stores, two
schools, three churches, a union
hall, post office, theater, dance
hall, pool room, shoe shop,
doctors office, and over a
hundred homes. In 1950, Goodwill
had a population of 1536. In
1958, the mine was closed, and
the residents left; all the
buildings were torn down except
for one house. This house was
still occupied in the year 2001.
The
Goodwill Coal Camp got its name
from the firm of Robert Goodwill
and Company. At the age of
25, Robert Goodwill came to
America in 1852 from
Northumberland County, England
with his wife, Katherine Wake,
and oldest son, Anthony G.
Robert settled in Gold Mine Gap,
Pennsylvania, near the city
of Shamokin. He had been a
coal miner in England since the
age of nine and continued
until he started his own coal
company at Shamokin. After
hearing the news of the thick
seams of coal in southern West
Virginia, Robert traveled to
Pocahontas and secured a lease
for 800 acres of coal land from
the Flat Top Land
Association. He returned to
Shamokin to organize the company,
and in November 1886 the firm of
Robert Goodwill and Company
conducted business under this
name until December 1888, when
the company was incorporated as
The Goodwill Coal and Coke
Company. The Goodwill
Family owned the entire stock in
the company. Robert was
company President, Anthony G. was
Vice President, Philip was
general manager and treasurer,
and William F. Goodwill was
secretary. Robert Goodwill was
listed as President of Goodwill
Coal and Coke Company until 1892,
and then he resigned from that
position on account of failing
health. Anthony and William
became presidents of coal
companies and other businesses in
Shamokin, Pennsylvania.
Philip became President of the
Goodwill Coal and Coke
Company. Robert Goodwill
returned to Shamokin,
Pennsylvania and died in 1898.
(
Text Provided By: Ken Bowen,
Bluewell, West Virginia. )
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