One of the benefits of my day job with the Nutec Group is that I sometimes have the opportunity to become involved with local projects of historic significance. Such is the case with the home once owned by William C. Goodridge. For five years I’ve served on the task force working to transform the house into an Underground Railroad museum. Crispus Attucks, the local non-profit working to improve the quality of life in the southeast neighborhoods of York City, and beyond, is spearheading the exciting project.
Who was William Goodridge? He was born into slavery in Baltimore, Maryland in 1805 or 1806. Because he was a slave, his exact birth date is not recorded. His mother and grandmother had been owned by Charles Carroll of Carrollton, signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the wealthiest Americans in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. (If you saw the movie National Treasure, Carroll was featured in a flashback as the last surviving signer.) Goodridge’s mother was sold to a prominent Baltimore physician.
It could be that his mother arrived pregnant, or became pregnant shortly after her arrival. His father is unknown, though it is widely speculated that he was either a member of the Carroll family or even the physician himself. Regardless, perhaps because of this young William Goodridge found himself in York by the time he was age 5, apprenticing to a local tanner and preacher. Around 1822, William was given his freedom and left York. But he didn’t stay away long. Within two years he was back in town, having learned the trade of a barber. He soon bought out his boss, and a long, successful career was launched.
In 1827, Goodridge married Evalina, who would become his partner in everything he did.
He was a successful entrepreneur, expanding his barber shop to include candies, toys, cosmetics. He was a real estate mogul, of sorts, eventually owning 20 properties and constructing York’s tallest building of its day, the 4.5-story Centre Hall on the northwest quadrant of Centre Square.
If you were suffering from hair loss in 1830, you were probably a customer of William Goodridge. His Oil of Celsus, Balm of Minerva was marketed as a hair loss product. If you were a child, you probably frequented his emporium to sample his award-winning candies or check out the latest in imported German toys. If you were looking for money or a job, you might visit Goodridge’s “Money Advancing” business or “Intelligence Office,” respectively.
And if you happened to be an escaped slave running for your freedom – and life – you might just find yourself seeking out William Goodridge’s services as both a conductor and stationmaster on the Underground Railroad.
In the next post we’ll look at Goodridge and his role on the Underground Railroad.