Last week the Goodwin Cemetery on Buttons Bluff Road in Springwood was featured. This week the Goodwin family burials will be expanded upon with another Goodwin Cemetery, this one in the Salt Petre Cave area.
These descendants of John Goodwin include Wilbur F Goodwin and his wife, Lucy Payne Goodwin, who married August 19, 1868.
Wilbur F. Goodwin was appointed as postmaster for Salt Peter Cave Post Office in 1873, 1874; then in 1879 as Postmaster in Eagle Rock, and then again in 1900 and 1901 in Salt Petre Cave. He was a postmaster for most of his working life. He was born about 1849 and died in 1902.
Wilbur’s wife Lucy Payne was the daughter of Charles Payne and Frances Pitzer, born about 1842 and died in 1909.
Wilbur and Lucy are known to have three daughters and one son. Two of these daughters and one son are interred in this cemetery, according to grave markers. Virginia died 12-21-1876, age 2; Lillie died 1888, age 16; and Wilbur Payne Goodwin, who was telegraph operator in the 1900 census, was listed as a boarder in the M.E. Hardy home. He died in 1909 at age 30.
Etta B. Goodwin is listed as an aunt, died May 1900 at age 54. Etta is the daughter of John Goodwin and a sister to Wilbur F. Goodwin, so as noted an aunt to the children with whom she shares a marker.
It is not known exactly how many other burials are in this remote cemetery, as it was not previously inventoried, even though the earliest known burial was 1876.
