Charles W. Goodlander was an able and large hearted business man, and among other tributes to his benevolence is the Home for Children which he founded at Fort Scott. He was a Pennsylvanian of English-Quaker ancestry, born at Milton, April 25, 1834. He obtained a partial high school education and mastered and followed the carpenter’s trade in Ponnsylvania, Maryland, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri, before deciding to venture west of the Mississippi in his search for a location. Finally, in April, 1857, he arrived at Fort Scott, the first passenger to come from Kansas City by stage coach. Mr. Goodlander at once established himself at that point as a contractor and builder, in which line he continued with success for twelve years. Subsequently he became interested in the lumber trade, a large brick yard and other enterprises. The panie of 1873 much reduced the value of his properties, and in 1876 his mill and elevator were almost destroyed by a boiler explosion. He then retrieved his fortune by returning to his old business of building and contrasting, bought back his mill property and suffered a heavy loss by fire in 1887. The mill was rebuilt. For some time he was also president of the Citizens’ National Bank, and operated the Goodlandor Hotel. He invested in grain elevators, the manufacture of yellow pine and a variety of other enterprises. In 1901 he purchased the old home of his father-in-law, Col. H. T. Wilson, and converted it into the Goodlander Home for Children. This useful institution is open to dependent children of Fort Scott and vienity, and, in exceptional cases, to older persons. Its founding was the crowning act of Mr. Goodlander’s life, which was concluded May 22, 1902.
