Buried in Portland
Remains of the Late Charles Goodnough Interred in Riverview Cemetery
An Old Oregon Pioneer of 1856
Commenced Business in La Grande in 1864, Built the First Brick [Building] in Union County
The funeral services over the remains of Charles Goodnough took place from the family residence, 440 Williams Avenue, Albina, Monday, December 4, 1899, Rev. W. R. Lord, of the Unitarian Church, conducting the services. Relatives and friends of the family were present, including the following well known personal friends and business associates of this county: J. M. Church and J. M. Berry, of this city, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Holmes, and E. E. Kiddle of Island City.
Mr. Goodnough landed in Portland in 1863; his first business adventure in Eastern Oregon was in La Grande in 1864, where he built the first brick [building], not only in this county, but in the Inland Empire, east of The Dalles, which is now used for school purposes. Leaving La Grande he was appointed receiver of the great Chicago Ditch Co., which had become financially embarrassed after expending $500,000. He satisfactorily straightened out the business and remained in business at Malheur City and later for a short time in Baker City. In 1885, he returned to this valley and with R. M. Steele and others established the Island City Mercantile & Milling Company, which soon extended its business and opened branches at Hilgard and Elgin in this county, and at Wallowa and Enterprise, in Wallowa County. Mr. Goodnough remained president and manager of this firm; which did the largest volume of business in the state, outside of Portland, from 1885 to March of the present year, when he disposed of his interests to the present manager, Fred J. Holmes.
With the exception of his interest in the La Grande National Bank, he had disposed of all his Union County property.
Few men were held in higher esteem throughout Eastern Oregon. He took a prominent part in all public affairs and always had pronounced views backed by great force of character. He was preeminently successful as a businessman, leaving his wife and daughter a comfortable competency for life, besides whom he leaves four brothers, A. and Ivan, of Portland, Lafayette and Martin who reside east.
Eastern Oregon Observer, Friday, 8 December 1899, Page #1.
Contributed by: Robert Bull