Goodspeed, Edgar Johnson, D.D.

a Baptist minister, was born in Johnsburgh, Warren County, N.Y., May 31, 1833. He studied in the academy at Glenn's Falls, spent part of one year at Union College, Schenectady, and graduated from the University of Rochester in 1853, and from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1856. Immediately he was ordained pastor of the Central Baptist Church in Poughkeepsie, and in the fall of 1858 removed to Janesville, Wisconsin, in the same capacity, where he had eminent success. On the formation of the Second Baptist Church of Chicago, in 1864, he was called to be its pastor, and for several years labored with great constancy and success. In the winter of 1870 and 1871 he was suddenly prostrated by asthma, and spent several months. in Europe. On his return he received for his colleague his brother, Reverend T.W. Goodspeed; and in 1876 was forced to resign. He next spent a year and a half at New Market, N.J., in entire rest and freedom from care, and then accepted a call to the Central Church of Syracuse, N.Y. In 1879 he took charge of the Benedict Institute, Columbia, S.C., with the hope that a milder climate would benefit his health. The. school largely increased under his administration; but in the midst of his usefulness he died, June 12, 1881. He was a member of the board of trustees of the Chicago University and of the Theological Seminary. He was editor of Cobbin's Commentary on the Bible, and wrote The Wonderful Career of Moody and Sankey in Great Britain and America: — The Life of Jesus, for Young People: — The Lives of the Apostles, for the Young: — The Great Fires in Chicago and the West: — A History of the Centennial. See Chicago Standard, June 23, 1881. (J.C.S.)