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This is the Goodall family compound on Main Street in Sanford. Louis's Queen Anne style house is on the left. Across Main Street is Ernest's house, formerly his father's, and George's is on the right. The photo was taken sometime after the death of Ernest's parents in 1910, when he had the exterior remodeled in the colonial revival style. The photo was lent from a private collection.
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....legacy as man can leave to man.
One can safely assume he died without any regrets. Ernest had lived life fully and well. When he took over from his father as president of the mill in 1883 Sanford's population was close to 3,000; when he died it was well over 10,000. The Sanford Mill's stock worth was $155,000 when he started and $3,500,000 by the time he died. There is no question he had personally profited from that growth. He left an estate worth over $1.1 million. In the last year alone he earned about $50,000 on his stock in Sanford Mills and Goodall Worsted Co. alone, just two of the enterprises he invested in. He left money to nineteen cousins, both Goodall and Waterhouse cousins, and money to his nieces and nephew. In keeping with his family's lack of strong affiliation to any particular church or creed, he, and later his brother George, left $5,000 to each of five churches in Sanford. He willed the Goodall mansion to his nieces and nephew, his summer camp on Mousam Lake to his nephew, and several other properties to his nieces.
Everyone who mourned his death had in one way or another profited from his accomplishments. He always shared success in life and helped others succeed as well. Best of all, he inspired those with whom he associated to pursue alongside him with honesty, generosity, loyalty, humor, and warmth, new technological horizons, new business endeavors, excellence, a more vigorous and prosperous community, and the same beguiling belief in "Progress" that had motivated and sustained his father.
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This may well be the last family portrait with Ernest. Left to right: Ernest, Louis's daughter Lela, Louis, George's wife Henrietta, George, Louis's daughter Mildred, Louis's son Thomas Milton, George's daughter Marion, and George's son-in-law, William Marland. The photograph was taken at Ernest's camp on Mousam Lake. It belongs to a private collection.
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And so it comes as no surprise to read in the editorial in the Sanford Tribune, January 31, 1919, the following:
His vigorous ability seemed to carry every progressive movement with it in its onward sweep. Whatever it was best to do for Sanford, Mr. Goodall was ready to do, whether it pertained to the great industries with which he had been so closely connected, or to any civic function that would help the citizens of our town.
Some of us must always look backward when going forward. We say, "History repeats itself", and then we wait for it to repeat. Mr. Goodall never looked backward except to encourage his followers. With a clear vision he looked constantly to the future.
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