From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 563-564

B. J. Goff, grocer, Fremont, Ind., was born in Erie County, Pa., June 29, 1834. His father, Orrin Goff, was a native of Montpelier, Vt., a son of Bethuel Goff, a soldier of the Revolutionary war. His mother was Emma Stanclift, a daughter of Lemuel Stanclift, also a Revolutionary hero and an early settler of Erie County. His parents were married in Erie County in 1824. Soon after their marriage they went to Medina County, Ohio, but returned again to Pennsylvania, where the father died in 1842. The mother is still living. To them were born four sons, three of whom were in the service of their country in the war of the Rebellion. Azro resides in New York City. Osman D. served three months in the Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and twelve months in the Eighty-third Pennsylvania as Second Sergeant, and subsequently as Sergeant-Major of the One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Indiana. Orrin F. was a member of the Twenty third Indiana Battery, and died of fever at East Tazewell, Tenn. B. J., the subject of our sketch, was reared in his native county, receiving a liberal education. When twenty years of age, in 1854, he enlisted in the naval service of the United States, and served four years. When the war broke out, in 1861, he was one of the first to answer to the call for troops, and enlisted in the three-months' service. After the expiration of his term he re-enlisted, in August, 1861, in the three-years' service, in Company C, Eighty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant. He participated in the engagements at Centerville, Hampton Cross Roads, Big Bethel, Yorktown, White House Landing, Hanover Court House, Cold Harbor, and Gaines's Mills, where he was wounded by a shell in the right side. He was sent to Annapolis Hospital. He was appointed Assistant Provost Marshal, with rank of Captain, and served as such about three months in the city of Baltimore; but not recovering from his wound he resigned Nov. 1, 1862, and was discharged, his discharge being signed by General McClellan. Mr. Goff was married in 1858 to Amy D. Swarthout, a native of Genesee County, N. Y., born Sept.1, 1835. They have had six children; but two sons are living-- James O. and Bethuel Arthur. While Mr. Goff was in the army his family moved to Montcalm County; Mich., and thither he went after his discharge. In the spring of 1863 he moved his family to Fremont, but in 1865 moved again to Michigan. In April, 1881, he came to Fremont, where he has since been successfully engaged in the gorcery business. Mr. Goff is a man of firm, upright business principles, and is a noble accession to any community. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and with another comrade organized the post in Fremont, they paying all the expense of getting the charter. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows and Masonic orders.

Submitted by Kim Davoli

E-mail: davoli82@juno.com