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Note: The earliest record found for Thomas Goudge was in 1780 - 1781 in New York where he was an executor and benificiary of the will of James Hollanby, a coachmaker originally from London. Thomas Goudge, Luke Bird and Alexander Goudge challanged the will, (monies bequested was less than the money available), and a review of the court proceedings indicate that Alexander Goudge was the attourney. Thomas Goudge was described as a wheelwright at this time. Who was the above Alexander Goudge? The next records are the baptism of his two children in Trinity Church Parish, New York, Alexander in January 1781 and Mary in 1782. One of Alexander's sponsors was Edward Prior, a name that shows up several times later on. A month after Alexander was baptised, Edward and Jane Prior had a daughter baptised, and Mary Goudge, Thomas's wife was one of the Sponsors. Carletons Loyalist Index shows him as a Master Smith working in the Eng Dept,,M,NY in 1782, issuing pay slips, ordering supplies and summerizing expenses, and also letters in Sept 1783 indicating that he was being sent to Halifax,,,artificer,,,M, Annapolis Royal. They also mention a 2nd Lieutenant commission. On July 1, 1783, microfilm records show that Thomas Goudge was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant under Captain Edward Prior, in a temporary Militia formed to organize, control and protect the Loyalists in their journey from New York to Nova Scotia. A book called "The Loyalists of New Brunswick" by Esther Clarke Wright refers to Thomas Goudge also. In the listing of all Loyalists in the book, Thomas Goudge is identified as a 2nd Lieutenant (page 286), and in the listing of Co's of Militia, Thomas Goudge shows up in Co. #25 under Captain Edward Prior (page 320). The loyalists in this book arrived at St John River in various fleets in 1783, and it appears that Thomas arrived in the later part of that year since he was commissioned in New York on July 1st. Most of the loyalists in this book settled along the St John River, but the book states that the Captain of Co. #25 went on to Halifax but his other officers could not be traced, however, we know that Thomas arrived in Halifax. The next referances to Thomas come from a study done by C. St. C Staynor of Halifax, Nova Scotia in December 1950, and reads as follows. The first mention of the name in Halifax is found in the records of the Crown Lands Office, now in the Nova Scotia Public Archives. In 1786 Thomas Goudge received a Loyalist Grant of 5 acres on the Halifax peninsula, and 350 acres at Jeddore. The next mention is in the Akins History of Halifax (P93). "Wednesday, Oct 22, 1788 was launched at the south end of town, a handsome brig, the property of Messers Goudge and Pryor. She was the first vessel of the size ever built in the town". (subsequent research shows that a similar vesel was built as early as 1752). More recent research has revealed that the name of the Brig was the Nymph. In a book called "The Diary of Simon Perkins, 1797 - 1803", an entry for March 22, 1797 states that this brig put in that day on it's way from Antigo to Halifax, and mentions the owners, Pryor, Goudge and McLean. The entry for Mar 23 stats that Capt. Pryor left for Halifax. (This was William Prior, son of Edward Pryor). Thomas's wife Ruth, and her father, Jazeb Cobb were passangers on this voyage. The study done by C. St. C. Staynor goes on to say that he lived in a house on Bishop Street at a very early time. The Goudge house was No. 12 which was on the south side of the street, about three houses up the hill from Water Street, and the family resided there or in the neighbourhood for many years. In the stories of old Halifax we can find several referances to Goudge's Hill, which seems to have been the popular name for the lower part of Bishop Street, or Wallace Street as it was called for a time. (Goudge's Hill was renamed sometime after 1940). The Staynor study goes on to say: We have no record of his activities at Halifax for many years, until the time of his death in 1823, when we are informed through British records that Mr. William Gossip was commissioned at Plymouth Docks, England, on the 16th of May, 1823, to succeed Master-smith Thomas Goudge, deceased. This shows that he was employed by the Royal Engineers at the time of his death, when he was 77 years old. Mr Goudge was probably employed in a civilion capacity, as was customary in such service at that time. There were many other similar cases, where the naval and military bases at Halifax employed mechanics who had served during the war in America, and were forced to leave that country after the peace. In the case of Thomas Goudge, it appears that he was employed at the lumber yard, but he seems to have been engaged in ship-building of ship-owning on his arrival in Halifax. That report also states that his name does not appear on any known list of Loyalists, however, it has since been found on the Appendix for Loyalists in Nova Scotia. He is buried in St. Pauls cemetary on Barrington St. Halifax with his three wives and one child that died in infancy. (Second row of tombstones to the right of the entrance). There is no tombstone for his third wife, but records state that she was buried there also. See picture of his tombstone.
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