Moses Goodnoe enlisted in the Saint Croix Guards, sometimes called the Dill Guards, on August 11, 1862. The 30th Wisconsin Infantry was organized at Camp Randall in Madison and mustered into service on October 21, 1862, with the Guards becoming Company A. The regiment was detailed to duty at Green Bay and other points in Wisconsin to enforce the draft until March 1863. Next Goodnoe’s portion of the regiment served with Sully’s Northwestern Indian Expedition up the Missouri River, and constructed forts. By mid-1864 most of the regiment was in Kentucky and primarily served on provost duty there and conducted prisoners to various points. Goodnoe mustered out with the regiment on September 20, 1865.
Following is Moses Goodnoe’s obituary from The Hudson Star-Observer of December 27, 1918:
OBITUARY.
Moses Goodne.
Moses Goodne [sic] died suddenly at his home in Roberts Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1918. He was born in Vestal, N.Y., N. Y. [sic], Nov. 30, 1833.
[something seems to be missing here] names and addresses of soldiers sent swept over the community when the news of Mr. Goodnoe’s death was made known. He had been in his usual good health the day previous and according to his ambitious nature had sawed wood.
Mr. Goodnoe was one of the oldest settlers in [the Town of] Warren having come here in 1861 and purchased a farm.
In 1862 he walked to Hudson to enlist and served in co. A, 30th Wis. Volunteer Infantry until 1865 when he was honorably discharged.
He took a great pleasure in relating his war experiences, and the high esteem in which he was held by his G. A. R. comrades was manifest by the large attendance at his funeral which took place in Roberts on Friday.
he was honored and respected by all his acquaintances and his kind, genial disposition endeared him to all.
He will be greatly missed by all of his friends, but more by his immediate family which has the sympathy of the entire community.
He leaves to mourn his loss one daughter, Mrs. James Turner of Roberts. Three sons, Fred of Salt Lake City, Utah, William of Hammond, Harry of Wichita, Kan., and two step sons— George Dyer of Rockford, Ill., and Charles Dyer of Hudson.
Thus endeth a grand life. He has fought life’s battles bravely and well and will reap his reward in that better and brighter Home with God.
From History of the Saint Croix Valley, edited by Augustus B. Easton, 1909.
Moses Goodnoe was born in Vestal, Bloom county, N. Y., November 30, 1835, son of Luther and Martha (Swartwood) Goodnoe, and grandson of Luther Goodnoe, a native of France, who settled in New York prior to the Revolution, in which war he took part. On his mother’s side Mr. Goodnoe is of German descent. The grandfather, Luther, was a farmer and miller and lived and died in Bloom county, New York, as did his son, also named Luther. Moses received a common school education in his native county and as a young man took up lumbering, an occupation which he still continued to follow after coming westward and locating at Stillwater, Minn. In 1861 he located in Roberts and purchased 160 acres of land, taking up farming as an occupation. He enlisted August 11, 1862 in Company A, Thirtieth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. The company engaged in skirmishes with the Indians and assisted in building Fort Sully, S. Dak., and Fort Rice, N. Dak. He took part in the battle of Nashville and was discharged September 20, 1865, at Louisville, Ky. At the close of the hostilities he returned home and for a period of eleven years was employed by Andrew Baldwin, who with John Humbird, constructed the first railroad in this locality. In 1876 he once more took up farming, continuing same until he retired in 1907. His farm consists of 160 acres of well cultivated land, well improved and equipped with all the latest styles of modern farm machinery and implements. The subject of this sketch was a brave and valiant soldier and has many interesting stories to tell of his war experiences. He is a thorough reader, and his advice is often sought on many important questions. He is a successful farmer and a good citizen, now enjoying a well-deserved rest, after years of hard toil and self denial. He is a Republican in politics, a member of the school board and the board of supervisors, a communicant of the Methodist church and a comrade of the G. A. R. Mr. Goodnoe was married November 18, 1875 to Caroline Feagins, daughter of George and Mary (Stockley) Feagins, natives of England, who settled in Schoharie county, New York, at an early date, the father being a grist miller. In 1858 he located at Belvidere, Ill., where he ended his days. Mr. and Mrs. Goodnoe had four children, as follows: Minnie married James Turner, a farmer of Roberts; Fred married Edith White; William married Agnes Strait, and had one daughter, Gladys Irene; Harry is employed in the oil fields of Illinois.
The Civil War and Northwest Wisconsin 