Instead of attending college, Frank became at age 15 a merchant sailor, against the wishes of his parents. He shipped on the "Young Eagle" to Liverpool, England, then to New Orleans and Texas. In another ship he sailed as far as Argentina. He left ship there and became a sheepherder. Eventually, he leased land and bought a large number of his own sheep.
2nd Me Cav
Civil War veteran. This soldier's name was listed in a Memorial Day article in the LA Times dated May 30, 1889
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Godfrey returned to the United States and enlisted as a private in the First Maine Cavalry. A few weeks later, he secured an appointment as a first lieutenant in the First Maine Battery of Light Artillery, and in December 1863 he accepted a commission as lieutenant colonel of the Second Maine Cavalry. He resigned from the Army on 4 May 1864 because of ill health. After the war, Godfrey enlisted as a scout for a government expedition into Sioux territory. He eventually returned to Maine to practice law. He married Abbie before 1870, and after her death before 1880, married Helen Percival.
He settled in Los Angeles in 1874, purchasing a house in the southwestern part of the city and cultivating oranges. In December 1876 Godfrey was elected Los Angeles city attorney on the People's ticket, and in 1878 he was reelected on the Workingman's ticket. In 1880 he received a nomination for Congress as a candidate of the Greenback-Labor Party but lost the election.
He died suddenly, leaving his wife Helen and several children. A memorial service attracted nearly every lawyer in the city. In 1993, two descents of his published a collection, "The Civil War Letters of John Franklin Godfrey."
2nd Me Cav
Civil War veteran. This soldier's name was listed in a Memorial Day article in the LA Times dated May 30, 1889
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Godfrey returned to the United States and enlisted as a private in the First Maine Cavalry. A few weeks later, he secured an appointment as a first lieutenant in the First Maine Battery of Light Artillery, and in December 1863 he accepted a commission as lieutenant colonel of the Second Maine Cavalry. He resigned from the Army on 4 May 1864 because of ill health. After the war, Godfrey enlisted as a scout for a government expedition into Sioux territory. He eventually returned to Maine to practice law. He married Abbie before 1870, and after her death before 1880, married Helen Percival.
He settled in Los Angeles in 1874, purchasing a house in the southwestern part of the city and cultivating oranges. In December 1876 Godfrey was elected Los Angeles city attorney on the People's ticket, and in 1878 he was reelected on the Workingman's ticket. In 1880 he received a nomination for Congress as a candidate of the Greenback-Labor Party but lost the election.
He died suddenly, leaving his wife Helen and several children. A memorial service attracted nearly every lawyer in the city. In 1993, two descents of his published a collection, "The Civil War Letters of John Franklin Godfrey."
Instead of attending college, Frank became at age 15 a merchant sailor, against the wishes of his parents. He shipped on the "Young Eagle" to Liverpool, England, then to New Orleans and Texas. In another ship he sailed as far as Argentina. He left ship there and became a sheepherder. Eventually, he leased land and bought a large number of his own sheep.
2nd Me Cav
Civil War veteran. This soldier's name was listed in a Memorial Day article in the LA Times dated May 30, 1889
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Godfrey returned to the United States and enlisted as a private in the First Maine Cavalry. A few weeks later, he secured an appointment as a first lieutenant in the First Maine Battery of Light Artillery, and in December 1863 he accepted a commission as lieutenant colonel of the Second Maine Cavalry. He resigned from the Army on 4 May 1864 because of ill health. After the war, Godfrey enlisted as a scout for a government expedition into Sioux territory. He eventually returned to Maine to practice law. He married Abbie before 1870, and after her death before 1880, married Helen Percival.
He settled in Los Angeles in 1874, purchasing a house in the southwestern part of the city and cultivating oranges. In December 1876 Godfrey was elected Los Angeles city attorney on the People's ticket, and in 1878 he was reelected on the Workingman's ticket. In 1880 he received a nomination for Congress as a candidate of the Greenback-Labor Party but lost the election.
He died suddenly, leaving his wife Helen and several children. A memorial service attracted nearly every lawyer in the city. In 1993, two descents of his published a collection, "The Civil War Letters of John Franklin Godfrey."
2nd Me Cav
Civil War veteran. This soldier's name was listed in a Memorial Day article in the LA Times dated May 30, 1889
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Godfrey returned to the United States and enlisted as a private in the First Maine Cavalry. A few weeks later, he secured an appointment as a first lieutenant in the First Maine Battery of Light Artillery, and in December 1863 he accepted a commission as lieutenant colonel of the Second Maine Cavalry. He resigned from the Army on 4 May 1864 because of ill health. After the war, Godfrey enlisted as a scout for a government expedition into Sioux territory. He eventually returned to Maine to practice law. He married Abbie before 1870, and after her death before 1880, married Helen Percival.
He settled in Los Angeles in 1874, purchasing a house in the southwestern part of the city and cultivating oranges. In December 1876 Godfrey was elected Los Angeles city attorney on the People's ticket, and in 1878 he was reelected on the Workingman's ticket. In 1880 he received a nomination for Congress as a candidate of the Greenback-Labor Party but lost the election.
He died suddenly, leaving his wife Helen and several children. A memorial service attracted nearly every lawyer in the city. In 1993, two descents of his published a collection, "The Civil War Letters of John Franklin Godfrey."
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