1880 Berrien Co., GA gmd 1157

Stephen Godwin 33 Self (Head)

Elizabeth Godwin 23 Wife

Ida Godwin 8 Daughter

Celiner Godwin 4 Son

Walton Godwin 2 Son

Loula Godwin 1 Daughter

Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828-1978

Name Carrie May Belle Smith

Gender Female

Marriage Date 4 Jan 1899

Marriage Place Lowndes, Georgia, USA

Spouse Walter Godwin

Lowndes Marriage Book D, 1897-1903, p 115

1900 Lowndes Co., GA Valdosta

W H Godwin 22

Carrie Godwin 19

Walter Godwin 3/12 b. Feb 1900 GA/GA/GA

Savannah, Georgia Vital Records, 1803-1966

Name Walter H Godwin

Birth Date abt 1878

Birth Location Georgia

Death 9 Apr 1913 U.S. Post office bldg

Age 35

Death Location Savannah, Georgia

The Macon Telegraph 9 Apr 1913 p 1

W. H. Godwin A Suicide

Was Deputy Clerk of U.S. Court at Savannah

Wife Starts Search at Midnight And Body is Found at an Early Hour

This Morning.

SAVANNAH, April 9-Walter H. Godwin, United States commissioner for the southern district of Georgia, and until a few days ago deputy clerk of the United States court here, committed suicide tonight in his office by shooting himself through the heart with an automatic pistol.

His body was found by Deputy Marshal Wilson at 1:30 o'clock this morning. His wife, anxious because Godwin failed to come home, sent her two little boys to Wilson's house at midnight to ask him to hunt her husband. Wilson, who had left Godwin in the office at 6 o'clock, went there and found the body.

Godwin, who was about 38 years old, came here from Augusta.

The Valdosta Daily Times 9 Apr 1913 p 5

Walter Godwin Found Dead in Early Morning

Savannah, April 9.-The remains of Walter H. Godwin, deputy clerk of the United States Court, whose lifeless body was found sitting upright in a chair in his office in the Federal building at 1 o'clock this morning, will be buried in Valdosta, his former home.

The remains will be sent there today, accompanied by relatives from that city, his wife and children and some of his Savannah friends.

Mr. Godwin killed himself with a bullet from a Colt's automatic revolver, it is believed, in a fit of despondency.

He left a note to J. Ben Wilson, United States deputy marshal, in which, after making some personal requests, he said:

"In making this last request of you, I wish to thank you for your confidence in me, your friendship and your esteem, which I prize. If your philosophy of life is correct, we may not meet again, but I sincerely hope that the evening of your life will be pleasant and comforting."

"With sincere wishes, etc.

"WALTER."

The Valdosta Daily Times 9 Apr 1913 p 5

Much sorrow was caused in this city today by a telegram from Savannah announcing that Mr. Walter H. Godwin, formerly of this city, and recently deputy clerk of the United States court at Savannah, had committed suicide in the federal building in that city last night.

The first information of the tragedy was brought to this city in a telegram to relatives from Mrs. Walter Godwin. At the hour the telegram was received it was impossible to find out any of the particulars. His brothers-in-law, Mr. W. H. Gainey and Dr. L. C. Holtzendorff, went to Savannah on the 7 o'clock train this morning. . .

It is said that he had been very despondent for several weeks, due to some changes in the office. Several days ago the announcement was made that Mr. Morecock, of Macon, had been appointed to the place which he held. It was not stated whether or not Mr. Godwin had lost his position, but a later report indicated that he had been displaced. His successor was to take the office on the fifteenth of the month.

It is probable that his remains will be brought to this city for burial, but it is not known yet what the funeral arrangements will be.

The deceased was the son of Mrs. S. B. Godwin, of this city, and he was reared here. He attended the public schools here and was associated with his father in business for several years. For the past six or seven years he has been associated with Judge Speer's court, at first as a deputy United States marshal, and later as United States commissioner and deputy clerk at Augusta. Several months ago he was transferred to Savannah to succeed the deputy clerk who died.

He was a young man of genial disposition and was nearly always in a happy frame of mind. He was about the last man that one would have imagined would commit suicide.

He was married twelve or fifteen years ago to Miss Carrie Smith, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Smith. Besides his wife he is survived by two sons and a daughter.

Among his other relatives in Valdosta are his mother, Mrs. S. B. Godwin, his sisters, Mrs. O. T. Hill, Mrs. W. H. Gainey and Mrs. John Connell, and Mrs. Thwait, of Macon. His brothers are Messrs. O.G. Godwin, of Dothan, Ala., Lamar Godwin, of the United States mail service, at Montgomery, Alec Godwin and Frank Godwin, of this city.