Goodrich – A descendent of the original Goodrich brothers, village resident Ronald Snyder has donated the family heirloom safe, made in New York in1844, to the Goodrich/Atlas Historical Society.
‘I decided to give the safe to the historical society because I knew there was a lot of historical value for the community to enjoy,? said Snyder. ‘When I was 7-years-old, I remember my grandfather, Virgil Cummings, using an anvil on top of the safe. I also remember spending hours looking at all of the papers inside the safe,? he said.
The Goodrich/Atlas Historical Society paid $1,100 to have the safe restored. Rick Wilcox of Top Quality Collision in Davison, did the restoration project. The safe will be presented to the community at 1 p.m. on Dec.3 in the Goodrich Village Offices, lower level, 7338 State Road.
Snyder, who is the great-great-great grandson of Enos Goodrich said the safe was brought from New York to Goodrich in 1845. The safe was used by his great- grandfather Enos Goodrich. Brother Reuben Goodrich also used the safe, and it was placed at the Goodrich Mill when the brothers established their goods business named E & R Goodrich.
The safe remained at E & R Goodrich until the early 1900’s when it was moved to the Elmdale Farm on Green Road in Goodrich. There it was used as a farm safe and housed in the barn.
In 1956, the safe was moved to the home of Dean Cummings on Rhodes Road in Goodrich where it was in storage. Then in1982, the safe was moved to Snyder’s house on Green Road in Goodrich.
‘Some of the things inside the safe were written ledgers and old check books. There were also diaries from the hardware store listing their dry goods and groceries. The original members of the Goodrich Women’s Club were listed in a journal,? said Goodrich Historical Society Secretary Carol Powers.
Powers said she is going to put together a timeline collage of everything that was found in the safe and put it on the wall above the safe at the village offices, where the safe will remain for public viewing.