Mr. Goddard represents some of the oldest families in this section of Eastern Iowa.  He was born January 22, 1873, on a farm in Clinton County, just across the Scott County line, the postoffice of the family being Big Rock, Scott County.  His parents were James Monroe and Sarah E. (Moore) Goddard.  His father was born in the same neighborhood in Clinton County in 1849, a son of George Goddard and grandson of Eli Goddard.  Eli Goddard in 1836 drove a team of oxen and brought his family from New York State westward, passing through Chicago, which was unattractive as a town in the swamps, and crossed the Mississippi River and took up a Government claim in Clinton County. This was only four years after the Blackhawk Indian war, and the Goddards were among the first families to venture out onto the frontier line beyond the Mississippi.  Eli Goddard became a conspicuous factor in the early territorial life of Iowa, and represented Clinton County in the Territorial Legislature, making the trip to the territorial capital at Iowa City on horseback, riding directly across the country in the absence of improved roads or railroads.  James Monroe Goddard spent many years at the old home farm and was a breeder of blooded stock and served for a long time as president of the school board.  He is now a resident of Davenport.  His wife, Sarah Moore, was born in Indiana and was two years of age when her father, Jacob Moore, came from Indiana in a covered wagon and settled in Cedar County, Iowa, in 1844.

F. Moore Goddard attended country schools while a boy on the farm and finished his education in the Duncan Business College.  From school he entered the Bettendorf Works at Bettendorf, at first as a stenographer, and has enjoyed a steady upward climb in that big Iowa industry, which he is now serving as purchasing agent, traffic manager and general superintendent of stores.

Mr. Goddard married, in 1900, Ella T. Ficke, who is a descendant of some of the early families of Davenport.  They have five children:  Florence, a graduate of Iowa State College of Ames, married Lester Clapp; Austin, a graduate of the University of Iowa; Robert, taking the law course at the University of Illinois; Dorothy and James, both in high school.

Mr. Goddard has many interesting social and civic connections.  He is former vice president of the Bettendorf Rotary Club, is a Knight Templar and a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and belongs to Zarephath Consistory, Trinity Lodge No. 208, A. F. and A. M., Webb Council, R. A. M., Muscatine and Saint Simon of Cyrene Commandery No. 9, Knights Templar, at Davenport, and Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine.  He is a member of the Union League of Chicago, the Davenport Chamber of Commerce and member of its traffic committee, is a director of the Tri-Cities Traffic Club, member of the Davenport Country Club, Davenport Outing Club, Y. M. C. A., and the Presbyterian Church.  He is also a member of the Iowa State Historical Society, Iowa City, Iowa, and was a member of the Home Guard during the World war.