This continues a series adapted from the book, “A Port Oneida Collection,” Volume 1 of the twopart set, “Oral History, Photographs, and Maps from the Sleeping Bear Region,” produced by Tom Van Zoeren in partnership with Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear. Here we take a look at the Goffar Farm, along M-22 on Lake Narada. Note that Much of the information for this chapter was compiled and kindly provided by John W. Goff. More is available in the Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear Online Archive.
Alexander Goffar came to America from Belgium with his parents in 1856, when he was 17. Settling in Chicago, he took up shoemaking. Five years later the young man married Catherine O’Brien, an immigrant from County Cork, Ireland. The following year Catherine bore a baby, whom they named Frank. That same year, the young family moved north to the Sleeping Bear Dunes region.
Settling first between Little Glen Lake and the dunes, Alexander and Catherine took up farming; but six years later they abandoned that sandy soil and purchased what we now know as the Goffar Farm, on Lake Narada, where they erected a log cabin and commenced building a farm operation. Four years later a daughter named Jeanette (Jennie) was born, followed a few years later by a sister they named Mary Louisa.
