Rufus King Goodenow was a United States Representative from Maine

Maine

Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...

. Born in Henniker, New Hampshire

Henniker, New Hampshire

Henniker is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 4,836. Henniker is home to New England College, Ames State Forest and Craney Hill State Forest....

 on April 24, 1790, he moved with his parents to Brownfield, Maine

Brownfield, Maine

Brownfield is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2000 census. Brownfield is home to the Stone Mountain Arts Center.-History:...

 in 1802. He received limited schooling, subsequently engaged in agricultural pursuits. He also made several voyages to European ports and served as a captain in the Thirty-third Regiment, United States Infantry, in the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

. He moved to Paris, Maine

Paris, Maine

Paris is a town in and the county seat of Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of South Paris is located within the town. Because the U.S. Post Office refers to the entire town as South Paris, the town as a whole is commonly...

 in 1821. He was the brother of Robert Goodenow

Robert Goodenow

Robert Goodenow was a U.S. Representative from Maine, brother of Rufus King Goodenow.Born in Henniker, New Hampshire, Goodenow moved with his parents to Brownfield, Maine, in 1802....

.

He served as clerk of the Oxford County Courts from 1821 to 1837. Goodenow was elected a member of the Maine House of Representatives

Maine House of Representatives

The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...

. He was a delegate to the Whig

Whig Party (United States)

The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...

 National Convention at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

in 1839. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and practiced in the courts of Maine. He was elected as a Whig to the Thirty-first Congress (March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851), and died in Paris, Maine on March 24, 1863. He was interred in Riverside Cemetery.