What was Robert Goddards family background like?
Robert Hutchings Goddard was the son of Nahum Danford Goddard and Fannie Louise (Hoyt) Goddard, who had wed on January 3, 1882. Robert had one brother, Richard H., who was born and died in 1894. Nahum was born on January 3, 1859 to Nahum Parks Goddard and Mary Pease (Upham) Goddard and he died on September 15, 1928. Nahum Danford Goddard had two siblings, twins Alonzo and Elvira, both of whom were born and died in 1833. Nahum Parks Goddard was the only child of Danford and Elvira C. (Goddard) Goddard to survive childhood. Fannie was born on September 17, 1864 and was the only child of Henry A. Hoyt and Mary Louisa (Gates) Hoyt. Fannie died on January 29, 1920. Dr. Goddard married Esther Christine Kisk on June 21, 1924. They had no children. Like many other Goddards in New England, Robert Goddard could trace his ancestry back to William Goddard, who came to Massachusetts from England in 1665. William and Elizabeth Goddard had six sons, one of whom, Benjamin, is Dr. Goddard’s ancestor.
