R. W. Goodman

Raymond Wallace Goodman (August 23, 1915 – April 5, 2007) was an American law enforcement officer and businessman who served as Sheriff of Richmond County, North Carolina from 1950 until 1994, making him the longest serving sheriff in North Carolina history.

Born in the county to a textile worker, he dropped out high school to work in a mill and as a deliveryman before undertaking brief service with the United States Navy.

Upon returning to Richmond County, Goodman began working at a store in Rockingham, which he eventually bought out and renamed R. W. Goodman Company.

He expanded his holdings over the following years, growing his store and acquiring a textile mill.

R. W. Goodman was born on August 23, 1915, in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States to Maggie Wallace Goodman and John Lawrence Goodman.

R. W. lived in a rented textile mill company house with 15 siblings.

His father worked in the company's mill in Cordova and as a barber.

After his father died, R. W. dropped out of high school and took up work in the mill and making deliveries for a dry-cleaner.

Goodman then briefly served in the United States Navy before being discharged in 1937.

The following year he married Alice Smith, a woman who lived in the same mill village.

He had four children with her.

In 1938 Goodman began working at the E. B. Morse Store in Rockingham, across the street from the Richmond County Courthouse.

He bought a portion of the building in 1941, and then purchased the rest of it three years later, renaming it R. W. Goodman Company.

Under Goodman, the store acted as a full service retailer and mostly sold clothing and furniture.

He bought nearby buildings over the following years for use as offices and showrooms.

Over time he gained enough wealth to move his family into a prominent Rockingham neighborhood.

Goodman ran for the office of Sheriff of Richmond County in 1946, but lost the contest.

He ran again four years later and was elected.

While serving as sheriff, he rarely stayed in his official office, and management of the sheriff's department was usually performed by his chief deputy, who reported to him several times a day, though he would go to investigate large crime scenes and perform high-profile arrests.

Goodman instead spent most of his time in his store, from where he acted as the boss of a conservative Democratic courthouse machine.

Politically influential, he was often sought by local candidates for endorsements and used his connections to lobby the state government in Raleigh.

In 1946 Goodman launched his own candidacy for the office of sheriff.

He lost the May 25 Democratic primary election, earning 2,281 votes to the Holland's 2,931 votes.

Beginning in the 1960s, local politicians would stop by his store in election years to ask for his endorsement.

In 1967 he joined with several partners in establishing Richmond Yarns, a textile mill near Ellerbe.

Unlike other politicians in the American South during his tenure, Goodman courted black support, hiring a few black sheriff's deputies and supporting some black candidates for local offices in the 1970s.

He became the sole owner in 1975.

It employed over 200 people.

Goodman supported DeWitt Ornsby's election as the sheriff of Richmond County, but Ornsby died in a car accident during his first month in office.

The county commission appointed Carl Holland to fill the vacancy, who Goodman disliked.

Aware of this, Holland, dared Goodman to challenge him.

He retired in 1994 and died in 2007.

He ran against Holland four years later with the electoral support of local mill workers and prevailed, becoming the 18th sheriff of Richmond County.

As sheriff, Goodman was the boss of a conservative Democratic courthouse machine in Richmond County, though he objected to such characterization.

He held wide influence in determining who served in local government and represented the county in the North Carolina General Assembly and maintained a wide network of informants.

He oversaw the machine from his furniture store, where he spent most of his time.

He did not carry a gun and rarely stayed in his official office.

Management of the sheriff's department was usually performed by his chief deputy, who reported to him several times a day, though he would go to investigate large crime scenes and perform high-profile arrests.

Sheriff's deputies would stop by his store to update him on law enforcement matters, as would local constituents who wanted his help or wished to discuss politics with him.

If he saw a politician or journalist walking by with whom he wished to speak, he would send a store clerk out to fetch them.