author
S. L. (Stephen Lincoln) Goodale
1815–1897
A 19th-century Maine agricultural leader, he wrote practical books and reports aimed at helping farmers breed better livestock and improve their work. His career bridged science, public service, and everyday farm life.
1 Audiobook
The Principles of Breeding or, Glimpses at the Physiological Laws involved in the Reproduction and Improvement of Domestic Animals
by S. L. (Stephen Lincoln) Goodale
About the author
Born in South Berwick, Maine, on August 14, 1815, and raised in Saco, Stephen Lincoln Goodale became one of the best-known agricultural figures in Maine. A memorial sketch published soon after his death describes his early familiarity with books, chemicals, and practical business through his family's store, influences that helped shape his scientific and reform-minded interests.
Goodale is best remembered for his long service as secretary of the Maine Board of Agriculture, a post he held from the 1850s into the early 1870s. Maine State Archives also identifies him as a trustee of Maine State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, as well as a chemist and manager connected with the Cumberland Bone Company. His writing focused on useful agricultural knowledge, including livestock breeding and farm improvement, and was meant for working farmers rather than specialists.
He died in Saco, Maine, on November 5, 1897. Although not widely known today outside regional and agricultural history, his work reflects a period when American farming was becoming more organized, more scientific, and more closely tied to public institutions.