One of a Thousand/Goss, Franklin B.
Goss, Franklin B., son of William Whittemore and Hannah Goss, was born in Brewster, Barnstable county, July 17, 1831.
He was put out on a farm in Dennis at nine years of age, and at fourteen entered the "Barnstable Patriot" office as an apprentice in the printing business. He had the advantage of the public schools a portion of each year previous to that time.
In 1851 he started a newspaper called the "Cape Cod Advocate," printed at Barnstable and Sandwich, in company with Benjamin C. Bowman. In 1869 he became joint proprietor with George H. Richards, of the "Barnstable Patriot;" in 1871 its sole proprietor, and was editor and manager from his first joint ownership, 1869.
Franklin B. Goss.
He was appointed collector of customs for the district of Barnstable, July 8, 1876, by President Grant, and continued in office until August 8, 1887, when he was removed by President Cleveland.
He established the "Provincetown Advocate," in 1869; the "Harwich Independent" and "Chatham Monitor," in 1883, and the "Cape Cod Bee," in 1880—all now flourishing local papers.
Mr. Goss was married in Barnstable, January 20, 1852, to Mary Gorham, daughter of Capt. Joseph and Lucy Josephine Parker, of Barnstable. Of this union were five children: F. Percy, Alton Parker, William F. M., Lillie Stanley and George Richards Goss—the latter deceased.
Mr. Goss has held a position on the school board several years, and for many years was vice-president and secretary of the Barnstable County Agricultural Society.
He was originally a Democrat, but found a political home more consonant to his tastes with the Republicans during General Grant's first presidential campaign. He has ever since acted with the Republican party as its staunch supporter. He is now for the second time the collector of the port of Barnstable, having been re-appointed to that position by President Harrison, July 20, 1889.
He is always prominent in temperance work, and believes in prohibition.
Mr. Goss is the fourth child of a family of fifteen children. His father died in 1884, aged eighty-two. His mother is still living, aged eighty.