Graduated at Yale College in 1810 in 1812 he was elected tutor for two years in 1816 was ordained and installed pastor of the first church in Middletown Conn. He was elected professor of rhetoric and oratory in Yale College in 1817 but relinquished the office in 1839 to accept the chair of pastoral theology in the Theological Seminary, a position which he occupied until his death during a period of twenty years. In 1820 he was elected president of Williams College but declined the appointment. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him by Brown University in 1835. His literary labors were various and uniformly successful. In 1814 he prepared a Greek grammar which was generally used and was printed in several editions. In 1827 he superintended the abridgement of Webster's quarto American Dictionary which was so widely circulated throughout the country. In 1829 he established the quarterly Christian Spectator which he edited for nearly ten years with great labor, zeal and enterprise under circumstances occasioning much anxiety to himself and his friends. This review exerted great influence upon the religious discussions of the day and in its support Prof. Goodrich had the help of the ablest pens at Yale. In 1832 he prepared a series of Latin lessons and soon after a like series of Greek lessons for beginners, both of which works have passed through several editions. In 1846 he revised both editions of the unabridged and abridged dictionaries of Webster and in 1856 the University edition of the same work. In 1859 he prepared the pictorial edition of ten thousand new word definitions with a full and complete dictionary of synonyms. In 1852 he published his admirable work on British Eloquence which is superior to anything else of the kind. It received the warm commendation of Hon. Rufus and Lord Campbell of England, excited elaborate in the English quarterlies, has been extensively circulated and always highly commended. Besides performing literary labor involved in preparing and editing these various works Prof. Goodrich was prominently connected to many of the most important benevolent societies of country, especially that of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. (Case, Lafayette Wallace. The Goodrich family in America... pg. 219-220)
Inscriiption:
CHAUNCEY A. GOODRICH
PROFESSOR OF THE PASTORAL CHARGE
YALE COLLEGE
DIED FEB. 25, 1860
AGED 70
Not slothful in business
Fervent in spirit
Serving the Lord.