bˈɔːɹn ɪn wˈɑːʃɪŋtən, dˈiː.sˈiː., ɡˈɑːdwɪn wʌzðə sˈʌn ʌv hˈæɹi ɡˈɑːdwɪn, ðə wˈɑːʃɪŋtən stˈɑːɹz sˈɪɾi ˈɛdɪɾɚ, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈaɪv, æɾ ˈeɪdʒ sˈɪkstiːn, hiː bɪɡˈæn æz ɐn ɐpɹˈɛntɪs ˌɔn hɪz fˈɑːðɚz pˈeɪpɚ.
Born in Washington, D.C., Godwin was the son of Harry Godwin, The Washington Star's city editor, and in 1905, at age 16, he began as an apprentice on his father's paper.