Golding / Golden / Goulding et al Family History on Facebook
Who is Barbara Goulden?
Ancestry atDNA indicates that we are possibly related. The available information on Barbara Goulden is minimal. I can find no documentation of her existence, so am dependent upon information from various Rains family histories (Reins/Raines).
The only known documentary reference for Barbara Goulden’s existance is the 1953 DAR Application Nr. 420561 for Dorothy Ann Moseley of Blacksburg, Montgomery, Virginia. Within the application, Barbara Goulden was listed as the mother of Richard Raines, who served during the Revolutionary War. An earlier 1945 DAR Application (368703) was made by a great aunt, Mrs. Lucy Cynthia (Roop) Summers, for Richard Raines service. It is unclear as to whether Barbara Goulden appeared in the earlier application. This information comes from extensive research on the Rains family done by Cleve Weathers, a Rains descendant.
>> Her father’s name may have been John Goulden. Various family histories record John Goulden as both Barbara’s father and/or as having a son named John Goulden. There is no additional info such as birth, death place or dates. Several histories show her parents as Thomas Goulden (II), 11 Jan 1695 Timperley, England – Jan 1698 Cheshire, England and Ellen Walker, 1700 – ??
Barbara Goulden would have married John Henry Rains (1716-1785) at some time before 1750 and is generally believed to have had at least two sons: .
| Cheshire, England, UK appears to be the demographic center with the highest population of “Gouldens”. Various family trees hint at Barbara Goulden being descended from a Timperley, Cheshire Goulden family. Would like to connect with Cheshire Gouldens (and Goldens and Goldings) to compare notes: Norfolk1956@gmail.com — Please Connect! |
Where Was Barbara Born?
Some family histories claim that Barbara Goulden was born in 1720 at Pulaski (County), Virginia.
It is highly unlikely that she was born in Pulaski. The name ‘Pulaski’ was completely unknown to Americans until the Revolutionary War — and not used as a location name until 119 years after her birth.
The county was named for Count Casimir Pulaski, who fought during the Revolution as part of George Washington’s army. Pulaski had been a nobleman in Poland, but had been exiled. He joined the Revolutionary army in 1777 and became a brigadier general and chief of cavalry in the Continental Army.
Pulaski and Pulaski County did not even exist as a place until well after Barbara Goulden passed away in 1794.
Pulaski was formed in 1839 from parts of Montgomery and Wythe counties, but even those came about from a series of various counties that were reformed over time: Augusta, Fincastle and Orange. The town of Pulaski did not exist before 1886.
What existed in 1720 was dangerous open countryside, frequently contested by native Americans for control from settlers. The variously aforementioned counties that might be considered ‘Pulaski’ were part of Orange County, formed in 1714. There was literally almost no established towns to be born within, or for a birth to be recorded by a parish or by a chancery clerk.
Settlement of this area was by migrants from the Orange County, Virginia area and the first settlers were 12 immigrant families from Westphalia, Germany in 1714 (1608070733).
It may be that Barbara Goulden was herself a first generation immigrant. There are family histories that claim her parents were Thomas Goulden II (1695-1698) and Ellen Walker (1700 – ??) of Timperly, Cheshire, England. If so, her parents never left England as Thomas and Ellen’s lives are recorded. Barbara may have come to Virginia on her own or with a brother, possibly named John (Thomas) Goulden (born c1715).
Some family histories list her father’s name as John Goulden, or seem to claim that she had a son named John Goulden. If she had a son named John Goulden then she was probably not born ‘Goulden’.
Bottomline: There is no known documentation for Barbara’s existence. Her name is recorded only within Rains’ family histories, which appear to be undocumented as far as Barbara Goulden is concerned.
What We Know
Barbara Goulden married John Henry Rains (Reins/Raines), 1716-1785, at some time before 1750 and is believed to have had at least three sons: Meredith Rains (1750), John “Golong” Rains (1753) and Richard Rains (1755).
John Rains purchased land near Brooks Run, Orange Co., Virginia, now southeastern Culpeper Co., and may have resettled just south of Stafford County in Caroline County, in a crossroad area now known as ‘Gouldin and Rains Corner’, which is now part of the U.S. Army’s Fort A. P. Hill — this is possibly the best evidence that there was a match between the Goulden and Rains family, and that Barbara was actually surnamed ‘Goulden’.
Children:
- 1745 son Meredith Rains (Reins) supposedly born in Fincastle County (now Montgomery County), Virginia. Maybe. Maybe not. He definitely lived in this area by 10 Feb 1782 at Peck Creek Bridge, New River (“Peck C. Br. New River”) per ‘Annals of southwest Virginia, 1769-1800, Montgomery County, Virginia–Minutes of the County Court. From 1777 to 1800’, pg 895.
- 1753 son John “Golong” Rains born at Overwharton Parrish, Stafford, Virginia — the first really well documented Rains family member.
- 1755 son Richard Rains born at Culpepper, Virginia. Not much is known about him.
John Rains continued to relocate and is believed to have lived at Johnston County, North Carolina in 1785 where he passed away.
Barbara’s death is listed in family histories at Randolph County, North Carolina in 1794. There is no known record of her death, and why she lived in Randolph is unknown. With her husband passed away (1785), two of her sons lived in Virginia and one lived in nearby Tennessee.
Did Barbara Goulden exist? Based upon the many family histories that list her then I would assume yes. Barbara’s name shows up in several atDNA matches on Ancestry.com
Barbara’s importance to me
My family magically appeared in South Carolina before 1780, probably about 1760 at Newberry, SC (Thomas Goulden). Although we are now ‘Golden’, we were ‘Goulden’ back then, which is how the family’s name was spelt. We have taken 9 YDNA tests of Golden and Goulden males and all paths lead back to South Carolina and our shared greatgrandparents of William (c1750-1808/9) and Nellie Goulden (c1755-1810) of Edgefield, South Carolina. Knowing more about Barbara may help knowing more about my own Goulden origin.
For now, Barbara is our ONLY pre-William DNA connection with a Golden or a Goulden.
My primary Ancestry atDNA connection for Barbara Goulden is casaca102, estimated to be my 5th-8th cousin.
You are welcome to add to or to correct this story by contacting: Bill Golden, Norfolk1956@gmail.com
BTW – I look forward to sharing your stories, photos and in-search-of quests. Contact me at the email address above.