A modern William Leftridge Golden, who lived from 1909-2001 at Rison, Cleveland County, Arkansas

Golding/Golden/Goulding et al Family History on Facebook


Updated 2017.01.22

Below you will find the obituary for William Leftridge Golden, 1909-2001.

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Genealogy Misinformation

Somehow in the 1980s and through about 2012, this family got warped back in time several hundred years and within many genealogies they became the founders of much of the modern American Golding family clan. 

Some genealogies on Ancestry.com still show William Leftridge Golding as being born in 1598 at Lincolnshire and dying in Arkansas … in 2001. The difference in the dates should have been a tipoff.

Both had a wife named Dollie, whereas the real William Leftridge had a wife named Dollie Alene and the other: Illene. The 1598 Golding family had sons named Wayne and William. The real William Leftridge Golden had just one son, named William Wayne Golden.

Golden - James Oliver -
James Oliver Golden, photo from CAMARA_KATHY collection.

William Leftridge (b.1909) Golden’s line tracks back to James Oliver Golden who moved to Arkansas at some time after 1870. Some genealogies list James Oliver’s father as Reuben Golden (Golden) b.1783-1785.  At the right place and at the right time: Reuben Golding, son of Richard Golding (1744-1788) and Susanna Wilmoth (1744-1837). However, Reuben was a popular name among Goldings and there were several other Reubens in the same South Carolina area, although none are listed as being born in the early-to-mid-1780s.

James Oliver Golden may have had a sister by the name of Eliza Ann Golden (1818-). What is known is that James Oliver had a son whom he named Green Foster Golden (1873–1962), which is an interesting choice of names at this point in the family history.

Any evidence out there for the father of James Oliver Golden, or for the descendents of Reuben Golding?


Eagle Democrat 30 May 2001 – Obituary

Photo from Ancestry.com collection of Camara_Kathy

William Golden

William Leftridge Golden, 91, of Rison, formerly of Kingsland, died May 21, 2001, at the home of his daughter, Cletis Cullins.

Born December 11, 1909, in Cleveland County, he was a son of the late William Henry Golden and Frances Elizabeth Harris Golden.

He was a retired welder and farmer. He was a member of the White Hall Old Timers Fiddlers Association, a 32nd degree Mason, a past Worshipful Master of Kingsland Lodge #430 and a member of St. Johns Lodge # 38 at Holly Springs. He had been a Mason for over 50 years.

He was a member of First Baptist Church at Sparkman (Dallas County).

He was preceded in death on June 28, 1979, by his wife, Dollie Alene Culligan Golden, whom he married July 29, 1930, at Princeton (Dallas County); one son, William Wayne Golden; one daughter, Mary Frances Cooper; two grandsons, five brothers, and two sisters.

Survivors include five sons, Weldon Golden and Charles Golden, both of Kingsland, James Golden of Belize, Central America, and Ronald Golden and John Golden, both of Texas; six daughters, Jo Ann Reid of New York, Alene Thompson of New Edinburg, Pauline Davis of Kingsland, Cletis Cullins of Rison, and Betty Robinson and Judy Hays, both of Warren; one sister, Ollie Belle Smith of Kingsland; 46 grandchildren; 10 step grandchildren; 89 great grandchildren; 25 step great grandchildren; nine great great grandchildren; and eight step great great grandchildren.

Funeral services were Thursday at Buie Funeral Home at Rison with Wade Toddy and Leonard Hodges officiating. Burial was in Watson Gum Grove Cemetery near Kingsland.

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Both photos are from the CAMARA_KATHY collection, Ancestry 

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