A tale of two Richard Goldens in Young America

Golding/Golden on Facebook / My Family History Notes


A tale of two Richards — there are two very large Golden clans in the eastern and southeastern USA. Both track back to Richard Golden, but to two different Richards who lived at approximately the same time and almost in the same area: the intersection of Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina.

Richard Golden, b.1740 or 1746 – immigrant of Ardstraw, County Tyrone, Ireland, father of Stephen Golden b.1767 Georgia and married to Hannah Helms, b.1781 at Anson, North Carolina. Male descendents of Richard Golden will be of the DNA haplogroup ‘G2a’.

Richard Golding/Golden, b. 1744 of Orange, Virginia, son of William Golding b.1704 Essex, Virginia (d.1782 Laurens, South Carolina), and father of Richard Golding/Golden b.1755 Anderson SC (just miles from Georgia) who married Susannah Wilmoth b.1744 at (Orange Co), Virginia. Male descendents of Richard Golding/Golden should be of the DNA haplogroup ‘R1b’ — this is being tested with a descendent of Richard’s father William Golding (1704-1782) and two descendents of Richard Golding/Golden during summer 2013. Known Golding descendents have tested and they are  DNA haplogroup ‘R1b’.

>>> To keep it all straight, I track both families; both of which were/are very mobile and always curious about what is on the other side of the hill.

!! >>> Both families also have a ‘Green’ Golden which kept me busy for almost 30 years trying to reconcile whether I was dealing with one person or two, or more. One of these Greens is my grandfather Nathaniel Green Golden and the other is a Green Golden of Knox County, Kentucky … which was one of thirteen Kentuckians charged with conspiracy in the shooting death of Democratic-elect Governor William Goebel in 1900.

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