Golding / Golden / Goulding et al Family History on Facebook
Updated 2017.09.11
Richard Golding/Golden, b. 1744 Essex, Virginia, son of William Golding b.1704 Essex, Virginia. Died October 7th, 1788 supposedly was stabbed to death by a tenant farmer of German descent; died at Abbeville, South Carolina.
Note: Four male Goldings descended from William Golding and Elizabeth Foster, parents to Richard Golding, have taken a YDNA test, which now allows us with certainty to determine if a male Golding (or Golden) descends from this line.
1773 – married to Susannah Wilmoth (1744–1837) at (Orange County), Virginia.
1774 – establishes home in South Carolina (see notes below).
Children:
Note: We do not really know much about some of claimed children of Richard Golding and Susannah Wilmoth. None of the children are named in any known document. More research is needed.
- Richard Golden, 1775-1845
- William Golding, 1775-1884
- Mary Ann Golden, 1776-1838
- Elizabeth Betsy Golden, 1778-1837
- Caleb Golden, 1780-1860
— Little info exists about Caleb around the time of his birth or in his early youth. There is no known info source that shows descent from Richard and Susannah Golding. Some family histories indicate that he was born in 1790 vice 1780 (so too late to be Richard’s son) and that he was born in Georgia, not South Carolina. There is no known male descendant of Caleb that has taken a YDNA test. - Reuben Golding, 1783-1850
- Isaac Golding, 1784-??
— This is a name shown in many Golding family histories, those genealogies being the only known source of information. Yet, there was an Issac Goulden that lived nearby and born in 1785 to William and Nellie Goulden of Edgefield/Saluda, SC — this Isaac has been confirmed descended based upon YDNA testing. William and Nellie were not related to Richard and Susannah Wilmoth Golding.
Known not to be a son of Richard Golding:
- Nathan Golden/Golding: Not a son but listed as such in many family histories (2017): Nathaniel Golding — there was a Nathaniel Green Goulden/Golden born in the Pendleton area around 1776. He lived until at least 1840 in Pickens County as ‘Green Golden’. He married to Rachel Isabella Morgan and had a son named Nathaniel Green Golden (b1812). YDNA testing has since shown that he was the son of William and Nellie Goulden (Golden) of Edgefield/Saluda, South Carolina. These Goldens are not DNA-related to the Richard and Susannah Wilmoth Golding family.
Note that some of the children kept the last name as ‘Golding’ and some took the spelling of ‘Golden’. The males seem to have kept their name as Golding, although this would later change once the family met the bureaucracy of the U.S. Army while trying to claim benefits due to Revolutionary War service by their father.
CHANGES
2013.06.21 – Noted that land bought in South Carolina in 1774: LAND RECORDS: Land Grants of Abbeville County, South Carolina, Book A, page 94 = Richard Golding as a citizen granted 640 acres of land situated on 12 Mile River bounding on all sides on vacant land surveyed by John Martin on the 24th day of June last as appears by his certificate with the form and marks as platted and recorded this 17 Aug 1784, signed Robert Anderson
2013.05.17 (Comment updated 2017.09.11) – DNA has connected myself and other family line via Thomas Garnett, father of Elizabeth Garnett, mother of Elizabeth Foster who married William Golding (1704-1782) and was mother to Richard Golding. >>> Since both of our families lived in the same area of South Carolina then I assume that this relationship comes about through a married, as our Golden and Golding YDNA are distinctly different.
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.