Golding / Golden / Goulding et al Family History on Facebook
Updated 2017.07.23
John Henry Hambright Golden, 1866-1937
Born: 24 May 1866, possibly in Georgia, probably McMinn County, Tennessee … maybe even in South Carolina.
— There is no birth certificate, and none were issued in the region at this time. In various censuses (1900, 1910), Georgia is listed as the place of birth. However, the family had moved to Tennessee in 1860, and was resident there in the 1870 census at McMinn, TN. In the 1870 census, when John was just age four, his parents list his birthplace as South Carolina, which was just over the county line.
Died: 12 Sep 1937 Warrior, Jefferson County, Alabama (Bladder cancer)
My father John Henry Golden, 1934-2001, is named after this John Henry (his grandfather); both being born on the 12th of September. My brother John Henry Golden, Jr., 1960-2014+ (still living) was also born on September 12th.
John Henry or John Hambright Golden? It appears that ‘Henry’ was a nickname and ‘Hambright’ was his official middle name. Tennessee did not issue birth certificates until 1908 so there is no official documentation as to his actual real middle name. His middle name is shown differently throughout history depending upon how it was recorded at different times. Georgia began issuing birth certificates in 1919 and South Carolina in 1915.
Coincidence? There are no Hambright family members in our family … not per se. However, there were many Hambright family members living in McMinn County, Tennessee at the same time as our Goldens, and both families came from the same area of South Carolina.
These Hambrights were the children and grandchildren of LTC Frederick Hambright, a Revolutionary War hero from South Carolina. There he married his first wife, Sarah Hardin, sister of Colonel Joseph Hardin.
Note: My 5th great-grandparents are Hardins, this came by way of marriage into the Belcher family.
John Hambright Golden‘s name is sometimes listed “Sterling”. The McMinn Hambrights were also former South Carolinians. Captain John Hardin Hambright had fought at King’s Mountain during the Revolution. His son was Major Sterling Hambright, a pro-Unionist Tennessean from McMinn that served in Company A, Tennessee 10th Cavalry Regiment (Union) — the same pro-Union regiment as John Hambright Golden’s brother, Marcus Golden, who was killed in the war, 1864. His other son Private John Hambright served in the Tennessee 5th Cavalry Regiment (Union).
John H. Golden married Mary Elizabeth “Bestsy” Bridges (1879-1958) in 1896.
Together they had the following children:
- Joe D. Golden (1899-1971)
- Bessie W. Golden (1901-1987)
- Henry Roosevelt Golden (1904-1987) –>> my line
- John Wesley Golden (1908-1966)
- Gladys Lucille Golden (1913-aft 1940)
— Various family histories list her birth as 1907 or 1909. Gladys first appears in the 1920 census as age 7. - Myrtle Arzella Golden (1918-1980)
— ‘Arzella’ was the first name of her grandmother: Arzella Moore
A laborer most of his life, was arrested on Sunday 4 February 1917 for operating a moonshine still on Straight mountain, which is about eight miles outside of Oneonta, Alabama. Moonshining was very common throughout the region. Nothing came of this and everyone went on with their lives.
John Hambright Golden passed on September 20th, 1937 and is buried at Moodys Chapel Cemetery in Altoona, Etowah County, Alabama.
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.