Nathaniel Greene Golden, born about 1783 South Carolina

Table of Contents

A Probable History of the Golden Family
of Newberry, South Carolina Since 1761
Updated 2022.12.18

Nathaniel Greene Golden went by his middle name as “Green Golden“. Family lore is that he may have been name after Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, a hero in South Carolina from the war years. ^[1]While named after a Revolutionary War hero, I speculate that there could have been a secondary reason: Green was born just as the Revolutionary War ended. Green’s father William Golden appears … Continue reading

• Parents:
• Parents: William Golden presumed to be father, and census reports suggest ‘Nellie’ or ‘Nelly’ Golden as mother. Nellie may have been an aunt, sister to William Golden.
• DNA Tested? Yes, five (5) male descendants have been yDNA tested and are a match to other male descendants of Thomas and William Golden.
• Birth: about 1783, Helena area, Newberry, Edgefield District, South Carolina
• Death: after 1822, probably at Keowee, Devil’s Fork, Pickens County, South Carolina. While genealogies list his death as possibly 1846, there is no record for him living beyond 1822.
• Spouse: … Rachel Isabella Morgan, 1786–1850, married c1810 per Morgan family history. 1810 fits well with the subsequent birth of children.
• Children: … there is no known 1820 census for any Golden family matching Greene Golden. If so, the 1820 census would answer how much children of which ages were in the family.

Nathaniel Greene Golden, 1812–c1882/1883

Jane Golden, 1814–1845

John Richard ‘Dickey’ Golden, 1815–1887

Joseph James Golden, 1818–1900

Esther Golden, No Proof of Parents or Existance, 1813–1836
~~~ Esther Golden appears in some trees as a child of Nathaniel Greene Golden and Rachel Isabella Morgan. I do not know why — she has very specific birth and death dates (10 Oct 1813, d18 Jun 1836) , yet cannot find a single record for her. There is no known 1820 census for any Golden family matching Greene Golden. If so, the 1820 census would answer how much children of which ages were in the family.
~~~ There is an 1830 census, when Esther would have been approximately age 17. There is only one young een woman in the household, age 15-19. This age group would also be appropriate for Jane Golden, 1814-1845, a known daughter.

Eliza Ann Golden: Previously listed as a possible daughter, but now confirmed as not. Eliza Ann Golden,  1818 SC – bef. Feb 1858 Mississippi, did exist. She was a Golding whose father Reuben Golding adopted the surname Golden. They lived just miles down the road from our Goldens. ^[2]Eliza Ann Golden/Golding would marry Dionysius Burkhalter (1802–1855)  in 1837. Mother unknown, father was Reuben Golden (1783–1845), a descendant of the William Golding (c1704 VA – 1782 … Continue reading

• Military: … No known military service.
• Working Notes: Yes, but not yet organized online.

CENSUS

1780: 

~~~ 1783 is the given year when Nathaniel Greene Golden (Goulden) was born. The family would have been living on Little Beaverdam Creek, in the Helena, Newberry, South Carolina area. This area went through various names and records of the time will claim that they lived in Saluda, Edgefield District or Edgefield County or Ninety Six District. All would be correct based upon the boundaries of the day. The actual modern location today is where Helena, Newberry, South Carolina exist. There is no known reference to his existance except for the Morgan family history acknowledgement of his marriage to Rachael Isabella Morgan and his 1821 selection as a Commissioner of Roads, Bridges, and Ferries.

1790: 

1800: 

1810: 

~~~ Green Golden and Rachel Isabella Morgan marry per Morgan family history.

1820: 

~~~ 1820 Census: there is no known record for this Golden family appearing in a census.

~~~ 1821- 1822: Green Golding (Golden) served a term as Commissioner of Roads, Bridges, and Ferries ^[3]Source: Page 510 of The Statutes at Large of South Carolina: Containing the acts relating to roads, bridges and ferries, with an appendix, containing the militia acts prior to 1794. 1 p.l., xv, 780 p He appears to have resigned during 1822, with no reason given. While genealogies list his death as possibly 1846, there is no record for him living beyond 1822. ^[4]Thanks to Carole Alessi for finding this obscure reference to Green Golding, the only documentary evidence that he existed.

1830: 

~~~ 1830 Census: Rachel Golden, wife of Green Golden, appears as head-of-household in the 1830 census, for Pickens District, Pickens, South Carolina. Green Golden does not appear in the 1830 census.

1840:

~~~ 1840 Census: Rachel Golden, wife of Green Golden, appears as head-of-household in the 1840 census, for Pickens District, Pickens, South Carolina. Green Golden does not appear in the 1840 census.

~~~ 1846: Various genealogies claim that Green Golden, b1783 died in 1846. There is no proof that he was alive after 1822.

1850: 

1860:

There are no records linking by name Nathaniel Greene Golden (c1783-aft.1822) with William Golden c1750-1809 at Newberry, SC.

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©2022 William Golden, Norfolk1956@gmail.com // Material may be shared without requesting permission and with appropriate attribution: A Probable History of the Golden Family of Newberry, South Carolina Since 1761, by William Golden ©2022