A Probable History of the Golden Family
of Newberry, South Carolina Since 1761
Updated 2023.08.13
Our family history as ‘Goldens’ circumstantially begins with Thomas Golden settling in the Newberry, South Carolina area before 1761, probably by 1760 at the latest but after 1755. [1]The circumstantial logic of our Goldens beginning with Thomas Golden is his presence at the right time and place on Beaverdam Creek in 1760, him having a family which would later include William … Continue reading
Our relatively provable family history begins with William and Nellie Golden in the Saluda, Newberry, South Carolina area in the 1780s. William lived next to Thomas Golden off of Beaverdam Creek by 178x.[2]Source goes here
William and Nellie Golden may be brother and sister, rather than husband and wife. There is no documentation that explains their relationship — other than Nellie appears to be head-of-household in 1810 with William’s children. William is alive in 1809 per a legal transaction but is not present in the summer 1810 census.
There is no document or reference that links Thomas Golden and William Golden as father and son.
There are no known records that mention the name of any member of Thomas Golden‘s family, although there were four family members in 1762 based upon the size of his land grant of 200 acres.
Confirmable documented information on any of our Golden family lines happens only in 1850 when the census for the first time gives names, approximate ages, and indicates relationships.
There is however significant circumstantial information that allows us to build a family tree going back generations before William and Nellie. I explore that information in some detail. You can be the judge of it.
From this point forward, I discuss Thomas Golden as being the father of William Golden, and believe this to be the case.
A land plat for Thomas Golden‘s land granted in 1763 exists. Location is approximately where sits today Helena, Newberry, South Carolina.
We do not know the names of Thomas Golden‘s children or wife, but DNA indicates that his wife or mother was probably from the Old Rappanhanock County, from the Virginia Noel family of Daniel Noel (c1665-1755). [3]The claim that Thomas Golden’s mother or wife was a Noel family member remains to be proven. Specific reference to Elizabeth Noel is based upon a Winston family history claiming that Elizabeth … Continue reading
Thomas Golden‘s son William Golden had at least 9 children with 7 of those having living descendants today. All lines indicate a DNA connection to the Daniel Noel and Elizabeth Elliott (1672–1752) family of Caroline and Essex County, Virginia (aka, Old Rappahanock County, Virginia).
With so many descended being atDNA and yDNA-tested, we are able to use DNA to explore and to document family roots prior to 1761 through today.
1763 Land Grant and Approximate Location Today
Thomas Golden was granted 200 acres in 1763 with final award in 1767. His land sits approximately in Helena, a crossroad just outside of Newberry. Helena sits at the crosspoint of Beaverdam Creek and what was the Matthews Branch off Bush Creek (Bush River … is not large enough to be called a river at this location).
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©2023 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
References
| ↑1 | The circumstantial logic of our Goldens beginning with Thomas Golden is his presence at the right time and place on Beaverdam Creek in 1760, him having a family which would later include William Golden living alongside Thomas Golden, and the negative evidence for any other Goldens or similarly named family having settled in the Newberry area. Goldings did settle nearby and several Golding sons or grandsons would settle in the Newberry area after 1771. We are generally able to separate apart the two families. yDNA testing also exists for both families so we can easily identify who belongs to which lines. |
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| ↑2 | Source goes here |
| ↑3 | The claim that Thomas Golden’s mother or wife was a Noel family member remains to be proven. Specific reference to Elizabeth Noel is based upon a Winston family history claiming that Elizabeth Noel married a ___ Gouldman. An assumption, primarily by the author, has been that Golden and Gouldman could be the same family — although this appears much less certain in 2023 as two male Gouldmans have taken yDNA tests which indicates Gouldmans are I-M235 not R1b. Regardless, Noel family DNA is strongly present among William and Nelly descendants at the 5th-8th cousin level. The Noel family at the time and associated with Daniel Noel were land-boundary neighbors of the Virginia Gouldmans. |