Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Goss Wagon Train of 1851

The Goss family lived in the northeast corner of Georgia in Lumpkin County until 1851.   Benjamin Goss,  was born in 1777 in Granville, North Carolina.   He married Martha "Patsy" Harbin about 1798.  He had migrated to Georgia from South Carolina with his parents and his own family as early as 1818.

By 1833 Benjamin had twelve children.  One theory is that since he fought in the War of 1812, he was given a land grant in Arkansas as payment.  Part of the land that later belonged to my grandparents originally was granted by the United States to Benjamin Goss as of March 1, 1855.   The Big Fork Creek bordered this piece of land.  I will tell a little more about this land later.

Early records, dated August 16, 1851, show that Benjamin's daughter, Selina, and her husband, John Dilbeck, asked for letters of dismission from their church.  They were preparing to move to Arkansas.   The ones that I know of that joined the wagon train in the fall of 1851 were:
Benjamin Goss, 74 years old, and wife, Patsy (Harbin) Goss
      Their children:
Elijah Benson Goss and his wife, Lucretia Emeline (Turner) Goss
      with six children:  Martha Emeline Goss, 14; Nathaniel Benson Goss, 11, Sarah Salina Goss, 9; Malinda Elvira Goss, 6; Millicent Lucretia Goss, 4; and Mary Jane Goss, 1 year old.
Selina (Goss) Dilbeck, daughter of Benjamin Goss, and husband, John Dilbeck
      with  four children:  Marion Asbury Dilbeck, 11; Benson Dilbeck, 9; Malinda Dilbeck, 6; and Jackson Dilbeck, 2.


Other children of Benjamin and Patsy Goss, that I believe were on the wagon train, were:
Malinda (Goss) O'Barr with at least two sons, Melton Asbury O'Barr and Marion A. O'Barr
      Malinda was a widow at the time.  Her husband was Ashley O'Barr and there is a story that gold was first discovered on his father's land in Hall County, Georgia in 1828.  Malinda and her sons did move to Arkansas because their names were on a deed for land near Big Fork as grantors and grantees.  Their name was on the deed for land that later became my grandparent's land near Big Fork.
Martha Goss, daughter of Benjamin and Patsy Goss.  Her name was on the same land deed.
Melissa (Goss) Garmon, daughter of Benjamin and Patsy Goss, and her husband, Perry Garmon
Elizabeth (Goss) Kinsie, daughter of Benjamin and Patsy Goss, and her husband, Elisha Kinsie
Louisa (Goss) Ayres, daughter of Benjamin and Patsy Goss, and her husband, William Ayres
   The names of Melissa, Elizabeth and Louisa and their husbands also were on the same deed for land near Big Fork.

20 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting this. Malinda (Goss) O'Barr is my 4th Great grand mother. If anyone has any information on her or her family I would love to hear from them.

    Thank you

    lisa_2_feathers@yahoo.com

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  2. Hi Lisa...It's nice to hear from one of Malinda's descendants! Just in case I have something about her that you don't already have, I'll write here what I have about her.
    Malinda Goss--born Feb.17, 1812 in Pendleton District, South Carolina . Her parents were Benjamin Goss and Martha "Patsy" Harbin. She had seven sisters and four brothers. Malinda married Ashley O'Barr about 1832 in Hall County, GA. Ashley died in 1839. They had two sons, Melton Asbury O'Barr and Marion A. O'Barr. Also in the 1860 Polk County, Arkansas, Big Fork Township census, Malinda, 48 years old, is listed with a Benjamin Obarr, age 22 and born in GA, living with her. Next door to her lived M.W. Obarr, age 27 and born in GA, with wife, Rebecca, age 27 born in SC and three children-Mary M. age 5; Cicero A. age 3; Milton age 1, all born in Arkansas. Another family researcher told me that Malinda had three sons: Marion Wilson O'Barr (which fits the M.W. in the 1860 census), Robert Milton O'Barr and Benjamin Ashley O'Barr.
    When her father's estate was settled by Jan. 1858, part of his estate was given to two of his grandchildren, Benjamin Franklin Goss and Rachel Goss Fields, who were residents in the Cherokee Nation. On May 5, 1858 they granted their inheritance to their aunt, Malinda O'Barr for $5.32. Earlier on January 15, 1858, another section of land nearby was granted to Malinda O’Barr by her brother, Elijah Benson Goss and wife, Lucretia E. (Turner) Goss; by her sisters Louisa (Goss) Ayres and Martha Goss; by her sister, Melissa (Goss) Garmon and husband, Perry Garmon; by her sister Selina (Goss) Dilbeck and husband, John Dilbeck; and by her oldest sister, Elizabeth (Goss) Kinsie and husband, Elisha Kinsie for $21.90. By the time, Malinda was 66, her son, Milton Asbury O’Barr and wife, Sarah, sold part of this land to an Elisha Stover for $60.00. And by the time Malinda was 68, her other son, Marion A. O’Barr and wife, Mary, sold another part to Elisha Stover. Benjamin Ashley O’Barr is not mentioned in the warranty deeds of this particular land.
    Hope this was helpful.

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    1. You may already know who the grandchildren Benjamin Franklin Goss and Rachel Goss Fields are. Benj F & "Patsy" Harbin Goss' oldest son was Thomas. He married Mary Adair (1/4 Cherokee). B F & Rachel were their children. After Thomas & Mary died young, these 2 children were brought to the Stilwell, Indian Territory area by their uncle John Thompson Adair.

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    2. Thanks for sharing that! I didn't know about the uncle-John T. Adair.
      Here's basically what I have in my files for them:
      Thomas Goss & Mary Adair had the following children--
      Benjamin Franklin Goss;
      Rachel Elizabeth Goss,
      Nathaniel Goss;
      Riley Goss;
      Walter Adair Goss.

      Thomas & Mary died in their 20's. Two of their children: Benjamin F. & Rachel are named in their grandfather's (Benjamin Goss) estate settlement. Benjamin F. became a Clerk and Judge of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma & is buried near Stilwell. (reference-Billie G. H. Hunter)

      Benjamin F. & Rachel are named on what used to be my grandparent's land deed located near Big Fork. "Warranty Deed May 5, 1858 Grantors, Benjamin F. Goss and Sarah Emily Goss w. Richard Fields and Rachel E. Fields w. To Grantee, Melinda Obarr $5.32. So they granted their inheritance to their aunt.

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  3. Thank You Billie for the additional info. I have been looking for info On M.W. O'Barr's Wife Rebecca/Becky. She is buried in the Carpenter Cemetery in Franklin Co. Arkansas. Rebecca's son Milton A. O'bar was my gg grand father, I have been told she was full Blood Cherokee but I have found no proof of this. She remarried at some point I find her on census as Rebecca Young living with Milton's family but she is buried under the name Youngblood, Have not found any clues to this just yet!

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  4. Thanks for the information... My Grandmother was Georgia Pearl Goss, her father was Sylvester Goss, His father Wilson Lumpkin Goss, his Nathaniel Harbin Goss... I have been doing research for a while but can always use more info..

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  5. Hi Billie..... Are You Billie Gene?
    If so I have two volumns of Your work, given to Me by My Mother Jessie Monzo. I am also trying to put together the Family History, that includes My Grandmother Queen Ella Tally (DeAlexandra), Benjamin's GGG Grand-daughter.
    Thanks to this site for the help.

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    Replies
    1. No I'm not Billie Gene. I have a copy of her first Vol. printed in 1977 which I refer to many times for the Goss family.

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  6. I am descended from Anne Irene Goss Turner, a sister who stayed back in Amicalola, Dawson Co, Georgia. I find this blogspot to be very helpful and interesting.

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    1. I've been interested in the Turners too because your John Turner had two sisters who were my ggg-grandmothers: Lucretia Emeline Turner (m. Elijah B. Goss) and Malinda Jane Turner (m. Wm Riley Smith). And of course your Anne Irene Goss was the daughter of my ggg-grandfather, Benjamin Goss. I also understand that your John Turner was called "Little John" because he was actually a large man.

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  7. My gg-grandmother was Patsy Harbin who was the mother of Mary Elizabeth Reece who was married to my great-grandfather Pink Goss (a minister)who was the father of my grandfather Willie Paul Goss. My dad Lester Goss told me on the phone yesterday that Patsy Harbin's husband and son were killed coming back on the wagon trail from California back to Gilmer County, Georgia. Does anyone have any more information about this?
    Thanks, Charity (Goss) Comeaux

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  8. What a great post. I may have discovered how my ggg-grandparents came to Arkansas and possibly have a couple of names to add to the manifest. My ggg-grandparents were Reuben and Barbara Fields. Barbara was the sister of Rebecca Green that married MW OBar. In 1850, The Fields are living next to Rebecca in Lumpkin County and are in Polk County, Ark by 1854 when their third child is born. Pretty compelling stuff. Would like to know your thoughts.
    Chuck
    seastones@comcast.net

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  9. I actually have most of the Goss linage... 3 books worth.

    My great Grandmother Elma Goss and Billie Horner-Hunter hand typed them in linage forms.

    Some include copy wills, pictures, etc.

    Facebook has a Goss Group
    JB Goss

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  10. Chuck,
    Was Barbara Fields, 1/2 Indian? Cherokee? We have been trying to find out the mystery of Rebecca O'bar. She went by Rebecca Green, Rebecca Young and Rebecca Youngblood. Was Barbara's and Rebecca's Mother or Father Indian?

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    1. Rebecca was my 3rd great grandmother. From what I have found her mothers name was Mary, I have not found a father yet. My e mail is lisa_2_feathers@yahoo.com Please feel free to contact me, I would love to hear from any one that is researching this line.

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    2. Rebecca is my 3rd great grandmother. I have found her and her mother on the 1850 census. Please e mail me at lisa_2_feathers@yahoo.com. I would love to hear from anyone researching this line. I do have my suspicions that Barbara and Rebecca were indeed Cherokee.

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    3. I spoke with a woman several years ago who planned to publish a book on the subject. She was pretty tight lipped but, claimed to have the manifests for four wagon trains that carried immigrants from Lumpkin County to Western Arkansas. Her contention was that the majority of the families were of mixed race; white man, Cherokee wife. Apparently, white women weren't as keen on moving into the wilderness.
      Chuck

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  11. I know it has been over a year since JB posted, but can anyone tell me how to find the Facebook address mentioned? There are a bunch of Gosses out there ...

    Thanks,

    EJ Goss

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  12. my line goes through Zilpha Goss 1803-1890 who is a daughter of Benjamin Franklin Goss 1777-1857. Does anyone have any details on Zilpha? She married Neely Dobson. Thank you

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  13. I am looking for information on Zilpha Goss (my 2x GGrandmother 1803-1890 who is the daughter of Benjamin Goss 1777-1857. Zilpha married Neely Dobson. Thank you for any details anyone knows. Also, what is the book that is referred to earlier in the blog?

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