The family of Charles and Eliza Robinson Goff and some of their descendants - Compiled by great, great, granddaughter, Lois Michael. The history was written in 1998 and revised in 2007. Contact Lois at – 843 Villandry Dr., Marion, Ohio, 43302.
The earliest of our Goff ancestors that I have traced was Charles Goff/Gought/Gaught, born February 2, 1800 in Maryland. He was married to Eliza Robinson on September 4, 1826 in Jefferson County, Ohio. Eliza Robinson was the daughter of Amos and Sarah Robinson. Eliza was listed as an heir in a will made by Amos Robinson/Robertson on August 7, 1840. This will was probated March 29, 1841 in Jefferson County, Ohio.
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General File, #415, made 7 Aug. 1840, probate 29 March 1841, codicil of Amos Robertson/Robinson, wife, Sarah, son Sterling, children of Polly Holslander, son Washington, son Hiram, son George, daughters, Rhoda, Betty, Eliza Goff, Rachel Blake, and Margaret. Rachel Blake Marsh declined to execute. Executors: Hiram Robinson and Mifflin Marsh, son-in-law. Will was made 10 July, 1838.
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Gought/Goff, Charles married Eliza Robinson September 4, 1826, listed in early Jefferson County, Ohio marriage records.
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In 1840 Charles and Eliza were living in Burlington, Belmont County, Ohio. This was a large farm area. By 1850, they were found in Warren Township, Jefferson County with six children. The children were: Robert,20; Eliza,18; Cinderella, 16; John, 14; Christina, 10; and Mary, 5. They also had a daughter, Margaret A., 17, as she is listed in the 1860 Ohio Census. Charles Goff died of diabetes in Warren Twp., on 1 July, 1868. He widow Eliza, is found in 1880 living with her daughter Mary Tolbert in Martinsferry, Belmont County, Ohio.
v Charles Goff is also found as a Private, Co. F, 50 OVI, listed as age 43 yrs. This is the same unit which his son, Robert served in. The author always felts that this was not “her” Charles since his age did not fit. However, Rose Howard, a cousin living in Sebring, Ohio has sent her new information about states the family story of Charles lying about his age when he signed up to serve in the Civil War. He would have been 60+ yrs. Old.
Descendants of Robert and Hannah Henry Goff:
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Anna Frances, born 1852, James Ephraim, born 1855, Ross Alvin, born 1857, Ella J., born 1860, and Eliza Blanche, born 1862. After the war, four daughters were born: Josephine, born 1866, Roberta Agnes, born 1868, Mary Margaret, born 1870, and Hannah Florence, born 1873.
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Robert and Hannah both joined the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church in 1882. Hannah Henry Goff died in 1905 and Robert died October 31, 1908. They are buried in the Highland Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio.
Descendants of Ross Alvin Goff and Minnie Maude Duff Goff:
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Jefferson County, Ohio. She was the daughter of John W. Duff and Hannah Ann Davis Duff. They had twelve children: Laura Ethel, Albert Ross, Stanley Paul, Harry Willard, Hannah Florence, Myron Ernest, Gertrude Elizabeth, Pauline Elizabeth, Marjorie Irene, Robert Leroy, Alton Ulysses, and Roscoe Alvin
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They lived in a log cabin on a farm in Pease Twp. Belmont County. Around 1904/05 a large new home was built near the log cabin site
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Ross died in December of 1906 from typhoid fever. Minnie was left a widow with eleven children and expecting another. Her sister-in-law, Eliza Goff, came to live with the family and was no doubt a great support.
Goff history, continued: The following was taken from Minnie’s journal, now in the possession of Helen Mussard, 1998.
“My earnest prayer is that Jesus will save us without the loss of one for he is abundantly able. Without holiness no man can see the Lord. None can doubt Christ’s power to save if they read carefully the fifth chapter of John. Let all who truly love God read the 8th chapters of Romans for it will confirm your faith in Him who died to save sinners.”
Signed, Minnie M. Goff, Sept 18th, 1905, Christ will save all who receive Him.
The following is written by Pauline Goff Ekey, in memory of her mother:
As I sit in the twilight dreaming
Of the days that now are gone.
I am carried back in memory
To a quiet peaceful home.
I can see my dear old mother
As she sits in her rocking chair.
Singing with her face toward heaven
Is my name written there.
Of the years they fly so swiftly
And I see her face no more
As I walk the same old path-way
To the dear old farm house door.
Oh sweet memory of my childhood
And that one we loved so well
How we miss her love and kindness
Our tongues would fail to tell.
But those days are gone forever
We can only live in dreams
Of the past sweet happy hours
That have flown on times own wings.
And to use her cherished off –springs
Daughters five and sons seven
If we live to honor Jesus
We can meet mother in heaven.
Personal Recollections can “put meat on the bones” to your family history story.
Information regarding the family of Ross and Minnie Goff comes mainly from stories told by my mother, Marjorie Goff Finney, or from personal experiences and research.
- The family lived at Maple Lawn Farm on Mt. Pleasant Pike in Belmont County. Before the big house was built the family lived in a log cabin. Mother told of a large grandfather clock which stood in the log cabin. Later, a new house was built and they didn’t have a furnace in it because the basement was used as a root cellar to preserve the many apples produced on the farm. Wood for the framing and woodwork came from timber on the farm and much of it was oak. When it was decided later to put in a furnace, the workmen found the wood to be so hard that some of the ductwork had to be placed on the outside of the walls.
- Around 1920, while mother, Robert, and Alton were attending Martinsferry High School, the Goff family bought a new car. The money for it was stuffed into mother’s stocking. The boys then paid for the car and then drove it home- never having driven a car before!
- On Christmas mornings, the whole family had to line up and come downstairs together. On Christmas Eve, plates had been placed on chairs and their goodies – which consisted of candy, nuts and oranges, would then be put on the plates. Mother didn’t remember having a Christmas tree as a child until after Little Gertrude came to live with them, after her mother died.
- One Easter, mother was given a five pound chocolate Easter bunny. Mysteriously, it became shorter and shorter. Not realizing what was happening, mother later found out that her brother, Myron, was slicing it off from the bottom.
- Her sister, Gertrude, and her brothers (she referred to them as “the boys”) liked to play games. On Saturday evenings, neighbors would gather at the house for games and refreshments. Refreshments might include home-made pickles, which were kept in a barrel or keg in the basement.
Pictures in Summer 2008 Jefferson County Lines Newsletter left to right: Minnie Duff Goff with sisters of Ross: 1st row L to R: Anna Francis Hicks, Roberta Agnes Brown, Minnie Goff, Eliza Goff Green. Back row L to R: Ella Trouten, Hannah Florence Godfrey, Josephine Steele, Mary Margaret Whiteman (Photo sent from Lois Michael)
