Updated 07/07/2003 

A. J. enlisted in Company G, 48th Infantry Regiment North Carolina on 17 April 1862.  Enlisted as a Private on 24 April 1862 in Chatham County, NC at the age of 25 discharged, furnished substitute on 15 May 1862.  North Carolina Troops 1861-65, A Roster. (NCRosterC) Published in 1993. 

Goldston was named after Joseph John Goldston, Jr., (1825-1913), a prominent local landowner who donated land for the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad right-of-way in 1882 and made other substantial contributions to the development of the town.  After the railroad track was extended through Chatham County, Goldston became a small regional trading center.  A depot was constructed in 1894 and a post office was established in 1889, the year that a report issued by the railway company indicated that the Chatham County towns along its track were all experiencing a steady and gratifying increase in business and population each year.  By 1890 four general merchandise stores had been built around the depot on both sides of the railroad track, including the firm of Bynum and Paschal, A. J. Goldston's General Store, W. F. Barker, and T. N. Womble. and Company.  By 1896 the town's population had reached 150.  Goldston was incorporated in 1907 and Walter Lee Goldston, a local merchant and son of Joseph John, born 6/13/1868,  died 6/9/1928, married Vallie Gilmore.  He lived at his home west of Goldston, NC, adjoining his father, Joseph John.

The oldest building in the historic district is the circa 1890 A. J. Goldston General Store.  It stands out on the east side of Main Street as a frame store surrounded by brick flat-roofed commercial stores of the 1920s and 1930s.  Like many other late nineteenth-century Chatham County stores, it has a two-story three-bay gable-front facade with a two-tiered front porch engaged under its projecting roof. The paneled double-leave main entrance is surmounted by a single-leaf entrance with a door of diagonal weatherboards at the second level.  Its interior, fully  sheathed with eight-inch plank boards is, like the storefront, virtually unaltered.

Transcribed from microfilm Chatham County Record Sep. 21, 1893

A Homicide- The many friends of Mr. A. J. Goldston, of Gulf Township, are shocked to hear of his sad and sudden death on Last Friday  (Sep. 5, 1893) , having been shot and almost instantly killed. The coroner held and inquest and the jury rendered a verdict that he was shot in an affray with Henderson Goldston in self defense. From the evidence it appears that Mr. Goldston heard that some of his sheep had been killed by the dogs of Henderson Goldston (who is a colored man) and taking a gun he went to Henderson’s house to shoot the dogs.  Some words passed between them when Mr. Goldston struck Henderson on the head with the gun, and in the scuffle the gun went off and shot Mr. Goldston in the right side, inflicting a wound from which he died in a few minutes. Henderson made no attempt to escape and at once surrendered to the officer who went to arrest him. From what we can hear there seems to be some doubt as whether the gun went off accidentally or was fired by Henderson.

Mr. Goldston was a highly respected and peaceable citizen of this count, and was 58 years old. He was a farmer and also had a store at Goldston, and was much esteemed by all who knew him.

Transcribed from microfilm Chatham County Record Sep. 28, 1893

In the matter of the homicide of Mr. A. J. Goldston the Solicitor, on yesterday, in open court stated to the Judge that he had fully examined all the witnesses, in which examination he had been aided by counsel employed by the family of the deceased, and they both had come to the conclusion that no bill should be sent to the grand jury against Henderson Goldston, and he was thereupon discharged from custody.

The presiding Judge is Hon. Geo. H. Brown, of Beaufort County, and this is his first visit to Chatham. We are pleased to know that he has made a most favorable impression upon our county men. He dispatches business with remarkable promptness, and yet with no unseemly haste, allowing no time to be wasted and yet patiently hearing everything necessary to be heard.

There has not been a very large crowd in attendance at court (Pittsboro), not as large as usual. The irrepressible horse whippers however, were out in considerable numbers and made things lively galloping around and showing off their noble steeds.

Comments in red are to clarify vague references and time frame.

 LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF A. J. (ANDREW JACKSON) GOLDSTON OF CHATHAM CO., NC

 This is my Will in regard to my Children, That Eddie (Edward Moreau, age 26, eldest) is to have           dollars for his services and Mary (Mary Austin, age 23, married to William Preston Kirkman) has her part in full of land and everything else to have no part in land or any other property whatever.  Bob (Robert Lee, age 14), Lee (maybe a transcription error or nick name for Lou Kate, age 26 and married to T. N. Maxwell) and Hu (Hugh Peoples, age 12) to have 100 Dollars each and then the remainder is to be divided equally between Sankey, Dock, Eddie, Bob, Lee and Hu my wife (Kate, age 51) to have her support of the same or a child’s part, if she wish, until her death or marriage.  To which I have this day set my seal and wit the same Feby. 5, 1890.

Signed:  A. J. Goldston  (SEAL)

Rest:  T. N. Womble

          M. F. Morris

 Also Eddie has now had his full part, all that he is to have, Sand Cotton Tin, Etc. makes his part.   (Did this mean he inherited the A. J. Goldston General Store?) Sallie (Sankey) has her part of land.

North Carolina      )

Chatham County   )T. N. Womble and M. F. Morris, being duly sworn, say that they are well acquainted with the hand writing of A. J. Goldston having often seen him write and that they verily believe the foregoing will and Codicil to the same, to be in his own proper hand writing.

                                                                                               T. M. WOMBLE

                                                                                               M. F. MORRIS

Sworn and subscribed before me this the 23^rd day of September, 1893.

                                                                                                S. M. HOLD. C.S.C

 A. J., as he was known, names his children by nick name in the above will: 

Bob =  Robert Lee Goldston, my grandfather

Eddie = Edward Moreau Goldston, oldest son

Hu = Hugh Peoples Goldston

Sankey =  spelled Sankie on grave stone, could be Sarah Goldston.  There is a grave stone in the Goldston cemetery for Sankie Gilbert but no mention of any Gilbert in Herbert's history.

Sallie “Sank” Jack Goldston, (known to me as Aunt Sanky, we visited her when I was a child.) born 1863, died 1942, married Thomas R. Green, born 1852, died 1930, lived in Beaumont, Chatham County, NC, near Rocky River.  Their home place is located here where they lived and died. 

Mary = Mary Austin Goldston who was age 23 and married when will was written in 1890.

Lee could be a transcribed error for Lou or maybe a nickname for daughter Lou Kate Goldston.

DOCK is probably a nickname for Mary Austin.

 The LDS records and Black’s book show 8 children:  Edward, Mary, Sarah, Sankey, Dock, Robert, Lee and Hugh.

I think his children were:  Edward Moreau, Mary Austin, Sarah (Sankey), Robert Lee, Hugh and Dock, whoever he is. 

When I was a child, we visited Aunt Sankie Gilbert (see gravestone) who died 1949 and was living near Goldston (not at the original home place) with her family. 

A. J. raised sheep and other livestock on the farm and owned A. J. Goldston General Store in the village of Goldston, about 2 miles from his home.  Shortly after WWI, Hugh bought property at White Lake, NC, and started Goldston’s Beach.  Some time later, encouraged by Hugh’s success, his brother Robert Lee Goldston (my grandfather) leased McDowell Beach, another resort on White Lake about a mile from Goldston’s Beach containing a hotel, pavilion, piers, and cottages.  He gave up the lease after the second season.  My father, Roland Hayes Goldston and his brothers, Flynn and David (James David) worked there during the summers.  My Dad said they played more than worked.  During my childhood, we vacationed in a rental cottage for one or two weeks each summer.  I assume that Robert Lee, who wound up with the original Home Place on Bear Creek, leased out the farm or perhaps sold part of it, because he moved the family to Wake Forest about 1930 and started R. L. Goldston & Sons Lumber Co.  He apparently worked in the lumber industry while living in Goldston, because the R. L. Goldston & Sons Lumber Co. in Wake County was started from scratch, a saw mill and planer mill, steam powered.

My father was one of six sons of Robert Lee Goldston.  Dad always said that when a son got 18 he was given a suitcase and $20 to leave home and make his own way.  When my father turned 18 in February, 1927, his older brother Flynn had already journeyed to New York City to stay with their Aunt Ossie Womble.  Flynn had a job as a crane operator and advised Dad to come to NYC and get a job.  Following Flynn’s instructions, Dad caught a freight train from Goldston to Sanford, then a north-bound freight.  But when he got to Richmond, Dad said he was so cold and miserable that he caught a south-bound train to Sanford and when back home.  He went to NYC when the weather was warmer and roomed with Flynn at Aunt Ossie’s house.  It was there that he met my mother and married in 1927.  I was born 1/4/1929. 

Hugh must have converted his inheritance from his father Andrew Jackson to cash and bought the White Lake beach property.  Edward Moreau (Eddie) may have been in charge of the A. J. Goldston General Store, since he was the oldest son.  The “sand, cotton, tin, etc.” mentioned below for Eddie to have, may have been part of the store inventory.  Robert Lee mentions Edd several times in his letters to wife Julia in 1903 as soliciting investors for a brick mill in Chatham County.

According to microfilm records of the Chatham Record , Andrew was accidentally shot and killed in 1893 by Henderson Goldston, a black tenant on the farm and probably a descendant of slaves owned by Joseph John Goldston or William Goldston.  However my Aunt Addie Mae, A. J.'s granddaughter, told me that A. J. heard a dog in his chicken house killing his chickens.  He shot the dog and recognized it as belonging to a nearby tenant, a black man.  A. J. loaded the dog in his wagon and drove to the tenant's house.  When he called for the tenant to come get his dog, the tenant came to the door with a rifle and shot and killed A. J.  Other family members agree with this story including Kris Goldston Gallegos in Littleton, CO, whose mother has a written history agreeing with this story.  Kris thinks that since there were no apparent witnesses no charges were ever made.

 Andrew’s reference to giving Eddie (Edward Moreau Goldston) Sand, Cotton, Tin, Etc., while A. J. was still alive probably removed Eddie from the original will dated Feb. 5, 1890.  This might refer part of store inventory of A. J. Goldston General Store which Eddie may have operated while his Dad and brothers attended the farm.

Edward Moreau Goldston, born 2/11/1867, died 11/20/1934, was 26 years old at the time his father made the above codicil to his Will and was getting ready to marry (1891) Alice Jane Maxwell of Steadman, NC, born 4/1/1867, died 5/20/1896.  (Her brother was Tom Maxwell who married Lou Kate Goldston.)   

A year later, 4 years after his father’s death, Edward married 2^nd time 1897 to Jennie Dora Maxwell, born 11/12/1872, died 7/16/1906, of Swann Station, NC, Lee County.  They had two children (twins), both died at birth on 7/16/1906 along with their mother, all buried in same casket, Goldston Cemetery. 

Edward married 3^rd time to Mary Lou Burns, born 7/12/1880, died 11/23/1979, of Chatham County.  Lived Rt. #3, Siler City, NC, 2 children.  Their home place was a short distance north of Goldston, NC, adjoining his father’s old home place where he lived and died.  Eddie and wives are buried in Goldston Cemetery.  See photos of grave stones. 

Mary Austin Goldston, born 5/11/1869, died 8/19/1937, married 8/17/1887 to William Preston Kirkman, born 8/16/1869, died 1/6/1921, lived and died Goldston, NC.  She was age 23 and married when her father made his will. 

Lou Kate Goldston, born 12/20/1874, died 5/29/1953, married N. T. Maxwell, live 4433 Bay Villa Ave., Tampa, FL, 5 children. 

Robert Lee “Bob” Goldston, Sr., born 1876, died 1942, married Julia May Womble, born 1881, died 1940.  Their original home place was that of his father, Andrew Jackson Goldston.  About 1930 the family moved to Wake County, near Wake Forest, NC, where he established R. L. Goldston & Sons Lumber Co.  He was age 17 when his father was killed. 

Hugh Peoples Goldston, born 1878, died 6/13/1953, married Bessie Womble, born 1880, died 7/9/1954, original home place Goldston, NC, afterwards moved to White Lake, NC, owned and operated Goldston’s Beach.