JOHN R. GOLDING FAMILY

John R. Golding was born in GA about 1809 and reared in SC. He moved to MS and settled in Choctaw Co about 1833. He was an anti-missionary Baptist before he moved to MSS. He joined the church at Bethany, near Slate Springs, Zion Assoc. in the summer of 1842 during the great revival in that church. He commenced preaching as soon as he joined "the Missionaries" He was ordained to full work of the ministry by Philadelphia church in 1844 and was pastor of that church for more than 20 years and of Bethel, Fellowship, Cocord and Mulberry churches, each for many years. He was also a planter with a large plantation.

He married Eliza Ann Ligon, daughter of Joseph Miller Ligon and Nancy Woodson.

and was the father of 13 children - 6 sons and 7 daughters. Of these, only 2 sons, Thomas Hill and John Reid, III lived past 25 years and 2 daughters , Susan Woodson and Sarah Miller survived past the age of 20. He lost at least 1 of his sons, Joseph Ligon, during the Civil War.and another Robert Foster, from the throes of that war. The family has a letter written by him to his cousins in SC describing the problems encountered during and after the war.