Rowland Thompson Gooch, Sr.

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A046219

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=patchildr...

The following information on this family was posted on the Gooch family Internet forum by J. Daniel Marhar on February 28, 1998:

"Since so many people are researching this line I have dug out of my files the following information. This is all second hand, but from competent researchers. Mrs. M.B. Dark is my primary source. Please take this information as a 'suggested' lineage to help you in your research."

Rowland Gooch and his wife Unity (her maiden name has not been proved) of Louisa County, Virginia and had at least 8 children that survived to adulthood. Their ancestors populated Kentucky, Missouri, Alabama, and Illinois. Unfortunately, no records survive to prove Rowland's ancestry. It is suspected that he is the nephew of John Gooch of Caroline County, whose many children settle in Granville County, North Carolina. Thomas Gooch (married to Lucy Higgs) of Louisa may be a nephew."

NOTE: Mr. Marhar appears to have a great deal of documented research. It is Mr. Marhard's position that this Rowland Gooch is the first ancestor in our direct lineage who is "proven," and that any other connection moving backward in time is pure speculation and is without any solid documentation. I (JPC) suggest that the reader consider this position when reviewing the ancestor trees included herein.

Further to the above, the following information was copied from Mr. Marhard's website in 2003:

The Family of Rowland & Unity Gooch of Louisa County, Virginia

Rowland Gooch's family in Louisa County is one the earliest Gooch families to be chronicled by genealogists. His family is often confused with many other Gooch families, especially that of John of Caroline County and Granville County. The confusion is natural, as the names Gideon, Rowland and John are used by both families. Since the Caroline County records are for the most part lost, many researchers of the Caroline branch are quick to try and use the records of nearby Louisa County to identify their ancestors; however, there is no evidence that any of the Caroline County Gooches ever resided in Louisa. Therefore, it is important to both branches to try and record a clear account of Rowland and his sons. Rowland and several of his sons left wills, which along with other records in that county, such as tax lists, provide us with a rich source of public records to define this family.

Early family historians have claimed Rowland married the famous Unity West [ref: Singleton, Evelena; "Gooch Genealogy & Allied Families" unpublished (1943)]. This is not a fact and in fact is clearly false. Singleton is the earliest to write down this connection, but the origin of her information is unclear as she never quoted her sources. Unity West (died 1753) the daughter of Nathaniel West (died 1747) of West Point married William Dandridge of Elsing Green. The only other Unity West was Unity Croshaw, the daughter of Major Joseph of Poplar Neck. Unity Crowshaw married Col. John West and died sometime after 1664. Neither of these women could have been or were likely to have been wives of a backcountry farmer at the end of the Eighteenth Century. However, Rowland's will names his wife as Unity and beyond her first name we know nothing of her history or family connections. Research in this family suggests that their fourth child, John, had the middle name of Logan [ref: Dark, M.B.; Notes (1992)] which may be Unity's maiden name. The third son is named Claiborne, which may also be Unity's maiden name.

There are numerous early sources for history on the Gooch family of Louisa County. The first being the will of Rowland Gooch of Louisa who dies in 1794; his estate is probated on the 08th of December of that year. The will mentions his wife Unity, sons: John, Pumphret, Rowland Jr., Gideon, Liner and Claiborne, as well as an unmarried daughter Elizabeth. The second significant will is that of William Gooch who dies before Rowland Sr., leaving a will probated in 1780 that mentions his father Rowland, wife Lavinah and three minor daughters: Mary, Jemima, and Sally. These wills are further supplemented with the Douglas Register of births and marriages in Louisa and environs. The Douglas Register is further supplemented by Louisa marriage bonds. Much of the information gathered on the children of Rowland has been researched in detail by Maxine Ball Dark of Hardy, Arkansas. She has used wills in both Virginia and Kentucky, census records, tax lists and deeds as basis of her findings. Her work corroborates those original records that I have reviewed such as the Louisa County wills, tax records, and Douglas Register.

The children of Rowland and Unity Gooch of Louisa are listed in the below matrix:

William Gooch born c1750/51 (ref: tax); died 1780 born ; died Louisa Co., VA married: Liviniah Clements (died after 1780) marriage bond dated 16 Feb 1769; Louisa children: Sally - born 1769 (m:Turner,James), Jemima - born 177? (m:Grimsted,Jasper), Mary

Rowland Gooch born c1753 (ref: tax); died 1815 born ; died Lincoln Co., KY married 1st: Sarah Wood marriage bond dated married 2nd: Rhoda Murphy marriage bond dated 1812; Lincoln Co., KY children: David, Nancy, Elizabeth, John, James, Sally, Unity, Polly, Rowland Jr.

Claiborne Gooch born c1755; died after 1830 born ; died married: Mildred Thomson marriage bond dated 12 Mar 1783; Louisa children: Thomson (b1784), Unie (b1787)

John L. Gooch born c1758; died c1820 - 1830 born ; died Lincoln Co., KY married: Elenor ----- marriage bond dated children: Gideon, Lucy, Rhoda (m:Terry,James), Milly, Polly, Jemima, Elizabeth (m:Terry,Wm), James, William Claiborne

Liner Gooch born 1760; died 1826 (ref: Will) born ; died Lincoln Co., KY married 1st: Rhoda Turner marriage bond dated 28 Sep 1780; Louisa married 2nd: Sarah Skidmore marriage bond dated 24 Oct 1822; KY children: William Dixon (m?:Terry,Eliz), Elizabeth Dixon (m:Murphy), Dabney1786 (m1:Dunn,Ruth) (m2:Magill,Naomi), Thomas (m1:Singleton,Nancy) (m2:Singleton,Polly), John Logan (m:Magill,Susannah), Unity (m:Macgill)

Pumphret Gooch born c1765; died 1823 born ; died Louisa Co., VA married: Mary Wagstaff marriage bond dated 26 Dec 1783; Louisa children: Rollin (b1787), Polly, Pumphrey, Gideon, Roxanna, John

Gideon Gooch born c1768; died 1813 (ref: Will) born ; died married: Rosa Settle (dies after 1813) marriage bond dated 12 Feb 1790; Louisa children: NO ISSUE

Elizabeth Gooch born ; died after 1820 (ref: Census) born ; died Lincoln Co., KY? married: Joseph Wright married circa 1790 children: at least one son

Note: birth dates estimated from Louisa County tax lists. All white men were polled on their 16th birthday. Death years are determined by date that the will was proven.

Louisa County, Va. Probate Records Last Updated on: 11/26/2004

Many thanks to Janice L. Abercrombie! She submitted over 450 Will Abstracts, which produced almost 4,000 surname references! To share your information, please send an e-Mail to: wayne at trevilians.com. Thank You!! Cty. Lou, Book: 3, Page: 577 , Rowland Gooch, Type: Will, Date: 08-Dec-1794 Will of Rowland Gooch. To my wife Unity Gooch, then to my son Clabon Gooch all land on upper side of branch that runs through my land 50 acres. Balance of land I now live on down the creek below said Branch equally divided between my two sons, Pumphrey and Gideon. Mentions daughter Elizabeth Gooch and sons John and Laner Gooch. Exor. Pumphrey Gooch. Wit: John Poindexter, Isaac Ware, John Thomson and John White. Recorded 8 Dec 1794. Cty. Lou, Book: 3, Page: 577, Rowland Gooch, Type: Will, Date: 08-Dec-1794Written 19 Feb 1783; Recorded 8 Dec 1794 County of Louisa ... wife is Unity Gooch; sons Claborn [Claiborn], John, Rowland, Gideon; Pumphrey [Pomfrey] (executor), daughter Elizabeth. "negrow woman named Hannah". Witnessed by John Poindexter, Isaac Ware, John Thomson, John White.

Cty. Lou, Book: 3, Page: 580, Rowland Gooch, Type: Sett, Date: 08-Dec-1794Bond of Pumphrey Gooch, Exor. of estate of Rowland Gooch, Sec. Gideon Gooch, John Fleeman, Amt. 500 Lb. Dated and recorded 8 Dec 1794. signed Pumphrey Gooch, John Fleeman.