William L. Goss

On this day, 7 November 1920, William L. Goss, my spouse’s 3rd great-grandfather, passed away in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

William L. Goss was born on 13 October 1837, in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania to parents, John B. Goss and Rachel Smith, who were married in 1824, in Osceola, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. William joined siblings Abraham John (born 23 June 1823), Amos E. (born 11 January 1827), and Rachel (born 2 July 1833).

In 1843, sister Sophia Alice Goss was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

When William L. Goss was only seven years old, his brother Amos E. Goss, age 19, died in Decatur Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania on 2 April 1846.

Sister Rachel Goss died a few days later on 13 April 1846, in Decatur Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. She was a couple of months shy of her 13th birthday.

On 29 August 1850, the John Goss family resided in Decatur Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Living in the household were father John (age 52), mother Rachel (age 48), and their children William (age 11) and Sophia (age 6). Also residing in the home were two of Rachel (Smith) Goss’ relations: Rachel Smith (age 17) and Luisa Smith (age 10). The family’s farm was valued at $4,500. Living on the farm next door was William’s brother Abraham and his family.

Eight years later, on 22 February 1858, William L. Goss married Caroline M. Westbrook in Boggs Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Caroline was the daughter of George and Margaret Westbrook.

Together, William and Caroline Goss would have 12 children, including a daughter Malinda Goss, who was only six months old when she died on 14 March 1859.

A year later, the couple welcomed another daughter, Sophia Anne Goss, on 24 February 1860.

On 30 July 1860, William Goss (age 22), his wife Caroline (age 16), and their daughter Sophia (age four months) were enumerated in Decatur Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. William was a farmer. The farm was valued at $1,000, and his personal property was worth $532.

Two years later, on 14 October 1862, son Francis Freel Goss was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

On 15 November 1864, daughter Margaret Louisa “Louise” Goss (my spouse’s 2nd great-grandmother) was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

Sadly, about two years later, on 19 November 1866, William’s mother, Rachel (Smith) Goss, passed away in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

A year and a day later on 20 November 1867, joy came to the family, when son Elmer Ellsworth Goss was born.

Three years after that in 1869, daughter Martha M. Goss arrived.

On 26 July 1870, William Goss, his wife Caroline, and children Sophia, Frank, Louisa, Ellsworth, and Martha were enumerated in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Their farm was valued at $2,000, and their personal property was worth $928.

On 2 September 1870, William L. Goss purchased approximately 25 acres in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, from his father John B. Goss for the sum of $50.

Seven months later, on 9 April 1871, son John Goss (a.k.a. Johnnie) was welcomed to the family. Sadly, little Johnnie only lived for a year and a half, dying on 14 September 1872, in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

Three years passed. Then, in 1875, the Goss family welcomed another member: Harry W. Goss, who was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

Son Albert Jackson Goss arrived two years later on 14 June 1877, in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

That year was also filled with sorrow, when William’s father John B. Goss passed away on 16 April 1877, in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

Circa 1879, son Francis Freel Goss married Keturah Kline in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

That same year, on 13 May 1879, William and Caroline daughter Isabel Goss was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

In April 1880, another daughter, Rosa B. Goss, was welcomed to the family.

On 14 June 1880, the Goss family still resided in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. Living in the household were William, his wife Caroline, daughter Sophia, son Frank, daughter Louisa, son Elmer, daughter Martha, son Harry, son Jackson, and daughter Rosa. William was still a farmer, and son Frank worked as a laborer.

In 1884, daughter Margaret Louise Goss married Townsend Richard Stott in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

In February 1885, William and Caroline welcomed their final child, another daughter, Elizabeth Alice Goss, to the family. She was born in Woodward Township, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. At some point after her birth, William and Caroline Goss, along with their younger children, left their farm in Clearfield County and moved to nearby Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

On 31 July 1889, daughter Martha M. Goss married Joseph R. Chase.

In 1893, son Harry Wesley Goss married Mathilda Yahner in Cambria County, Pennsylvania.

On 8 June 1900, William and Caroline Goss were enumerated in the borough of Hastings, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Their 15-year old Elizabeth Alice Goss still lived with them. Also in the household was a 16-year old servant named Gwenney Richards and four male boarders (Stephen Ross, age 19; Michael Brown, age 35; Robert Thorndyke, age 50; and William Richards, age 32, originally from Wales and father to Gwenney.)

Sometime in the next decade, William’s youngest daughter Elizabeth Alice Goss married one of the boarders enumerated in the 1900 Census: Stephen W. Ross, the son of Scottish immigrants.

On 16 April 1910, just William and Caroline Goss remained in their Hastings Borough home. William was 72 years old, and Caroline was 66 years old. According to the 1910 census, of William and Caroline’s 12 children, only nine were still alive.

Now, at some point in William’s lifetime, eldest daughter Sophia Anne Goss married Marshall David McHenry and moved to the borough of Hastings, Cambria County, Pennsylvania (perhaps that is why William and Caroline moved there); son Elmer Ellsworth Goss wed Ella Kinney, the daughter of Irish immigrants; son Albert Jackson Goss married Clara (surname unknown); and daughter Isabel Goss wed Howard McGonigal.

Grief soon came to the Goss household, however. On 18 November 1913, William’s wife Caroline M. (Westbrook) Goss, died in Hastings, Cambria, Pennsylvania. She was 70 years old. She was laid to rest in the town’s Union Cemetery.

Four years later, on 16 July 1917, daughter Margaret Louise (Goss) Stott passed away in Brisbin, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.

On 5 January 1920, William L. Goss was residing with his daughter Sophia Ann, her husband Marshall McHenry, their two daughters Hazel McHenry (age 19) and Carrie (McHenry) Gray (age 29). Also in the household were a male and a female boarder.

Then, on 7 November 1920, William L. Goss, age 83, died in Hastings, Cambria County, Pennsylvania and was buried next to his beloved wife Caroline.