Obit of Goza Family History (g200) - Grady County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Geri Goza Diehl 28 Oct 2008 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ==================================================================== Goza Family History By Geri Goza Diehl One of the first things people asks when they hear the Goza name is "What nationality is that?" The Goza book, by Joe A. Goza of Calera, OK, traces the line back to Italy. He writes that the original spelling was Gozza-Gozzi. This line goes back to the east coast of Italy in 1451 A.D. It is from Count Gozzi that we get our coat of arms. One Gozzi-Gozza Knight crossed the Alps to meet Prince Phillip of Orange to fight in the Low Country Wars in Germany. Prince Phillip, who was Catholic, turned to the teachings of Martin Luther and took up arms against the harsh rule of Catholic Spain. This Gozzi did not want to take up arms against his fellow Catholic Knights. He retired from the army, stayed in the Low Lands of the Netherlands, married and had many sons. Here the spelling of the Gozzi- Gozza changed to Gossee. This was the spelling of the name when the first Gossee appears in this country In Mary E. Goza's research papers, I have found letters from other Goza families. In their oral family history, they have been told that we came from Spain; others that we were French Huguenots and others say we are Portuguese. In the early 1630s, 2 brothers, Christopher and Richard came to Virginia. A little later several more Gossees appeared in Virginia. They were Edmond, John, Jonathan, Samuel and Isaac. Joe A. Goza starts our line with Matthew who was born in VA. about 1700. Matthew had 5 children. There may have been more but that is all that Joe found. These included, Jno Gossee, Susannah Gossee, Matthew Gossee Jr., Aaron Goza and Averilla Gossee. I will start my Goza history with Aaron Goza, my Great Great Great Grandfather, b. 1735-38 in Virginia, d. 1806 in South Carolina. He is found on the Fairfield County, SC. 1790 census. The name of Aaron's first wife, who would have been our Great Great Great Grandmother, is not known. His second wife was Rachel Smith Nettles. He is shown in his will to have left his estate to Rachel and their two children. His other children were grown and had moved from home. His will was proved in 1807. His sons and my Great Great Uncles were: 1. Aaron Goza Jr. (our Great Great Grandfather) b. 17? d. 13 Apr. 1830 MS. m. Agnes Humphries. I'm not sure of his death date as there is a will written in 1836 by Agnes' father that mentions Agnes and his son-in-law Aaron Goza Jr. He must still have been alive in 1836. 2. Martin Goza b. 17? Va. d. 183? MS. 3. Joshua Goza b. 17? Va. d.1834 MS. 4. John Goza b. 1770 Va. d. 1853 MS. Note: This John Goza is listed in the 1850 census living with George Washington Goza, his son. Because of this, some researchers may list John as my Great Great Grandfather rather than Aaron Goza Jr. I will relate a story from one of Klebor Sr's daughters that proves that Aaron Jr. was my Great Great Grandfather. 5. Peter J. Goza b. 1774 Va. d. 1830? MS. 6. William Goza 7. Elijah Goza b. d. m. 1808 Ga. His two children by Rachel: 1. Susannah Goza 2. Grayfield Goza I found Rachel in the Madison Co. MS 1850 census living with her daughter Susan and Susan's husband Beverly Brown. Rachel was 85 yrs. old. As mentioned above, I will explain how we found that Aaron, not John, was my Great Great Grandfather. As Mary Cozart Goza, my mother did research, she also thought that John might be James Webster's father. She had done all she could think of to find who our Great Great Grandfather might be. She then decided to visit Klebor Sr.'s daughter, Pearl Goza Sharp. Mother read the names of all of the old Goza brothers to Pearl to see if she recognized a name. When she came to the name Joshua, Pearl said she remembered she had an Uncle Josh because Uncle Josh had a daughter that was "uppity". She wanted her mother to wear ribbons in her hair and dress real fancy but she wouldn't. She told her mother, "I'll see that you do when you die". Sure enough, when her mother died, she put ribbons in her hair and dressed her "fancy". As Mary got to the name Aaron, Pearl remembered when her little brother was born Klebor said he was naming him for his grandfather. This child was named James Aaron for his Grandfather Aaron Goza. Mother then knew who our Great Great Grandfather was. I have more recent information that proves that Aaron Jr. was our Great Great Grandfather. Bill Harrington of San Angelo, TX sent me a copy of the document from the Probate Courts of Copiah County, MS which states that James W. Goza, Joshua Goza, Palina Goza Gustavus, (late Plina Goza) Nancy F. Goza Gustavus, (late Nance F. Goza), Elizabeth Goza, and William A. Goza are the heirs to the estate of Aaron Goza. This document was made official January 25th, 1845. Aaron Goza Jr.'s first wife was Lucy, last name unknown. She must have died about 1807-8. Aaron Goza Jr. married Agnes Humphries. Aaron and Agnes sold their land in South Carolina and moved to Arkansas, which was then a part of the Missouri Territory. This is where my Great Grandfather, James Webster, was born in 1816. Joshua, James Webster's uncle, was the first of the brothers to move to Mississippi. He had moved to the Missouri Territory soon after the Louisiana Purchase. When the Chickasaw and Choctaw Indian lands were opened, he moved to the area that is now Mississippi. Aaron Jr. then moved to Mississippi in time for the 1820 census. Some of the brothers settled in Claiborne Co. MS and some in Copiah Co. MS. In early census records in both Copiah and Claiborne Counties, the name was spelled Gosey. We do not know the identity of James Webster's first wife. His second wife was Pauline Walker Goza (Plina) and the mother of our direct line of Gozas. I have a copy of James Webster and Pauline Walker's marriage certificate. They married Oct. 11, 1853. James's cousin, Rev. George Washington Goza, married them in Copiah Co. MS, Pauline (Plina) was the younger sister of Rebecca Walker Goza who was married to Rev. George Washington Goza. The children of James Webster Goza and Plina are: 1. Elizabeth b. 1854 Copiah Co. MS. 2. Klebor b. Aug 1856 Copiah Co. MS 3. Annie Pauline b. 1858 Copiah Co. MS 4. William Webster b. 1860 Copiah Co. MS 5. James A. b. 1862 Copiah Co. MS 6. George Lee b. 1867 Copiah Co. MS 7. Thomas Ayres b. 1868 (Jessie) Copiah Co. MS 8. Permelia Goza b. 1865 Copiah Co. MS About 1867-69 James Webster and his oldest son, Klebor age 13, went to Texas and received a land grant in Madison Co. He left his son with relatives. These relatives were probably Thomas and Nancy Gustavus. Two of James Webster's sisters married Gustavus brothers. Pauline Goza married William V.Gustavus and Nance F. Goza married Thomas Ayres Gustavus. William settled near the Madison - Robertson county lines before the Gozas came to TX. One lived in Robertson Co. as Klebor showed up on the Robertson Co. Texas 1870 census. I do not know if Pauline was with William. She died at some period and I cannot find the date of her death. He later married Laura Lou Worsham. There must have been at least 2 trips or more made between Mississippi and Texas. Proof of this is that James Bridges Harrington married Jane Rogers (Jennie) of Leon Co. in 1868 and the Gozas came to Texas in 1869. Therefore, it can be assumed that the Gozas made more than one trip. James Webster, age 53, made his way back to Mississippi. Here we have two family stories. One story has him getting pneumonia and being buried where two rivers come together, thus not making it home. I have heard this story from several different people and am inclined to believe this theory. The other story has him making it back to Copiah Co. and dying there with his family. I do not know which story is correct but I have been searching for his burial place in Copiah Co. I may never find where he is buried. The family left for Texas immediately after his death. This meant they probably did not have time to have a lasting headstone made unless on of his brothers did so. It is a possibility that a wooden one was made and has rotted by now. Since Plina's children were young, 2 nephews brought Great Grandma Plina to Texas. One was James W. Goza, known as Pat, whose parents were double relatives of James Webster. James W.'s (Pat) mother, Rebecca Caroline Walker Goza, was Plina Goza's older sister. His father was James Webster's cousin, Rev. George Washington Goza. Rev. George Washington, his wife Rebecca Caroline, Hiram who was George's brother and John, age 80, the father of George and Hiram, died of the yellow fever epidemic that swept through the south in 1853, although George was still living in Oct. of 1853 as he was the minister who married James W. and Paulina. This left James W. (Pat) and his sister Mary E. Goza orphans. They were living with James W. Goza at the time of the census of 1860. Also living with James Webster and Pauline was James Bridges Harrington, son of Elizabeth Goza Harrington and James Burwell Harrington. James W. Goza (Pat) b. 1847 is shown to have fought in the Civil War Company D., 24th Battalion, Robert's Ballow Mississippi Cav. Adams Brigade. He enlisted April 10, 1864 which made him 16 when he joined. His post office box at that time was at Bourland, Ms. I have records that show he applied for a Civil war pension in 1909 in Madison Co. Texas. His P.O. box in Madison Co., when he applied for his pension, was Normangee. He stayed in Madison Co. TX. after most of his uncles left. James W. Goza was buried in the Texas State Cemetery, Austin TX. His plot is located in the Confederate Field, Section 1, Subsection C, Row W, Number 13. Note: A story told by Pearl Goza about the nephew James W. (Pat) Goza. Pat married a woman and had two children, his son George and daughter Lou. Pat's wife died and he had no one to help him with the children. His wife's sister, Louise Arnold Puckett, who lived near by, volunteered to keep the children during the week and he would visit them on the weekend. One-week end when he went to visit, he found his sister-in-law had moved and taken his children. He was never able to find them. He wrote to many sheriff's offices looking for them. When he was an old man he was taking a trip on a train. He saw a young woman who looked very much like his wife. He asked if she was Lou Goza and she said, "Yes she was, and who are you" He told her he was her father. He visited them once to be sure they were all right. His information from the Texas Confederate Home where he stayed after he was unable to work specifies that his son, George A. Goza, Dewville, Gonzales Co. TX, be the contact person in case of death. I have found his daughter buried in Gonzales Co. TX in the Dewville I.O.O.F. Cemetery. She is listed as Lou Goza Gordon. Mrs. Lou Puckett is also listed in this cemetery. He lived in a little one-room house that Klebor Goza Sr. built behind his home. He cooked all of his food over the fireplace in a dutch oven. He worked as a farmer. The other nephew who brought Great Grandma Goza to Texas was James Bridges Harrington. He was the son of Elizabeth Goza Harrington, James Webster's sister, who married James Burwell Harrington. James Bridges is listed in the 1850 Copiah Co. census as age 3 and living with Thomas A.Gustavus and Nancy Goza Gustavus. In the 1850 Copiah Co. census, Elizabeth is listed but J.B. is not. I believe that Elizabeth Goza Harrington died of the yellow fever epidemic that spread through the south in the early 1850s. Elizabeth died about 1850 after the census was taken. I have a copy of the Elizabeth Goza Harrington probate court record petition by James W. Goza. This record shows that Elizabeth died June 22, 1850. The following is taken directly from the records of Madison Co. It states that one Negro man named Edmond and three hundred dollars to be collected which is estimated at not exceeding one thousand dollars, which said estate she held as her own separate property (under the statue made for the beautiful married women). She conveyed the estate shortly before her death to James W. Goza and also committing to his charge her child named James B. Harrington, but in as much as the said Burwell Harrington, her husband, was not joined in the said deed your petitioner is advised that it is of no validity, that the decedent left but one child, to wit; the said James B. Harrington a minor about three years old, that the said Burwell Harrington, the said husband of the deceased is a non resident of the State of Mississippi if alive, but is reported to be dead and has been absent from the State for nearly two years. It goes on to name 3 men to put a value on the Negro man. The small town of Gallatin, MS is named with some of these documents. In the Madisonville Co. Texas history, William Lee Harrington reports that his father's parents, James B and Elizabeth Goza Harrington, died when James Bridges Harrington was 3. The Goza and Gustavus family reared him. James Bridges Harrington served in the Confederate Army, Hughes' Battalion, Capt. S.D. Ramsey's Co, 4 Regt., and MS. Cavalry. He enlisted in July 22, 1862 which made him 14 years of age. It is said that James Bridges Harrington was a fine fiddler. James Bridges died Oct. 23. 1913. He is buried in the Randolph Cemetery near Normangee TX. He had a son, William Lee b. 1888, who held a commission as a member of the Texas Rangers Force and another son, James Thomas b. 1873, who served as a Representative from Leon and Madison Counties in the Regular Thirty-Seventh Legislature and two called sessions. A story told to Patti Goza White by her father, Charlie Goza, is that there was an old black man who taught Web a lot of old fiddle tunes. I wonder if this could be Edmond, the same black man? In 1869, Plina and her 8 children, her two nephews, James W. Goza, age 22, and James B. Harrington, age 22, started for Texas. Perhaps other Goza and Gustavus family members made the trip with them as Pauline Goza Gustavus and her husband, William V. also came to Texas. William Goza, James Webster's brother, paid a poll tax in Grimes Co. TX in 1846. I would like to add the information I have of the Gustavus family that was an important part of the Goza history. As mentioned previously, two sisters of my Great Grandfather, James Webster, married Gustavus men. They were Pauline and Nancy. William V. Gustavus came to Texas in 1865. He lived in either Leon or Robertson Co. TX. Pauline and William V's son, William T., was born in 1847 in Copiah Co. MS. He served in CSA Co. A, 24th MS. Cav., Sparks Brigade, Chalmers Div. I have a copy of William T's information from the roster of the Texas Confederate home that was located in Austin TX. William T. lists his home in Mingus, Texas at the time of application. He was admitted to the home Sept. 7, 1926 and died Sept. 1 1933. He was married to Susan, last name unknown. Susan was listed as being born in Louisiana in 1847. She came to Texas in 1852 and was admitted to the Confederate Woman's Home in Sept. 7, 1926 and died Sept. 1, 1933. Nancy and her husband Thomas Ayres Gustavus came to Texas in 1867. They had a daughter, Olivia A. born 1849 MS and a son William A. Gustavus. He was born in 1845 in Copiah Co. MS. He served in CSA Co. E. 4th MS Cav. Mabray Brigade, Chalmer's Div. William also is listed on the roster of the Confederate Home in Austin. He lists his residence at the time of application as Ballinger and he states that he was a merchant. He was admitted to the home July 31, 1922. He died Feb. 21, 1932. He is buried in the Texas State Cemetery Austin, TX. They also had a son James born 1849 in Copiah Co. MS. This is the story told to Mary Cozart Goza by Hortense Eubank Goza. The Goza family came down the Mississippi River through the Gulf of Mexico to Houston. Some part of this journey was made on a ferry. They bought horses and wagons to make the trip to Madison Co. TX. On the way to Texas, the wagon overturned in a river and the written family history, such as the family bible and any other history such as pictures, were lost. The Gozas settled in Madison Co. near Normangee. There was a church there that was then a Methodist Episcopal Church South. It is reported that many baptizings for the Union Baptist Church of Ten Miles were held in the Klebor Goza pond. While in Madison Co. TX. all of the Goza brothers, William Webster, Klebor, Thomas A. (Jessie), James A. and George Lee, married. One sister, Permilia Goza, married Seime Mills Batson. Klebor Sr. married Martha (Mattie) Longbotham, Dec. 8, 1891. She was first married to a Harper and had at least one child, Willie Harper. Willie is buried in Anson, TX. All of Klebor's children were born in Madison Co. TX. These children were, 1. Annie Pearl. b. 1893 m. Tom Sharp 2. Thomas L. b. 8 Dec. 1895 d. 1900, this child died young and it is said that Klebor took it very hard, as this was his only son at the time. Tommy died of the stomach flu. 3. Jennie b. July 1896 4. Frances b. Apr. 1899 5. Mollie b. 1901 d.1999 m. Carson Hatfield 6. James Aaron b. Mar. 13, 1908 d. Nov 14, 1994 m. Irma Boyd Nov. 18, 1926 7. Lema b. 1906 m. Luther Hatfield still living in 2000. 8. Raymond William b. 1910 d. Dec. 1999 m. Margie Hammock 9. Myrtle died young in a buggy accident. The horse reared and the back seat of the buggy hit her behind the ear. She was married to Joe Venable. 10. Belle b. Aug.3 1891 d. 1902-3 Klebor and family moved to Merkel Tx. around 1920, then moved to Abilene Tx. about 1936. Klebor and his wife had children, Thomas, Belle, Jennie, Myrtle and Frances buried at Ten Mile Cemetery. Of the gravestones still standing for this family at Ten Mile Cemetery is Thomas (Tommy), Myrtle and Belle. I believe that his wife had a child buried there. Klebor and Mattie are buried in Merkel, TX. There is an interesting story concerning Mattie's father that is told in the Madison Co History. Mattie was born in Madisonville TX. in 1869, the daughter of John Longbotham and Elizabeth (Bess) Batson. Two months before Mattie was born her father was murdered. Family tradition has it that John Longbotham was shot in the back over a disagreement over hogs. The murderer brought two men with him, supposedly to make restitution for previous trouble, but when John turned to shake hands with the third man, he was shot in the back. Others have said that John's son, Johnny, was with him and that it happened in the present day parking lot of the First City Bank in Madisonville. The following account is from the Galveston Daily news Aug. 9, 1870. The title is "Lawlessness in Madison County." " From His Excellency, E. J. Davis, governor of Texas, dated Madisonville, Texas. "The sheriff is unable, without the aid of some extraordinary force always at his command, to maintain law and order in the County. The man who was indicted for the murder of Longbotham of this County was arrested and put in jail. Afterwards, the accused sued out a Writ of Habeas Corpus before the honorable Heart Davis, Judge of this District, who upon hearing of the Writ refused bail, whereupon a mob consisting, as I am informed, of about 60 persons in disguise in the night time surrounded the jail, forced the keys form the sheriff and turned the accused murderer loose. It is believed, and many strong circumstances combine to support the belief, that the notorious Bill McIver, the murderer of David McDonald of this county, and also the murderer of Hurne, the policeman of Bryan. The Gardners and Poney Stephens, the murderer of Dr. Baldwin of Leon County, were the leaders of the mob. McIver and Stephens have left, I am told for Palo Pinto County. The rest are still here to carry on their desperate acts of lawlessness. The job they now have under consideration is the murder of Judge G.M. Neeley, former County Judge of this County, and if not prevented, I am sure they will effect the work, as they seem intent and industrious. Yet Neeley is appraised of their designs and will probably thwart them. There has been but two terms of the District Court held in the County since the surrender of Confederate Arms. No military or civil officers most of the time and hence it has been a safe retreat for the violators of the law in the neighboring counties. They have never been disturbed here until the passage of the State Police Bill, which of late has caused some uneasiness, and they are slowly leaving; yet most of them have not yet been caught." William Webster married Hortense Eubank who lived in Mills Co. Texas. I do not know for sure how Web and Tensie met. I do know there was a Methodist minister, A.M. Eubank, who was the minister at Rogers Prairie Church near Normangee, which is not far from where the Gozas lived. If she visited this Eubank family and met Web, I do not know, but this is as close to an explanation as we will ever get. Web's first two children, Joe and Charlie, were born in Madison Co. Myrtle Goza, Web and Tensie's next child, was born in Mills Co. 1897, as were the next 6 children. They have one child, Luther, buried in the Regency Cemetery in Mills Co. TX. He is buried near Tensie's sister, Hilma Eubank, who died at the age of 16. Their children are as follows, 1. Joe Houston Goza b. 10 Feb. 1894 in Madison Co. TX. 2. Charlie Clifford Goza b. 4 Sept. 1895 Madison Co. TX 3. Myrtle Maggie Goza Canon b. 31 July 1897 Mills Co. TX 4. Hilma Viola Goza Huber b. 2 Aug. 1899 Mills Co. TX 5. Luther Goza b. 1902 d. 1902 buried Regency TX. Mills Co. 6. Grace Leona Goza Southall b. 6 May 1903 Mills Co 7. Robert Lee Goza b. 7 Oct 1905 Mills Co. TX. 8. Mildred Ramona Goza Pace b. 18 Nov. 1907 9. Leonard Elmo Goza b. 25 May 1910 b. Mills Co. 10. Mary Pauline Goza Anglin b. 27 Oct 1912 Mills Co. Paulina Goza died June 14, 1900 and is buried in the Ten Mile Cemetery in Madison Co. TX. Her gravestone is still standing. She was living with Klebor Sr. Goza in Madison Co. Lema Goza Hatfield told me that Great Grandma Goza was very religious and died shouting that she could see heaven. She also tells the story that as Great Grandma lay dying, she kept telling little Tommy, then five, that she loved him so much that she wished she could take him with her. It was soon after Great Grandma died that Tommy died of the stomach flu. Irma Goza, wife of Klebor's son James, remembers being told that his Grandmother, Paulina, was at least half Indian. He can remember her combing her long black hair and remembers that she wore it in a long braid down her back. I found a census in Ms that states that she was born in MS. Irma Goza told me that Klebor and Mattie always called each other "Old Man and Old Woman", and that they had very few harsh words with each other. George Lee (Uncle Lee) married Barbara Allen Mize (Aunt Barb) on July 15, 1891 in Madison Co. TX where they lived until the fall of 1899 when they moved to Mills Co. TX, locating on the Colorado River south of Goldthwaite. In 1901 they moved near Marlow, Oklahoma where they lived a few months, then returned to Madison Co. They lived there only a few months then returning to Mills County until 1904. They then returned to Oklahoma making two crops 14 miles west of Marlow, OK. They sold their crops and cattle in the fall of 1906 and returned to Jones Co. TX. where they remained. He made his living farming and buying and selling land. They also owned a brick business, seven acres and two residences in the city of Anson. One of his children, Klebor Jr. was born in Oklahoma. They lived in the Union Community Southwest of Anson near the Clear Fork of the Brazos River where they farmed. Uncle Lee, Aunt Barb, and most of his children lived and are buried in Anson. Two of his children, Charles Louis and Lulu, are buried in the Ten Mile Cemetery in Madison Co. TX. Willie B., Uncle Lee's son, had a twin sister Lillie lee who died. I do not know where she is buried. She is not listed as buried in the Anson cemetery. James Aaron Goza married Mary Isabelle Mize and moved to Oklahoma around 1900. I do not have the birth dates of any of his children. One of his daughters, Ester, and her husband went to Oklahoma with them. He and Mary I. Mize Goza are buried in the Bear Creek Cemetery in Stephens County, Oklahoma. I have been in contact with one of James's Great Granddaughters, Charlene Young Bunch of Duncan OK. Her grandmother was Ethel E. Goza Jones. James A. Gaza's children are: 1. Everett Goza 2. Daniel Goza 3. Weaver Goza 4. Ruth Goza 5. Rubye Goza b. 1901 m. Finch 6. Reaves Goza 7. Ester Goza 8. Plina Goza 9. Pearl Goza b. 27 Aug. 1902 d. 1977 Murry Cemetery m. Tom Drake 10. Ethel Estell Goza m. Tom Jones 11. Bessie Goza b. 190? Thomas Ayres Goza, called Jessie, first married D. C. Maness in TX. His second marriage was to Nora Miller. He went to Oklahoma with James Goza. He is buried in the Alfalfa Cemetery in Caddo County OK. His children by D.C. Maness are, 1. William A. Goza b. 15 Aug. 1892 Ardmore OK d. 1973 Carnigie OK 2. " Lizzie" Goza His children by Nora Miller are' 1. James Edmond Goza b. 22 July 1904 d. 31 Aug. 1991 m. Zula Scales 2. Eunice Goza b. 13 May 1906 d. 2000 3. May Goza b. 2 Feb. 1909 d. 21 Feb 1924 4. Lee Goza b. 9 Dec. 1911 d. 20 Nov. 1923 5. Frank Goza b. 1 Aug. 1917 d. 21 July 196? 6. Lester Goza 5 May 1913 OK d. Jan 2000 7. Archie Goza b. Nov 1918 still living in 2001 CA 8. Marie Goza b. 20 Apr. 1921 still living in 2001 m. Madden m. Porter There were two other Gozas who moved to Madison Co. TX. They were William Goza and James A., the sons of Joshua Goza. Joshua had one other son, George W. Goza, but I do not have any proof that he came to Texas. William had 2 children, Lula and Fleetwood. Lula died young. I have been told that Fleetwood's mother, Exrene, "Sug" White Goza, died and his father, William, left them at an orphanage and was never heard from again. William was left an orphan and he went to Bee Co. TX. with the Hensley family. He later married Sarah Hensley and both are buried in Kenedy Texas. He had a large family. I have not found any trace of the other 2 brothers. My Grandfather was Web Goza. Web was a very good fiddle player and was probably taught by James Bridges, who was the nephew who brought Great Grandma to Texas. Web played at many of the dances around Anson. He would take his sons, Joe and Charlie, to town and play the fiddle while they jigged. People would give them money for their performance. They often made enough to buy sugar or flour. I do not know which other of this family could jig. I do know one of my best memories of my Daddy was when would jig for us. He was very good. Some of the Goza boys around Anson were rumored to have made moonshine. Sometime we have only impressions of those who died before we were born. I do know that Grandpa Web Goza was always talked about as being a very kind and loving man. I know several of his sons were much like him. My Daddy, known as Judge, was very tender hearted. He loved his children very much. He had a great sense of humor and would give you anything he had. I have been told that the three Goza men, Lee, Web, and Klebor loved children. They say that when Web was teaching his nephew, Bill Goza, to play the fiddle he would sit there for hours with him on his knee. He also bought Bill his first fiddle. When Gozas get together, it is not long before they are talking of the Goza reunions that were held yearly over the Fourth of July weekend. They were first held on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River near Union. It was an over night get together and most spent Saturday night there. When the reunion became too big to have it at the river it was held at Buffalo Gap State Park south of Abilene. It was a time when one saw cousins whom you had not seen since the reunion the year before. There were over a hundred or more Gozas who attended. One of my best memories of the Goza reunion was the time it rained. The Goza campsite was near a small bluff and we children learned that old red clay, when wet, made a wonderful slide. Can you imagine the mess? I'm sure it was not the adult's favorite reunion. Most of the Gozas are scattered all over the country. We no longer see each other but we are left with many happy memories. *Note: Much of the early data in this document is taken from the Goza Book written by Joe Goza of Calera, Oklahoma. Joe Goza's line started with one of James Webster Goza's uncles, Peter Jarrett, who is listed on page 59 of the Goza book. He was: Peter Jarrett Goza p.59 his son was, Joshua Goza p.74 his son was, Joshua Bethel Goza, p. 83, his son was Willie B. Goza, p. 84 his son was Joe A. Goza, author of the Goza book. P. 84 Others who have contributed to this story are, 1. Pattie Goza White, Hendersonville, TN. Daughter of Charlie Goza 2. Mona Goza Conger, granddaughter of George Lee Goza, Anson TX. 3. Evelyn Goza Lollar, daughter of Bob Goza Anson, TX 4. Mrs. Margie Goza, wife of Bill Goza Abilene, TX. 5. Guy Goza, Arlington TX. son of Charlie Goza 6. Larry Goza, son of Bill Goza Abilene, TX. 7. Lema Goza Hatfield, who was 94 in Sept. 2000 in Snyder TX. 8. Jerry Hatfield, son of Lema Goza Hatfield, Snyder, TX. 9. Irma Goza, wife of Jim Goza, Sweetwater, TX. 10. A History of Madison County, Texas Vol. II 1997 by the Madison County Historical Commission. 11. Madison Co. TX library, genealogy department 12. The William P. Harringtons of San Angelo 13. A news article from the 1941 Anson newspaper. 14 Rubye Hodges granddaughter of Thomas A. Goza (Jesse) Wellington, TX 15. Mrs. John M. Goza Beeville, TX. family of Fleetwood Goza 16. Charlene Young Bunch, Great Granddaughter of James Goza Duncan, OK. I would like to thank all of those who sent their family genealogy so that I may add more generations to the Goza Book. --------------------------------------------------------------------