THOMAS GOLD. This worthy gentleman, who is one of the pioneers of Stone County, Missouri, is now retired from the active duties of life and resides in Billings, where he has a comfortable and pleasant home and where he expects to pass the remainder of his days. As the case with many of the best citizens of Christian County, Missouri, he came originally from Tennessee, where his birth occurred August 12, 1819, and where he was reared, growing to manhood in Lincoln County.
His father and mother, Jonathan and Sarah (Riles) Gold, were natives of North Carolina and Tennessee respectively. The father served in the Creek Indian War. He followed farming all his life and was fairly successful in this occupation. At an early age he went to Tennessee, and was there married to Miss Riles, who accompanied him to Christian County, Missouri, in 1853. There his death occurred soon after the war. He and wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and highly esteemed in the community in which they lived. She passed away soon after the war, too. Fourteen children were born to this estimable couple, twelve of whom are living at the present time.
The original of this notice was over thirty years of age when the family came to Christian County. Prior to leaving his native State he was married to Miss Mary J. Cavanaugh, a native of Tennessee, and after locating in this county he took up a farm, erected a cabin and entered upon his career as a pioneer settler. Eleven children blessed his marriage as follows: James T., Margaret, William, Mary and Martha (twins), Lorenzo, Silas, Allen, Joseph, Francis and Elizabeth. Margaret and Martha are the ones deceased. Of the nine children living, some make their home in Stone and others in Christian County, and most of them in the neighborhood where our subject resided for many years. In the year 1876 the mother of these children died, and Mr. Gold chose his second wife in the person of Miss Catherine Wright, a native of Tennessee and the daughter of Aaron and Nancy Wright. Mrs. Gold was reared in her native State until thirteen years of age, and then came to Christian County, where she has resided since. Her father died in Tennessee and her mother afterward migrated to Stone County, Missouri, where her death occurred in 1876.
On his farm in Christian County our subject resided until about 1866, when he moved to Stone County, and was a resident of the same up to 1892. During that time he accumulated a fair share of this world’s goods, and then moved to Billings, where he is retired from active business life His children are all doing well, he is comfortably fixed and can pass the closing scenes of his life in peace and quiet. In politics he is a stanch supporter of Republican principles, and his sons all vote the same ticket. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company G, Eighth Missouri Volunteer Regiment, under Col. Gregor. This was in 1862, and he was discharged in 1864, serving about two years. He was in the battle of Prairie Grove, but was sick and in hospital service for some time. In all public matters Mr. Gold has ever taken a decided interest, and has extended a helping hand to further all worthy enterprises. In religion he is a member of the Christian and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and both are highly esteemed. He was considered one of the best and most progressive agriculturists in his county, and was also actively engaged in stockraising. He has several brothers living in Stone County. Socially he is a member of Billings Post, G. A. R.