Mary Higgins

Golden, Richard (1798–1872). Richard Golden was born in Lincoln County, Georgia in early 1798 to William and Polly Golden. He moved to Alabama where it is believed he married Mary “Polly” Higgins in 1818. Richard and Polly had seven children who lived to adulthood. They also cared for several of their grandchildren after the deaths of the children’s parents. The Golden family moved to the Republic of Texas, arriving about December 1841. Richard received a 3^rd class headright of 640 acres in 1845. His homestead was located near what is now the Mt. Zion Methodist Church. Richard steadily accumulated wealth and often made gifts of land to his children. Despite the impact of the Civil War on his livelihood and holdings, Richard owned 2,000 acres of land in 1870. He was a religious man and he helped establish the Mt. Zion Methodist Church near his homestead. Richard died in Panola County in Dec. 1872 and was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery near DeBerry, Texas. The two Goldens were early frontier settlers of the Republic of Texas.

Golden, Mary “Polly” Higgins (1800–ca 1877). Mary “Polly” Higgins Golden was born in North Carolina on June 4, 1800. She apparently migrated to the Blount County, Alabama, area where she is presumed to have married Richard Golden in 1818. She and Richard were the parents of seven children who lived to adulthood, and they also helped raise some of their grandchildren after the deaths of the children’s parents. Polly moved with her family to the Republic of Texas, arriving about December 1841. Her husband, Richard, received a 3^rd class headright of 640 acres in 1845. Their homestead was located near the present-day Mt. Zion Methodist Church, which the Golden family helped establish. Polly outlived her husband and most of her children and was apparently disabled in her old age. It is reported that she lived with her nephew, Matt Trosper, in Bethany prior to her death in 1877. The two Goldens were early frontier settlers of the Republic of Texas.