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     MANUSCRIPTS and ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

Goss family papers

 File
Identifier: MSS 16398

Scope and Contents Note

The Goss family papers (1820-2014; 4 cubic feet) contain Civil War letters and documents including a pardon for Ebenezer Walker Goss from President Andrew Johnson in 1865, manuscript receipts of goods sold to the Confederate Army, enslaved person receipts, and papers (mostly correspondence) related to their 19th and early 20th century family in Somerset, Virginia. Business records reflect their apple orchard, farming, and dairy business which was maintained by Charlotte “Lottie” Goss (1861-1914), and her brother Ebenezer “Lee” Goss,(1863-1934). The family papers also contain correspondence with William and Marion du Pont about horses and dogs. There are also letters from suitors, particularly J. Frank Lobingier, pursuing Charlotte “Lottie” Goss (1880-1909), from around the country. Miss Goss lived for a while in Pomona California, and Saltito, Mexico. The family papers also contain photographs and genealogy describing their family history in Virginia.

Dates

  • Creation: 1820-2014
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1820 - 1930

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Historical Note

Ebenezer Walker Goss of Somerset Virginia (1820-1885), son of the Reverend John W. Goss (1775-1838), married Ann Carter Nalle (1824-1907) and they had five children, Ann "Nannie" C. Goss Walker (1848-1928)who married Robert Walker, Jane Goss Claiborne (1853-1922)who married Robert Claiborne, Rosa Goss Turner (1857-1923) who married Mortimer A. Turner (school teacher at Woodberry Forest), Mary Botts Goss (1858-1881),Charlotte "Lottie" Goss (1861-1914), and Ebenezer Lee Goss (1863-1934).

Most of the letters in the collection are to Charlotte "Lottie" Goss who took care of her mother in Somerset, Virginia. Lottie suffered from serious bouts of asthma and was engaged to J. Frank Lobingier who lived in Pomona, California. Mr. Lobingier was also devoted to caring for his mother. Lottie's health and the couple's devotion to their family is mentioned frequently in his letters from 1880 to 1909 as a delay in their becoming married. Instead of marriage, "Lottie" visited friends and helped her brother Lee take care of their farm.

Extent

4 Cubic Feet (7 document boxes, 2 oversize folders)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into Six series.

Provenance

Accession 2017-0193 Purchased, 30 October 2017; Elizabeth Cocke Coles Fund, 2017/2018. Accession 2018-0033 Donated by Atwell W. Somerville, Jr., 30 October 2017.

Title
Goss family papers
Status
Completed
Author
Ellen Welch
Date
23 April 2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library Repository

Contact:
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
P.O. Box 400110
University of Virginia
Charlottesville Virginia 22904-4110 United States