All About The Gobens

By: Karen Zach

The Goben family in Montgomery County began in 1829 when Jesse J. Goben entered land in Walnut Township. For a couple of years in his native Kentucky he worked hard raising tobacco, saved the money and walked to Crawfordsville to enter his land at just age 21. In his own words, “I raised my cabin, hewed puncheons and floored it, built the chimney up to the mantel and prepared the small sticks for running the flue.” Cabin complete, it was back to Shelby County to marry his beloved (married 56 years at her death) Arminta Goben, age 18. In the dead of winter (mid December) they made their way back to their MoCo abode (she on the back of their one horse, he walking through slush and mud) and parented 14 children, some passing young or at birth, basically nine growing up. His story of how he became a minister is amazing and how he preached to himself as he worked out in his fields. Thus, it culminated with him being deathly sick, no doctor being able to figure out his malady. Arminta saw a doctor in a dream and Jesse was hauled to Crawfordsville to see Dr. Benage (Arminta recognized him from her vision) – within 48 hours Rev. Jesse was as good as new and preaching away. (Chapman Brothers Portrait & Biographical … p 345). The couple were amazing singers and led revivals in song many times over.

Jesse Goben was the son of James and Elizabeth (Kline) Goben, James the son of William “Billy” Goben who was said to have been a native of Ireland. In 1776 Billy married Rebecca Brandy of Dutch descent. Billy was a Revolutionary Soldier. Jesse received his name from his mother, Minty’s father, Jesse Leonard Plunkett.

One of Jesse and Arminta’s five sons to grow to adulthood is my subject today, although mention of the others will likely crop-up as well. William P. Goben was born right here in MoCo on the 20th of May in 1849 and passed away 15 February 1926. As with some of his brothers, he probably went to Wesley Academy near Waynetown. Overall, he was a carpenter but did some farming and other such work and toward the end of his years, he and wife owned a boarding house. The carpentry helped the most, I guess as in April of 1892, he (and some of his brothers which I could never pinpoint but I’m guessing Jesse and Matthias Vancleave, possibly John L., but John has a story of his own about that time and depending on which paper and who you probably would have talked to whether he did all the shenanigans he was accused of doing is questionable; however, since there were large discrepancies when he was county treasurer and again as county auditor, who knows)? John and MV also liked to race and purchase horses, plus they both moved to Illinois not long after the troubles. Ohhhh, hmmm!!

At any rate, Will was the major force behind the Goben Fire Escape that was patented. Many since the Chicago fires had worked on perfecting fire escapes but this was somewhat unique as it had moveable (all automatic) sections that went down a flight, the person quickly moved to another moveable platform and the first returned to pick up someone else trying to get out. Sounds a bit confusing but it had much praise, many followers and several buyers (especially hotel owners) of the affair (yep, they could use it on all the windows at the same time). Ironically, several companies from Chicago purchased such.

Will P. was first married to Ann Elizabeth “Lizzie” McIntire on 20 October 1881 and their daughter Sally Belle (oops?) was born the next year on the last day of May in my little hometown (had no idea until researching this). She was but 5 years old when her mother passed away. The Review poked a bit of fun (12 Feb 1898) at Sally saying that she visited Linden on Sunday and that she admired gray houses. Evidently her husband Thomas Endean lived in one near there. They married and presented Will P. with two grandsons (Paul William and Edward). Sally lead a pretty long life compared to the other gals in the families, passing 21 Dec 1958 of lung and colon cancer which she had suffered from for about five years!

Will P. was married again to Dorcas Foster (20 April 1891) at the home of his father’s good friend, Matthias VanCleave and they were blessed with one beautiful and vivacious daughter, Jessie Lee (born 17 April 1894) I assume named for Gpa’. Again, Will lost his wife, Jessie her mother and Sally her stepmother as Dorcas died at just 40 Aug 11, 1904.

Guess the third time was the charm as Will married for the third and final time to Martha White McClure who survived him. She lost a son in 1925 (or late 24) living in Washington DC of unknown causes at just 40 years old. That year, Will lost his beloved daughter Jessie who had married Rev. Russell Pittman. They were so happy, married for seven years (she was a wonderful helper and he an admired preacher) and finally expecting their first child, only Jessie developed a poisoning in her stomach and died before giving birth. Think it is neat that the Pittmans and Will and Martha travelled far and wide together before all this happened.

William P. Goben (sometimes spelled Gobin) didn’t seem anyway to be a big joiner but upon his death, his obituary was emphatic about making sure the reader realized that Mr. Goben was “widely respected for his honesty, sincerity and deep devotion to his family and friends!” Sounds like Jesse J’s (photo of what I imagine Will looks like – Jesse was handsome, huh photo of the Gobens from Cliff Gobin on Ancestry )- clone and that’s a good thing all the way around!

– Karen Zach is the editor of Montgomery Memories, our monthly magazine all about Montgomery County. Her column, Around the County, appears each Thursday in The Paper of Montgomery County. You can reach her at [email protected].