ANCESTRY AND PARENTS.
In Cumberland County, in the southern part of the State of New Jersey, may be found a little settlement called "Gouldtown." It contains a church, a school house, a blacksmith shop, a wheelwright shop, two stores and a post office. The community is made up almost entirely of farmers, and is of course very conservative as to modes of thought and expression.
It takes its name from the large family of Gould's who have so long occupied the place. There are, however, three other families more or less intermixed with the Gould family; viz: The Pierces, the Murrays, and the Cuffs; but the Goulds have usually maintained the leading position, both in number and influence.
Tradition connects this family with the early settlers of the State. John Fenwick, an Englishman, who had been a Major in the Parliamentary army under Cromwell, and who had been specially appointed by Cromwell to "see the sentence of death pronounced against the king, (Charles I.,) executed, in the open streets before Whitehall," after the Restoration emigrated to America. He had adopted the religious views of George Fox, and became associated with William Penn.
He arrived in New Jersey (Caesarea) in the year 1675, accompanied by his three daughters, two of whom were married, their husbands, five grandchildren, and ten servants.
One grand-daughter, Elizabeth, aged at the time of their arrival in America at eleven years, subsequently caused him much grief, and, it is said did much to bring his gray hairs in sorrow to the grave. "He does not disguise the sense of shame that hangs over him from her course of life, and strives to make her understand his displeasure, by depriving her of any part of his property, immediate or prospective, but on certain conditions."—Life of John Fenwick by John Clemens.
The crime committed by Elizabeth, was uniting herself in wedlock to a black man. It may have been an informal wedlock; as perhaps no one could be found in the colony who would have dared solemnize or record such a marriage. For its legality it may have had to depend upon Heaven's authority, and not upon the par-blind courts of men. The "certain conditions" upon which Elizabeth might share a part of her grandfather's property were, to leave "that Black," and repent of her sins. (See Fenwick's will.)
A tradition universally accepted, connects the Goulds with the issue of this marriage. The name of this man, however, is not found in any of the family records, and in Fenwick's will he is simply contemptuously called "that Black." A vague tradition says he was a slave whom Fenwick purchased of some trading vessel, giving in exchange for him a barrel of rum. If this should be true, the sequel shows how large a trouble he bought with a small price.
Benjamin Gould, the first Gould of whom we have any record, is declared to be the son of this Elizabeth. He is supposed to have had a brother named Richard. The dust of Benjamin Gould and "Ann" his wife, lies buried in the old family graveyard at Gouldtown.
To them were born Elisha, Abijah, Samuel and Anthony. Samuel died January 26th, 1793, and Abijah in 1806. Very little, indeed, is known of this generation.