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A Runaway

On Saturday afternoon as Z.N. Goldsby was driving on Pacific avenue, coming from the beach with his daughter, Mrs. Lulu Cloud, a horse rapidly driven behind them startled the young horse which Mr. Goldsby was driving. The animal jumped to one side and in doing so caught one of his hind feet on the traces and was unable to disengage it. This occurred just opposite the roller coaster, and the frightened animal became unmanageable; when opposite C. D. Holbrook's residence he plunged rapidly across the car track and overturned the buggy, throwing Mrs. Cloud under it and Mr. Goldsby was thrown a distance of eight or ten feet and against a tree; his head was cut and his side and body so severely bruised that it was at first feared that a rib was fractured. Mr. Goldsby was taken into Dr. Mark's office in an unconscious state but Mrs. Cloud, though momentarily stunned, was able to get up without assistance. Mr. Goldsby is resting in comparative comfort today and it is hoped that all danger of inflammation of the lungs, which was at first feared, is now past. Dr. Knight, his family physician, is in attendance upon him. the frightened horse was captured by E.S. Gilbert and the buggy was almost a complete wreck.

Oakland Post Enquirer (July 1, 1925)

DIED: GOLDSBY- In Oakland June 17, 1925 Zachariah N. Goldsby grandfather of S.G. and A.J. Cloud, a native of Illinois aged 89 years. Late a member of Admiral Porter Post No. 169 GAR.

Santa Cruz Evening News June 30, 1925)

Death Calls Z.N. Goldsby After Long and Useful Career

Z.N. Goldsby, aged eighty-seven years, a brother-in-law of William T. Jeter of Santa Cruz, passed away in Oakland on Saturday. The deceased was a native of Sangamon county, Illinois. The remains will be brought to Santa Cruz for burial on the 12:40 p.m. train tomorrow after which; at 1 o'clock. Rev J.M. Hoover, pastor of the local Baptist church, will conduct funeral services at the grave in I.O.O.F. cemetery.

Mr. Goldsby was one of the best known and respected of Santa Cruz' pioneer residents, coming here in 1877 and practicing law here until 1887, when he moved to Oakland. He also served as district attorney while residing here. It was the writer's pleasure on the occasion of the last visit of Mr. Goldsby to Santa Cruz to have an extended interview with him concerning his early Santa Cruz activities, which interview was published in the columns several months ago. Mr. Goldsby at that time was exceedingly alert and the possessor of the active mind of a person of middle age.

While in this city Mr. Goldsby actively identified himself with the Wallace Reynolds post, G.A.R. as during the Civil War he was a lieutenant of Company D of the Twelfth Missouri cavalry. He was also a staunch Baptist and for years served on the board of trustees, and was also a deacon in the local Baptist church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, who passed away in 1897. His only daughter, Mrs. Lulu Cloud passed away about a year ago. Mrs. Cloud was the mother of Scott Cloud and A.J. Cloud, the latter being chief deputy superintendent of schools of San Francisco.

Santa Cruz Sentinel (July 2, 1925)

Funeral of Late Z. N. Goldsby

The funeral of the late Z.N. Goldsby, for many years a practicing attorney in Santa Cruz, was held yesterday, upon the arrival of the train. The burial was at the Odd Fellows cemetery and the services were conducted by Rev. J.N. Hoover of the Baptist church.

Relatives came from San Francisco and Oakland and friends and relatives from Santa Cruz were at the cemetery.

Internet Site: homepages.rootsweb.com/~baily/pages/hejeter.htm, Trish Harris (retrieved September 20, 2003)

According to family tradition, Zachariah N. Goldsby's family came from Wales. Three brothers came to Virginia in the early days (date unknown), settled there and had families. James Goldsby, Sr., one of their descendants, b. 1764 probably in Virginia, married Nancy [last name unknown] and they had moved to Kentucky by 1793, where James Goldsby, Jr. was born 20 Dec 1793 most likely in Green County.

James Goldsby Jr., married 24 Dec 1812 in Kentucky, Elizabeth Bingley, the fourth child of Elizabeth Morris and Lewis Bingley, b. Dec 1797 in James City Co., Virgina. Her father died in October 1799 and her mother remarried Zachariah Nance in 1802 (both of these men were Revolutionary War soldiers) and in 1806 the family moved to Green Co., Kentucky where I assume (because I do not know for sure that this is where the Goldsbys lived) Elizabeth met and married James Jr.

They had 7 children, all except Z.N. were born in Kentucky, as they didn't move to Illinois until 1832. At that time the Nance, Goldsby and Berry families moved from Kentucky to Sangamon Co., Illinois. I know that Samuel James Berry received bounty land from the government for his war service. The others probably did also, being eligible for the bounty land as they had either fought in the Revolutionary War or War of 1812. (Sangamon Co. was split in 1839 and where these families lived became Menard Co.)

Zachariah Nance Goldsby was born in Sangammon Co., IL, June 1836. He was named to honor his mother's stepfather who was the only father she knew due to the fact that her own father died less than two years after she was born.

Z.N. (this is the name I will use through out this article as it is the only name I have found used, in all the newspaper stories, bios., in his business advertisements, on his business card, and in the city directories) grew up on a farm near Petersburg, IL, going to school in winter and working his father's farm in the summer. He decided that he wanted a higher education and enrolled in the Preparatory Dept. of the Virginia Seminary in Cass Co., IL, after which he entered Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, IL. After finishing school he took up teaching and still worked his father's farm in the summer.

He married Harriet Jeter in Petersburg, IL, in 1857, and they continued to work his father's farm while he taught school. Their first daughter Mary Luella "Lulu" Goldsby, was born 10 Dec 1857 in Petersburg, IL.

In 1859 they sold their Land in Illinois and moved to Chillicothe, Missouri where Z.N. opened an office to practice law, his chosen profession.

Z.N. and Harriet had 3 other children: two girls, Emma b. 1859 and Elizabeth b. 1861, both girls died the same day 2 June 1863 cause unknown. Their only son, William, was b. 10 Feb. 1865 and d. 25 Oct. 1865 cause unknown. Lulu was the only child that survived to adulthood.

While in Chillicothe, Z.N.'s business did well, and he attracted many clients. He was community minded and a staunch Union supporter. He was a member of the Home Guard (Union Supporters) and in 1862 he joined the 12th Regiment, Missouri Cavalry, commanded by Oliver Wells. They participated in many skirmishes and several important engagements in Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. Later he was attached to the 23rd Corps, Commanded by Gen. Schofield in Tennessee. In 1865 he was honorably discharged in Alabama, due to disability.

When he returned to his home in Missouri, he found that he was impoverished in both finances and health. Through the help of a staunch Union supporter he was able to buy a law library and once more open his law office. He quickly accumulated a large clientele, which brought him both success and satisfactory financial returns. On 9 Nov 1874 their daughter Lulu married William H. Cloud b. about 1848 in either Hardin Co., OH or Beaver Co., PA, he died 30 Sept 1886 in San Francisco, CA.

In 1875, due to his failing health, Z.N. and Harriet decided to move west. They sold their property and business interests and moved to Virginia City, NV, along with their daughter, her husband William, and possibly Harriet's brother, William T. Jeter.

Here once again Z.N. opened his law office. In 1876 Lulu presented them with their first grandson, Scott Goldsby Cloud b. 16 Dec 1876 in Virginia City, Washoe Co., NV. Shortly after Scott was born, the family moved again in June 1877, to Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co., CA.

Here Z.N. again established his law office, joined in community affairs, ran for district attorney, joined the local post of the G. A. R. and the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife Harriet joined the local Baptist Church and joined the local society. In 1878 their second grandson was born in Santa Cruz, one Archibald Jeter Cloud, who in later life helped to create the CA Junior College System and became the first president of San Francisco City College. A third grandson was born in 1880, Frederick Hawthorne Cloud, but he never got the chance to make a name for himself as he died in 1890 age 10 years.

The 1880 Santa Cruz census shows everyone living in the same house. That is: Z.N. and Harriet Goldsby, Lulu and William Cloud, their children, Scott and Archie plus Wm. T. Jeter, two boarders and a servant.

In 1894 or 1895, Z.N. and Harriet moved his family and his practice to Oakland, CA. Their daughter Lulu (her husband died 30 Sept 1886 in San Francisco) and her children also moved with them. He continued practicing law there until at least 1915, which is as far as I can trace him in the Oakland City Directories.

Harriet died in September 1897 after a short illness. In the 1900 Oakland census, Z.N. was still living with his daughter and grandsons. I found this census intriguing because they asked the women how many children they had borne and how many were still living. Lulu's answer was 2 born and 2 living. I guess she forgot about Freddie, or it was too painful a memory.

In 1906, Z. N. married for a second time, Mrs. Gertrude (Turfin) Allen, a native of England who was living in Oakland when he met her. I have no other information about her at present.

Lulu also remarried in 1907, her 1st husband's older brother James S. Cloud in Kansas City, Kansas. She remained there with her husband until February 1913 when she returned to CA at her son Archie's suggestion due to the fact she had been quite ill the previous year. She left her husband in Kansas because by then he was a bedridden invalid. His children encouraged her to go, saying they would take care of their father while she was gone. She intended to return to Kansas in Octobet 1913, but just before she was to leave for Kansas, she became ill and went to hospital and never went back to Kansas. Due to Lulu not returning to Kansas, the government refused her request for her husband's Civil War pension after his death in 1916.

Z.N. Goldsby, disappears from the Oakland City Directories in 1916 and except for a letter I have, dated 1922, where his address was Hilmar, CA, a small town near Merced in the Central Valley. I don't know how long he lived there or when his 2nd wife died, she is not listed as surviving him in his obituary. What I do know is that he died in Oakland, CA, 29 June 1925. He was buried in the Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery along with Harriet and his daughter Lulu who died in 1924, and probably her son Freddie. I went to the Cemetery and their names are in the register, but there are no gravestones.

Trish Harris November 22, 1999

Editorial Notes from Robert L. Nelson (April 18, 2001)

Few members of the GAR in Santa Cruz received such attention in the press as did Zachariah N. Goldsby. He would unhesitatingly volunteer for committee work throughout the early years of the GAR. In 1881 he served as the president of the commission which was to form the Wallace Post, and later became their first Sr. Vice Commander. In 1882 he was elected as Post Commander and immediately became involved in an attempt to host the 1882 encampment, which was held in San Jose.

In 1885, seeing the need for the GAR to actively participate in the National Encampment Excursion, he served as the Chairman of that committee and was subsequently appointed National GAR aide de Camp at the San Francisco Encampment. It was during this period that he left the Wallace Post and aligned himself with the Reynolds Post where he remained very active. Over the years when major Civil War personalities, such as General O. O. Howard or General Barnes visited Santa Cruz, Goldsby would be called upon to introduce them. He was also appointed as a director of the GAR veterans home at Yountville in which capacity he served for five years. Goldsby was also instrumental in the formation of the McPherson Sons of Veterans Post, and actively participated with the WRC in their activities. Later he would serve as the Chairman of, Orator of, and Grand Marshal of Memorial Day activities.

Date of Birth: 1836-06-04

Date of Death: 1925-01-07

County: Santa Cruz

Cemetery/City of Burial: Santa Cruz Memorial Park

Plot: J07

Date of Marriage: 1857/03/24

Spouse: Jeter_ Harriet Elizabeth

Occupation: Attorney

Religion: Ba

Height: 6'0

Complexion: Lt

Eye Color: Bl

Hair Color: Gr

Local Address: Walnut Ave 92

Last City: Santa Cruz

Native of: IL

Father Native of: James (KY)

Mother Native of: Bingley_ Elizabeth (KY)

Enlisted: 1862/

Discharged: 1865/

Military Unit: MO_ 12 Cav_ Co D

Rank: Lt2

Military Notes: Not on HDS/SSS Database 04/04

GAR#: R98

Available records used to obtain information:
Cemetery records
Santa Cruz County death records
Military records
Santa Cruz and Monterey newspapers
Voter Records

CW Reference: JFR 1886 Roster