James married Catherine Wotring in 1826 in Virginia, United States. Catherine was born on 19 Aug 1807 in Aurora, Preston, Virginia, United States; died on 13 May 1866 in Barbour, West Virginia, United States. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Gilbert married Eleanor Goff on 13 Mar 1805 in Harrison, Charles, Virginia, USA. Eleanor (daughter of James Goff and Mary Anderson) was born in 1787 in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA; died on 1 Jun 1863 in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From: Hayward Robert Goff, Jr.

Thiel or Salathiel (others say Tharl or Thyle) Goff was born in England about 1715. He married twice. The marriage to Hannah Turton produced two sons, James and John Turton. A later marriage to Joanna or Nancy Strother produced two sons Thomas Jonas and Salathiel. About 1750, Thiel took his family to Germany because of oppression to religious beliefs, power structure of government, and oppression to the Goff name. The boys became well educated, spoke German, and spoke English with a heavy German brogue, thus leading early historians astray and called the family German. The family formed lasting friendships withe the Riddles and Hardmans. About 1759 Thiel did not like the conditions of religious teachings and other conditions in Germany so left Germany and returned to England. In 1760 John Turton Goff, son of Thiel Goff, married Elizabeth Welch of Scotland. In 1762 (aug. 21) James C. Goff, first son of John Turton Goff, was born in England. In 1764 Marsha Ann, second child of John Turton Goff, was born in England. Before 1765 James Riddle married, a sister of Elizabeth, Dorcas Welsh. Later that year Benjamin Riddle, first son of James Riddle and Dorcas Welsh was born. In 1766 Allaluja Goff, third child of John Turton Goff and Elizabeth Welsh, was born. In 1770 or 1771, the Group (Goffs, Hardmans, and Riddles) were together in England. In 1771 John Shelburn, fourth child of John Turton Goff and Elizabeth Welch, was born. About 1772 Salathiel Goff married Elizabeth L. Gray. In 1772 the four Goff brothers, James Riddle, Joseph Hardman, and sister Margaret Hardman (both unmarried) came from England and landed in Baltimore, MD with their families and children. During the Winter of 1772-73, the group stayed in Baltimore, MD. In 1773, the group settled near Georgetown, now part of Washington. In 1774, Thiel died (presumably still in England). That March, the group joined John Minear, a German immigrant, and moved to Cheat River (Now) Tucker County, WV. In 1776, because of the Indian Wars, the group left but returned to Cheat River in Tucker County. The Goff brothers at this time were known for their good education, had money, prestige, and power. In the summer 1781 John Minear was drafted and served in Captain Salathiel Goff's Company against the Indians.

From: Roy Lockhart

James originally married Mary Eunice Johnson. They originally settled within present Tucker County, near the Preston County line. They were a thrifty young couple and resided in a well kept pioneer home. During the Indian disturbances, they were visited and their home burned and many of their possessions destroyed or carried away. Shortly thereafter Mary died. James never fully recovered from these misfortunes and thenceforth lived in a sort of hand to mouth and day to day existence. In 1783, James Goff married Catherine Carrico and settled along Cheat River a few miles south of the mouth of Wolf Creek. He built a simple cabin with a dirt floor. The favorite food of the family was mush, which everyone ate from the same big dish, even when they had guests. James worked incessantly on his farm and always had corn to sell. His price was at a uniform rate of 50 cents a bushel; and, no matter what others sold at, he would take nothing more or less than his price.

From Morton Page 353:

James Goff is claimed as a descendant of Judge Goffe, who was one of the council that sentenced Charles II to the block. He came to Tucker prior to 1774. There is extant a bill of that date, made out by him for building a house for one Mary Combses. In 1783, he moved to the Chambers Bottom, just within the Prestpn line, succeeding a man named Jordan as owner of that choice tract. In Tucker he was burned out by Indians and never again used his former care in the ordering of his home. He worked hard and always had corn, which he sold at the uniform rate of fifty cents a bushel. His money accumlated in a sack concealed under the cabin floor. He could loan out quite a handsome sum when there was occasion to do so. The actual floor of the cabin was the mother earth. It is related that the kettle of mush was set in the middle of the space, each member of the household helping himself with a wooden spoon. The bill of fare always included bread and meat and sometimes greens. He never called his boys to work but if they were not out on time to tell weeds from corn, he warmed them with limber hickory. His brother Salathiel was the direct ancestor of Judge Goff of Clarksburg. Two other brothers, John and Thomas, went south. Of his two sons, John lived on the west side of Laurel Hill, near the George H. Bolyard place. Salathiel lived near Rowlesburg and James J. on the homestead. As given to us, the dates relating to James and his immediate family appear unsatisfactory. Miss Lowther, in her history of Ritchie county, claims that the Goffs are of German origin, though a resident a while in England."

James married Mary Anderson in 1782. Mary and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]