Goforth Origins Project

I believe the study of genealogy can be a powerful way to connect with our past. As we begin to understand where we came from, we discover historical forces that shaped who we are today. Unique though we are as individuals, we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, who in turn found their way in life guided by the lessons passed down by their family.

Any genealogy of the Goforth family must begin with acknowledgement and gratitude for the extraordinary Goforth Genealogy. First published in 1971 by George Tuttle Goforth, the 100 page paperback was the culmination of the work started by his grandfather, George Mitchell Goforth and his father, Herndon Ware Goforth. By the time the 5th edition was digitally published in 2001, the volume had grown to over 800 pages and contained a wealth of information painstakingly collected from courthouses, libraries, government archives, and graveyards. Much of the volume was collected long before the internet became useful and was gathered the old-fashioned way, driving across the country following leads from location to location.

The Goforth Origins Project emerged from my facination with the first families which were minimally documented in The Goforth Genealogy, beginning with George Goforth of Knedlington (estimated birth, 1565).

I was so curious to know—who was this man? How do we know what we know about him? What might his life have been like? What can we learn about his ancestors?

So began my research. My goal has been twofold: learn the histories of each locality and find or reconstruct stories of real Goforths. I collected genealogical records only recently available on the internet and searched for primary source documents, eventually developing a sense of where to find previously undiscovered records.

Within a year, it became clear that there was a trove of stories to be told, culminating in a family trip to England in the summer of 2018. We saw and photographed sights of significance to the Goforth family and visited local archives to photograph original documents, following hunches and leads which revealed more of our history.

As I continue to add chapters to this site, my hope is that you will find as much wonder, inspiration, and pride in our family history as I have.

Have your own Goforth stories to share? I always enjoy hearing from fellow Goforths. Drop me a line at josh@goforthorigins.org.

Go forth in peace,

Josh Goforth