Moses Aaron Gold (1845-1884)

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After the end of the Civil War, Aaron Gold returned to New York to find a Jewish wife. He had already fathered a son illegitimately in New Mexico, Atilano Gold, in 1863, and his mother likely demanded that he marry within the Jewish faith. It is also very possible that Louis Gold returned to New York to attend weddings and likely do some business during Fall and Winter of 1866-67. Aaron was married on September 29, 1866 to Phoebe Cohen, and Abe was married on March 29, 1867 to Mary Levy. Both joined their father in Santa Fe and rarely returned to New York in subsequent years.  

Aaron Gold died in 1884 at age 39, survived by 5 of his 6 children by his wife Phoebe, as well as by Atilano Gold.  His wife Phoebe tried for years to obtain a Civil War widow's pension, but was denied due to Aaron serving 1 day short of the 90 days required for a pension.  Their daughter Zepora, through her attorney husband Robert Gortner appealed the pension decision many years later but the appeal was denied,

Notes for Moses Aaron Gold:

Tombstone indicates that Moses Aaron, known by his middle name, was a member of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic). His Civil War Pension file shows that he was with the NM Militia.

PENASCO

Taos County Post Office History

PENASCO,NM: The village was first started when Governor Fernando Chacon was petitioned by three families to settle here. The first postmaster, Aaron Gold, opened the Penasco Post Office on September 10, 1874.

BIO PUBLISHED IN THE SANTA FE WEEKLY DEMOCRAT, January 6, 1881, page 3. Source: Bloom Archives in the University of Arizona Library, Tucson, AZ, Box 2, Folder 30:

“M.A. GOLD

Among the eldest Americans engaged in business in Santa Fe is nominated the subject of this sketch, Mr. M.A. Gold, he having come here as a boy and remained ever since. Mr. Gold is a native of Germany; but his long residence in New Mexico has thoroughly Americanized him in every aspect. His various and lucrative business establishments in this city are all indicative of the spirit, enterprise and solidity of the proprietor. The general merchandise store is replete with everything that is needed in the way of groceries, provisions, etc. to make one enjoy life, and the liberal manner in which it is patronized attests to the fact of his always looking after the best interests of his customers. Next in order comes his Indian curiosity establishment. Here can be seen some of the most curious specimens of Indian ingenuity to be found on this continent. During the visit of the Presidential party, Mrs. Hayes paid this place a visit and was highly pleased by what she saw, purchasing some of the finest specimens and sending them to Ohio. Last but not least comes Mr. Gold’s saloon, where can be found everything in the way of good liquors and cigars to suit ones fancy. Mr. Gold is now on a visit to New York, but is expected back shortly.”

SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN REVIEW

MAY 5, 1884

An Old Citizen Called

Moses Aaron Gold breathed his last at 6:00 Saturday evening after a long and painful illness. He was one of Santa Fe’s oldest citizens and leaves many friends with his large family and his brothers, Messrs. Jake and Abe Gold, to mourn his death. His family are left in comfortable circumstances and besides will secure $5,000 for which the deceased held a policy on his life. He was 40 years of age. The burial took place yesterday afternoon and the remains were buried in the Masonic Cemetery by Carleton Post, G.A.R., of which he was a member, having been during the war enlisted in the first New Mexico volunteers. The services were performed at the grave by Capt. C.A. Woodruff, post commander, and W.T. Guyer, chaplain.

Only two of Aaron’s children, Ben and Louis had children of their own, and I am in contact with their descendants, Vanessa Rupp of Vista, California and Ned Gold of Warren, Ohio.  Vanessa heard a family story that her great grandmother Phoebe as a new bride, travelled on her own to join Aaron in Santa Fe - when their wagon was harassed by Indians, she hid inside a trunk and was unharmed.

Notes for Phoebe Cohen:

Last name incorrectly was reported as Jackson in family pass-down information. Cohen taken from California Death Record of daughter Zepora Gold Renahan Gortner, as well as Phoebe's marriage certificate.  Levy Jackson was a witness on the marriage certificate, which adds to the Jackson/Cohen name confusion for Phoebe.

Moses Aaron Gold and Phoebe Cohen had the following children:

iii.

NATHAN EDWARD GOLD was born on 28 Aug 1868 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He died on 07 Oct 1899 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Notes for Nathan Edward Gold:

SANTA FE NEW MEXICAN

OCTOBER 7, 1899

Death of Nathan Gold

Nathan Gold, a well known young man of this city, died last evening after a lingering illness of four years with diabetes. Mr Gold was the son of the late Aaron Gold, and was born August, 1868, in this city. He attended the schools here and in New York city. Under Cleveland’s administration, he was interpreter of the pension commission, and was city marshal under Mayor Charles F. Easley. He was a member of Paradise lodge of Odd Fellows, and of the Santa Fe lodge Knights of Pythias. Besides his widowed mother he leaves two sisters, Mrs. A.B. Renahan, and Miss Rebecca Gold, and two brothers, Louis, of this city, and Benjamin, whose location is not definitely known but who is believed to have enlisted for the Philippine war. Mr. Gold was a young man of pleasant ways with many friends and no enemies.

The funeral will take place Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock. It will be under the auspices of the local I.O.O.F. and K. of P. lodges. Internment will be in the family plot at Fairview cemetery. The pall-bearers will be Leo Hersch, David Lowitski, Albert Collins, A.P. Hill, Alexander Read and William Townsend. Charles Wagner is the funeral director.

iv.

REBECCA GOLD was born on 17 Jan 1873 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She died on 17 Jan 1971 in Escondido, San Diego, California.

Notes for Rebecca Gold:

Never married. Census 1920 San Pedro Calif., lived with her mother Phoebe Cohen Gold. Exact birth and death date from SSDI.

11.

v.

BENJAMIN GOLD was born in Apr 1875 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He died on 14 Feb 1937 in Los Angeles County, California. He married Ada D Wiegert about 1914. She was born in 1880 in New York. She died on 06 Jun 1976 in Escondido, San Diego, California.

vi.

ZEPORA GOLD was born on 29 Dec 1875 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She died on 02 Apr 1965 in Los Angeles County, California. She married (1) ALOIS B RENEHAN in 1895. He was born in Jan 1869 in Virginia. He died in Jan 1939 in Dayton, Greene, Ohio, USA. She married (2) ROBERT C GORTNER, son of Elias Gortner and Rachel Felkner on 08 Jun 1909 in Los Angeles, California. He was born on 22 Dec 1871 in Goshen, Indiana. He died on 12 Jan 1962 in Los Angeles, California.

Notes for Zepora Gold:

Lived in Beverly Hills in later years. She is perceived to be the only one in

the Gold family to retain any of the family wealth which was achieved in the

1850's.

1900 census - married to Renahan, no children

1910 census - married to Gortner, South Pasadena, CA

vii.

SARAH GOLD was born in 1878 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She died before 1891.

Notes for Sarah Gold:

I recorded death date as before 1891, because Sarah was not mentioned as a living child of Phoebe Gold in her husband's military pension file. There is a child's broken tombstone in the family plot in Fairview. I know for certain that it is Sarah's tombstone, as Zepora Gold took a photo there in 1897 which is referenced in Floyd Fierman's records in the Bloom Archives -- it very clearly lists those buried in the plot, one of which is "Sarah, granddaughter (of Louis Gold)"

12.

viii.

LOUIS AARON GOLD was born on 02 Oct 1882 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He died on 11 Jan 1926 in Missouri. He married Nettie May Cooper, daughter of Cooper and Margaret Small in 1904. She was born on 15 Aug 1881 in Kansas. She died on 02 Dec 1947 in San Bernardino, California.

My third cousin, Ned Gold, Warren, OH, explained the following about his grandfather Louis Aaron Gold, youngest child of Moses Aaron Gold:

"My grandmother visited her sister in Santa Fe and met my grandfather, Louis. One family story is that Louis was employed by the Santa Fe Railroad and became station master in Raton. Then Louis was transferred to Kansas City because my grandmother wanted to return home."  

Louis died in KC or Atherton in the '20's in his 40's Dad said he died of ulcers. I have never been to his grave site but understand it is somewhere in the Atherton area. My grandmother is also buried there. I would really like to know where it is and then visit it sometime when I am in the KC area."