Sierra County

Submitted by,
Vinita Lynch Shaw
7217 Alto Rey
El Paso, TX 79912-2169
ViniL@aol.com

Seaburn "Cebe" Goins was born about 1845 in Texas to a father born in Arkansas and a mother born in Ireland according to the 1880 Census; however, further research has shown he was born about 1852 to a Henry Goins born about 1822 in St. Landry Parish Louisiana and Sarah Ann Simmons mother born iabout 1830 in Alabama. The family continued to live in Texas and on Jan 1, 1874 in Bandera Texas, Cebe married Matilda Rogers who had also been born in Arkansas about 1849. (Another researcher believes he married a Jessie Parker first, but further research needs to be done.)
The family was found in 1880 living in Bexar County Texas with four children. Cebe was working as a laborer. About 1889 Cebe and his family moved to Sierra County New Mexico. In 1900 Matilda was living in Kingston, Sierra County New Mexico with four younger children born between 1881 and 1889. She reports to the census taker that she is married but Cebe is not shown as a household member. In 1920 they are still not living together. She lives alone, and he is found living nearby with their son Leonard. Cebe's death certificate in 1934 stated that his occupation had been freighting for 65 years, until 1928 when he retired at age 83. Leonard Goins of Engle New Mexico was the informant on the death certificate and it is believed that this was Cebe's son and that Cebe who was a widower was living near him at the time of his death. However, when Matilda died in 1929, she was identified as a widow. More research must be done to determine the circumstances of this couple.

From American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940
Interview Extra
Subject: OLD DAYS IN KINGSTON MINE AREA
CLAY W. VADEN, WRITER
On American Guide, Interviews
Old Ox-Team freighter C18 - N. Mex.
OLD DAYS IN KINGSTON MINE AREA
"Ox teams were not so fast as the trucks used now to haul ore from the mines," observed Cebe Goins, ninety year-old pioneer freighter, "but they got the ore out."
Goins drove ten yokes of oxen to freight wagons of seven tons capacity and with tires four inches wide. He later replaced the oxen with 12 teams of mules to each wagon. Goins hauled ore from the paying mines in Kingston district, among them the Brush Heap, Gypsy, Blackie, Lady Franklin, Buillon, U.S, Cumberland, Calamity Jane, Keystone, and numbers of others.
When a [1500?] nugget was picked up at Blackie mine, seven miles north of Kingston, a rush to that district followed. The Bridal Chamber mine at Lake Valley was one of the beat paying in this section of the State. Blocks one yard square of almost pure native silver were often taken from this mine, and it has been roughly estimated that it produced ore worth between five and seven millions of dollars.
"There was danger in freighting such rich shipments," said Goins, "and I always had a guard armed with a double barreled shotgun and two six shooters on my wagons, until the ore was placed on the cars in Lake Valley."
Goins recalls how the knowledge of ores was responsible for the amassing of a small fortune by Dennis Finley, now a resident of Denver.
According to Goin's story, a Judge Holt had a lease on and was foreman of the Virginia mine, while Finley was one of the 30 workmen, although he had been foreman of another mine and was a practical mining man. One day Finley picked up a rich piece of ore and said to Judge Holt, "This is worth saving."
Judge Holt, replied, in effect, that if he wanted any information he would ask for it, and continued to throw [$300?]-a-ton rock over the dump. Finley was given his 'time' in a few days. He obtained a lease from the Virginia Mine Company and hauled 13 carloads of high grade ore from the dump. He now owns a chain of stores in Denver but before he made his stake at Kingston he had not seen his family in five years.
Goins came to Sierra county about 1885, living first at Percha, north of Kingston. While several fortunes were taken out of the Kingston mines, he says that the big companies never found official veins, only ores in pockets and chimneys. The Virginia mine is still being worked.
- Clay W. Vaden

1880 Census for Bexar County Texas, ED 22, Page 303, Household 89:
Ceeborn Goins WM Age 35 Married Works as laborer Born in Texas with Father born in Arkansas and Mother born in Ireland.
Matilda WF Age 30 Married Housekeeper Born in Arkansas as were both her parents
William WM 9 At home
John Henry WM 5 At home
Henrieta WF 3 At home
Danial WM 1 At home
All the children are shown as born in Texas with both their parents born in Texas. However, in the 1900 Census Matilda states they had been married for 28 years--about 1872 so it seems that all the children are theirs OR only the oldest might be the result of an earlier marriage for Ceeborn or Matilda.

1900 Census for Sierra County New Mexico, Kingston, Precinct 3, Page 190, Household 90:
Matilda Goingo Head WF Oct 1863 Married 29 years Mother of 9 children, 8 of whom are still living Born in Arkansas as was her father. Her mother was born in Alabama. She was a housekeeper, could read, write, and speak English. She rented her home.
Frank Son WM19 single born Dec 1881 Born in Texas as was his father. His mother was born in Arkansas. His occupation was unreadable--but was not a miner of ore as were most in the town. He was out of work 11 months in the past year
Leonard Son WM June 1884 Age 15 At school 5 months Born in Texas as was Father and Mother born in Arkansas.
Effie daughter WF Oct 1886 Age 13 At school 5 months Born in Texas as was Father and Mother born in Arkansas
Dovey daughter WF Feb 1889 Age 10 Born in New Mexico Father born in Texas and Mother born in Arkansas. At school for 5 months.
All household members were able to read, write, and speak English.

1930 Census for Sierra County New Mexico, Monticello, ED 7, Page 1A:
Goins, Cebe C Lodger Age: 90 Born in Texas as were both his parents No occupation
Joseph R. Pankey Head Age 38 Owns home and has radio Stockman on stock ranch
William W. Pankey Brother Age 30 Stockman on stock ranch
Todd Barber Lodger Age 66 Laborer on stock ranch

Certificate of death for Seabun C. Goins from State of New Mexico:
County of Sierra Village Engle N.M. Length of residence in County: 45 years
Full name: Seabun C. Goins   Residence: Engle N.M.         Male        White         Widower
Date of birth: 1845    Age 93 years
Kind of work done: Freighting   Date deceased last worked at this occupation: 1928
Total time spent in this occupation: 65 years
Birthplace: Town unknown State: Texas
Father's name and birthplace: Unknown
Mother's name and birthplace: Unknown
Informant: Leonard Goins    Address: Engle N.M.
Burial place: Hillsboro N.M. 4-1-1934         Undertaker: none
Filed: 4-1-1934 Subregistrar: Mrs. A C White   Burial permit issued: 4-1-1934
Date of death: March 31, 1934
"I hereby certify that I attended deceased from" no physician in charge
Death is said to have occurred on the date stated above at 5:10 P.M. from caronic myocarditis
Contributory causes: Senile debility and arterio-sclerosis
What test confirmed diagnosis: Clinical Was there an autopsy? No Was there an inquest? No
Was disease or injury in any way related to occupation of deceased? No
Signed: A C White C.H.O. Hot Springs N.M.

Duvie/Dovie Goins was the wife of Charles E. Meyers and the daugther of Seaburn "Cebe" C Goins and Sarahan Matilda Rogers. She was born in Kingston, Sierra Co NM and died in Sierra County also.

Death certificate from State of New Mexico Registered No 2 for Dovie Goins gave the following info:
Place of death: Sierra County      State: New Mexico        Village: Hillsboro
Full Name: Dovie Goins Meyers Length of residence in town where death occurred: 31 years
Sex: Female   Color: White   Marital status: Married   Wife of Chas. E. Meyers
Age: 31 years       Occupation: Housewife      Birthplace: Kingston, N. M. , Sierra County
Name of Father: Cebe Goins    Birthplace of Father: Okla
Name of Mother: Tilda              Birthplace of Mother: Ark.
Informant: Geo. T. Meyers   Address: Hillsboro, N.M. Filed: 3/20/1920 J. A. Steel, M.D., Registrar
Date of death: 2-18-1920
"I hereby certify that I attended deceased from Feb 11th, 1920 to Feb 18, 1920, that I last saw her alive on feb 17th, 1920, and that death occurred on the date stated above at 9 A.M. The cause of death was Influenzal pnemonia. Did an operation precede death? No Was there an autopsy? No"
Signed J. O. Hatcher, M.D.   Address: Hillsboro, N. M.
Place of burial: Hillsboro Cem. Date of Burial: 2-19-1920 Undertaker: None in attendance

Register titled Death Register, Sierra County A-Z in the Sierra County Clerk Office in New Mexico, Page 4, Line 8:
Names: Duvie G. Meyers    Date of Death: 2/18/1920
Place of death: Hillsboro NM      Sex: F   Nationality: Caucasian
Race: Caucasian   Occupation: Housewife   Age: 31 Yrs.- Months -Days
Cause of Death: Influenza Pneumonia
Physician or Attendent: J. O. Hatcher Place of burial: not given    Remarks: (None)

She is buried in the cemetery in Hillsboro. Tombstone spells name Duvie Meyers.