James Golson, born in 1836, migrated into Texas from Cave Springs, Georgia, with several of his family, in 1868.  This family was settled on land their half-brother, William Riley Standifer, had received as an assignee on a survey crew, directed by Issac Harris, surveying some of the area around Coleman, Brown and Callahan Counties. William was granted 640 acres along the Pecan Bayou, about 11 miles south of the east Caddo Peak, in September, 1852, keeping for himself until his death in 1879.  In March 1879, James and Thomas Golson received a deed to the Bayou lands, thus making the trip from where William had settled them (Waco area) to look over their new property.  Upon arriving in Coleman County, they found the land occupied by two squatters, J. L. Allen (later the founder of Burkett) and Ab Pipes, Allen’s son-in-law.  They offered no protest, but readily conceded to terms offered by James and Thomas, thus using the land until 1880.

James married (first) Minerva Etta, and they had five children: Edmond Chambers, born in 1859; Eugene, 1866; James Wade, 1867 (see James Lindsey Clarke and Jona­than R. West); Charles Bruce, 1875; and Billy, born and died 1878.  Minerva died in 1881, she and Billy are buried in Speegleville, McLennan County, Texas.  James’ mother and sisters are also buried there.  James made his final move to Coleman County in 1882, and there he met and married (second) Mattie Strickland, born in 1842, the same year.  Jennie B. was born in 1883, and Frank in 1884.  James was a farmer and raised corn, milo, cotton and bred Percheron horses and sold the colts to the settlers.  James died in 1915, and Mattie in 1911, both buried in Burkett Cemetery.

Frank Golson married Emma Florance Tabor, born 1885, in 190 4. He stayed with his father and worked the Bayou lands after he and Emma married.  Their nine children were born and grew up here.  They are: Della Pearl (Baucom); James Wade (see William and Alpah Walker); Paul Lester; Cleo (Gill); Curtis; Leroy; Grace (Brown-Green); Annie (Capehart); and Sealy Jean (Harris).  All attended college, some choosing Weatherford Junior College, others McMurry College (James Wade played on their first football team in 1923), while others went to Tarleton Junior College.  After Frank’s father’s death, he bought his brother’s share of the lands and stayed on the homeplace with his family. The Golson Oilfield blew in around 1930, and there were 25 producing wells.  Arcadia Oil Company hired Southwestern Tank Works to construct a 55,000 barrel storage tank on the Golson lease.  The first well blew in at 800 barrels per day.  When Frank died in 1935, he left the Bayou lands to Emma, and if she stayed unmarried, she could control his share for as long as she lived.  Emma died in 1969, and left the lands to her 9 children.

Joe Golson, born in 1934, and Barbara Hope Fuller, born in 1933, were married in 1952 (see William and Alpha Walker).  Joe was asked by eight of Frank and Emma’s children to take over the Bayou lands and keep them in the family.  Paul Lester was sold some of the lands, that was not in the homeplace deed, and was also awarded 75 acres of the homeplace by the courts.  Joe moved his family to the lands in 1974, although the lands ownership was not awarded until September 1978.  Joe had wished to own the homeplace, since a small child, farming was in his blood and the call to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather’s possessed his soul.  The barn that his grandfathers and father had built was still standing, his eyes could see the imprint in the land at the foot of the hill where the dugout was built in 1882, the rocks were still where the first one room long cabin stood, the birth place of his grandfather. and standing on the flat hill top was the first wood frame house where his father was born.  After the land was awarded to his aunts and uncles, Joe and Hope bought the homeplace and began the job of putting the lands back into production.  The oil damage of 20 years was cleaned up, the land was cleared, root plowed and re­seeded with native grasses. Crossings and roads have been rebuilt and a large dam to stop erosion of the land.  By the fall of 1979, Joe, Hope and their youngest son, Tracy, opened the doors to the dairy barn that they built themselves and ran their first cows into the milking parlor.

Tony Lee was born in 1953; Timmy Joe, in 1954; Tracy Guy, 1956; Tammy Hope, born and died in 1962, buried in Burkett; and Tamarah Joanna Hope in 1964.  Tony married Susan Peden and their children are: April and Blake; Timmy married (first) Beckey Bryan and Toby was born, married (second) Suzann Young; Tracy married Jenifer Jackson and they had Robin and Stormie; Tamarah mar­ried Floyd Bird, a daughter Tiffni Fay, born April 6 ,1984 in Coleman (see Jesse N. Sewell).  Floyd is the son of Floyd Bird and Ima Fay Bird Jones.

In 1982, Grace Green, daughter of Frank and Emma came back after forty years, and renovated the old wood frame house and is living on the lands of her childhood.  Most of the Golson descendants of Frank and Emma were buried in the Burkett Cemetery.