The life of Anna Tina McGill - a life marked by love and hardship

Anna Tina McGill Golden

Anna Tina Golden (née McGill)

Vital Information
Born: September 16, 1869 — Crawford County
Died: September 29, 1909 — Jersey City
Parents:
William Johnston McGill (1834–1902) — FamilySearch ID: LCWV-RPK
Charlotte Ross (1845–1891) — FamilySearch ID: LH64-F3N
Spouse:
Edward Golden — married 1888

FamilySearch ID: LH64-XG2
Find a Grave Memorial ID: 107057579

Children
Charlotte Ross Golden (1888–1965)
Edward Golden (1894–Deceased)
Anna Golden (1896–1900)
Herbert Golden (1898–Deceased)
Elmer Golden (1902–1967)
Raymond Alfred Golden (1906–1909)
Charles E. Golden (1909–1909)

Siblings
Margaret Gertrude McGill (1867–1917)
Anna Tina McGill (1869–1909)
Emma Jane McGill Kevlon (1871–1945)
Charles McGill (1874–1895)
Julia McGill (1876–Deceased)
Rose A. McGill Pearson (1878–1952)
William Johnson McGill, Jr (1880–1951)
Edward Everett McGill (1884–Deceased)
Alfred Raymond McGill (1889–1982)

The Life of Anna Tina McGill Golden

A Life Marked by Love and Hardship

Today, September 16th, would have marked the 155th birthday of Anna Tina McGill Golden.

Warning: This is not a happy story, and it is understandable if some choose not to read further.

Anna Tina McGill Golden’s life was one of both love and loss, deeply shaped by the hardships surrounding her family. Born on September 16, 1869, in Crawford County, she was the daughter of Charlotte Ross and Civil War veteran Corporal William Johnston McGill.

Her father’s military service during the American Civil War left permanent scars on the family. Severely wounded in December 1861, William survived and returned home, but the lingering effects of his injuries affected his health, work, and ability to provide steadily for his growing household.

Childhood in Pennsylvania

In the 1870 census, the McGill family appeared in Cornplanter Township, Pennsylvania. Anna Tina, only nine months old at the time, was affectionately recorded as “Tiney A.” Her parents were listed as William and Charlotte Magill, alongside older sister Gertrude.

As the years passed, the household continued to grow with the births of Emma Jane, Charles, Julia, Rose Agnes, William Jr., Edward Everett, and Alfred Raymond. Like many large families of the era, the McGills experienced both closeness and hardship in equal measure.

Marriage and Family Life

In the late 1880s, the McGill family relocated from Pennsylvania to Bayonne, where Anna Tina entered adulthood. In 1888, at just 18 years old, she married Edward “Eddie” Golden.

Together they built a large family, beginning with the birth of daughter Charlotte Ross Golden—later affectionately known throughout the family as “Gram”—in June 1889.

For a time, there must have been hope for quieter and happier years ahead.

Repeated Family Tragedy

Loss, however, became a constant companion in Anna Tina’s life.

Her mother Charlotte died of consumption, now known as tuberculosis, in 1891. Her brother Charles passed away in 1895, followed by sister Julia in 1896. In 1900, Anna Tina endured the heartbreak of losing her young daughter Anna Tina at only four years old.

Then in 1902, her father William finally succumbed to complications connected to his wartime injuries.

The grief did not end there. On July 26, 1909, Anna Tina’s son Raymond Alfred died just weeks before his third birthday.

The Devastating Year of 1909

Despite the sorrow surrounding the family, Anna Tina may still have found moments of happiness during the summer of 1909. In August, her daughter Charlotte married Fred Hostetter Jr., and on September 3, 1909, Anna Tina welcomed her first grandchild, Anna Eva.

But tragedy returned almost immediately.

On September 7, 1909, infant son Charles died at only three months old. Just weeks later, on September 29, 1909, Anna Tina herself passed away at the age of 40.

She left behind her husband Edward and surviving children Charlotte, Edward, Herbert, and Elmer.

After Anna Tina’s Death

The details surrounding Anna Tina’s death remain uncertain. No obituary or confirmed burial record has yet been located, leaving unanswered questions about her final days.

By the time of the 1910 census, her widower Edward and the younger children had relocated to Titusville, Pennsylvania, where they were living with Edward’s brother Charles Golden and his family. The move itself speaks quietly to the weight of grief and the difficulty of rebuilding after so much loss.

Burial and Legacy

Anna Tina McGill Golden’s grave is located at Bayview – New York Bay Cemetery. The Golden family plot is in Section H North, Row 7, Grave No. 5. There is no individual headstone marking her resting place, only a shared family marker.

Though Anna Tina lived only forty years, her story continues through the generations who remember her. Her life stands as a reminder of the endurance required of so many women of her era—women who carried grief quietly while continuing to hold their families together.

May she rest peacefully, surrounded by the loved ones who waited to welcome her home.