The Gloden surname may have originated in Germany.     Our Gloden ancestors originated in Luxembourg, one of the smallest and oldest countries in Europe.     The countries of West Germany, Belgium and France surround the small country of Luxembourg.     The country was originally called Lucilinburhuc, which meant "little castle".    Luxembourg became prominent in 1308, when Count Henry IV of Luxembourg became Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor.     Luxembourg was owned at one time by Burgundy and Austria.     In 1555, Luxembourg became Spanish property, but still remained part of the Holy Roman Empire.    The ownership was given back to Austria in 1713.     France gained control of Luxembourg in 1795.

 Luxembourg was raised to the rank of grand duchy in 1815, which meant that a grand duke or duchess ruled the country.     Luxembourg was then given to The Netherlands.    The western portion of Luxembourg was given to Belgium in 1839.     The eastern part, which is the present country of Luxembourg, remained an independent country under the rule of the king of The Netherlands until 1890, when a female took the throne of The Netherlands, and Luxembourg broke away because its laws did not, at that time, permit a female ruler.

At the beginning of World War I, Germany overran the country and Luxembourg remained under German control until the end of the war.     Luxembourg was invaded by German troops during World War II.     The Battle of the Bulge was fought in the northern part of the country in 1944-1945.     The people of Luxembourg were of French, Belgian, Dutch and German origin.

We have found few early Gloden immigration records.     Among the earliest immigrants were A. Gloden who immigrated to New York in 1823; Andrew Gloden who immigrated to New York in 1821; Joseph Peter Gloden who immigrated to Ohio in 1867; J. P. Gloden who immigrated to Ohio from Luxembourg in 1871; Peter Gloden who immigrated from Luxembourg in 1869; and Martin Glodin who immigrated from Luxembourg in 1844.     The heaviest settlement of Gloden's in America was in the Dutch settlements primarily in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

We have found the Gloden name spelled in various ways including Golden, Gladen, Gladden and Glodin.

My sincere thanks to Steven Gloden for the information he contribututed and for providing me with photos and copies of military, naturalization and marriage records for Michael Gloden.

 
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Our 3rd great grandfather John Gloden was probably born about 1790-1810, in Luxembourg.     He married our 3rd great grandmother Mary Stomuel, who was probably born about 1800-1815, in Luxembourg.   

  We know nothing at all about this couple.     To our knowledge they never came to America.     They are listed in the Macon County, Illinois marriage record book as the parents of Michael Gloden, when he married his second wife, in 1880.         

  Our great-great grandfather Michael M. Gloden was probably born about 1837, in Luxembourg, Germany.     His 1862 Civil War enlistment papers show he was born about 1837; the 1870 census shows he was born about 1838; his 1878 invalid pension declaration shows he was born about 1830; the 1880 census shows he was born about 1832; the 1900 census shows he was born Feb 1828; his 1907 pension declaration shows he was born July 17, 1825; the 1910 census shows he was born about 1818; and his 1911 death certificate shows he was born about 1826.     You will notice that the older he gets, the earlier he says he was born.     We believe he was more accurate in his earlier estimates, before age began to dim his memory.     We estimate he was probably born about 1837, the age he appears in his Civil War enlistment papers.    

   We believe Michael had a brother Franklin Dominek Gloden, born about 1846, who immigrated to America a few years after Michael and  married a sister of Michael's first wife.

Records indicate that Michael Gloden immigrated to America about March 1857.    A Petition, Final Oath and Certificate of Discharged Soldiers paper that was filed in Macon County, Illinois, states: "In the matter of the Naturalization of Michael Golden, an Alien.    To the Honorable S. F. G----, Judge of the County Court of said County: Your petitioner Michael Golden an alien, free white person; a native of Luxemburg, Germany respectfully represents unto your Honor, that he arrived within the limits and under the jurisdiction of the United States about 11 years since, to wit: on or about the ___ day of March A. D. 1857; that he enlisted in the Volunteer Army of the United States, in Company I, one Hundred & Sixteenth Illinois Infantry; that he has continued to serve therein until the 7 day of June 1865 when he was honorably discharged therefrom; that he was _________ the age of twenty-one years; that he has resided in the United States one year and upwards, to wit; for the term of 10 years, and in the State of Illinois _____ year last past; that it is _______ his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to every Foreign Prince, Potentate, ____ Sovereignty whatever, and particularly the allegiance and fidelity which in any wise he owes to the Grand Duke of Luxemburg hereof he was heretofore a citizen or subject. Michael Golden, upon his oath, says that the above petition is true.    Sworn before me this 29th day of October 1868."     (Note: He was listed as Michael Golden instead of Gloden.      We found that the most common misspellings of the name in early records were Golden and Gladden.)      Michael was probably about 20-21 years old when he immigrated.  

Michael served as a soldier in the Civil War.     He enlisted on August 14, 1862, at Decatur, as a Private in Co. I, 116th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.     Michael was treated for a gunshot wound on June 20, 1863.    The record states he was "shot slightly in left elbow and returned to duty July 2, 1863."     Michael was honorably discharged as a Corporal on June 7, 1865, near Washington, D.C.     His military papers describe him as 5' 3" tall, with dark complexion, grey eyes, and dark hair.    

Steven Gloden has posted a photo of Michael Gloden and his good friend Isaac Jennings.    The couple are in Civil War dress.     We believe the photo was taken about 1863-1865.     My sincere thanks to Steve for allowing me to use this photo.

Our great-great grandfather William Branham moved his family from Blount County, Alabama, to Searcy County, Arkansas, in late 1860 or early 1861.     Sometime prior to 1865, William moved his family to Macon County, Illinois.     That was where Michael Gloden met William's daughter, Lucinda Branham.

Michael married our great-great grandmother Lucinda Adaline Branham on September 6, 1865, at Decatur, in Macon County, Illinois.

Lucinda Branham was born May 3, 1844, in Blount County, Alabama.     She was one of ten children born to William Branham and Arenna R. (last name unknown).     Lucinda was not only our great-great grandmother, but also our great-great-great aunt.   

The 1870 Macon County census, Decatur Township, shows Michael Gloden, 32, day laborer, $1200 real property, $300 personal property, b. Luckenburg; Adaline, 21, b. AL; John, 3, b. IL; and William, 1, b. IL.     Living next door to them was Lucinda's sister Jane (Branham) Farley and her 10 year old son, Joab Farley.    

Lucinda's sister, Jane Farley, married Franklin Dominek Gloden on January 5, 1871, at Decatur, in Macon County.     We believe Frank Gloden was a brother to Michael.    (Immigration records show that Dominic Gloden, age 23, of German nationality, arrived at the Port of New York on March 16, 1869 from Germany.)   

Lucinda Gloden died August 18, 1878, at Decatur, in Macon County, leaving five small children.     She is buried in Wheeler Cemetery at Decatur.     We believe that Lucinda's sister, Jane, helped Michael care for the children until he remarried.

Michael married Margaret Herman on February 2, 1880, in Macon County.     Margaret Herman was born about 1854, in Aultbiren, according to census.     Macon County, Illinois marriage records show Margaret was the daughter of Andrew Herman (Hermann).

The 1880 Macon County, Decatur Township, census shows Michael Gloden, 48, farmer; Margaret, 26, wife; John, 18, son, works on farm; William F., 18, son, works on farm; Margaret R., 8, daughter; Mary J., 7, daughter; and James M., 5, son.     Living next door to them were Frank and Jane (Branham) Gloden.

On June 3, 1895, Michael filed for an invalid pension on his Civil War service.     His application indicated he was unable to earn a support by manual labor because of a gunshot wound in the left arm and rheumatism, impaired vision, disease of the heart and general disability.  

The 1900 Macon County census, Whitmore Township, shows Micial Gloden, 72, b. Feb 1828, in Germany, father and mother born in Germany, married 30 years, a farmer, owned his farm; and Marget, wife, 46, b. Dec 1854, in Germany, father and mother born in Germany, married 30 years, had given birth to 1 child, 1 child still living.     By this we know that Margaret had probably been married prior to her marriage to Michael, and had one child from that marriage.     Living next door to Michael were Franklin and Jane H. (Branham) Gloden.     Also living next door to Michael was his son James Gloden, 26, single, a farmer, boarding with the Smithson family.     

Michael filed for his Civil War pension again on February 27, 1907, at Decatur.

The 1910 Macon County census, Whitmore Township, shows Michael Gloden, 92, arrived in the U.S. in 1857 and became a naturalized citizen, a farmer; Margarete, wife, ?, arrived in the U.S. in 1860 and James M., son, 38, divorced.

Michael died August 28, 1911, at Decatur.      Margaret died there on August 18, 1914.     Michael, Margaret and Lucinda are all three buried in Wheeler Cemetery at Decatur.

 Children of Michael Gloden and Lucinda Branham

The music you are hearing is Moyle.

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