Thomas B. Goethe was born on December 1, 1844 in the Buford District of South Carolina.  When Thomas was a young boy he and his parents moved from South Carolina to Georgia.  While living in Pierce County Georgia Thomas B. Goethe met a beautiful young girl by the name of Elizabeth Harper.  Prior to the Civil War Thomas and Elizabeth Harper were living together in the home of John Harper, Elizabeth's brother. At the outbreak of the Civil War John Harper left home to enlist for service, he left Thomas to watch over the house while he was gone.  Thomas then decided that he too would enlist for service in the Civil War.  On April 18, 1861 Thomas enlisted for service with the Confederate States Army at Blackshear in Pierce County Georgia where he was mustered for service under Company E of the 26th Georgia Infantry Regt.  After serving with his Georgia Company for nearly a year, Thomas was discharged on February 28, 1862 at Gardenville, Virginia on the account that he was under age.  Thomas was only 17 years old when he enlisted at Blackshear, some how his age went unnoticed. After being discharged Thomas made his way back to Georgia and to Savannah where he would enlist for service a second time.  Thomas' second enlistment was under Company B of Kirk's Company, here he served as a non-commissioned officer and was not further recorded on any muster rolls of the Civil War.  Thomas served with Kirk's Company until the close of the war in April of 1865. After his service in the Civil War Thomas returned to Pierce County Georgia where he again took residence with the Harper's.  On November 16, 1865 Elizabeth Harper and Thomas B. Goethe where married in Pierce County Georgia where the marriage was recorded.  Elizabeth and Thomas continued to reside in Pierce County Georgia for the next then years.  In March of 1868 Elizabeth and Thomas had a baby boy who they named Rufus E.  In the years to follow Thomas and Elizabeth continued to have children, Lyra N. in May of 1871 and Arthur N. in September of 1875. Following the birth of Arthur, Thomas decided to move farther south and the family packed their personal items and headed to Florida.  On June 22, 1875 the Goethe's arrived in the small city of Brookville in Hernando County.  Eventually Thomas purchased a home and one-acre lot in downtown Brooksville where he and his family lived, this home and property was valued at $1500..  While living in Hernando County Thomas Goethe engaged in the timber business with his brothers near Homosassa where they operated the company of the Goethe Bros.- Manufacturers of Cedar Pencil Slats. (click here to view Goethe Bros. Letterhead, 1908)  In August of 1879 Thomas and Elizabeth had a baby girl while living in Brooksville, the named her Ida. Sometime in the early 1890's Thomas Goethe decided that he would move his family to Pasco County where they settled in the small town of Loyce.  Here Thomas decided to homestead a section of property under the homestead act.  Thomas built his family a home where they could live and then he engaged in farming to make good use of his property.  Upon meeting the homestead requirement, on July 12, 1900, Thomas Goethe received full deed and title to his 80 acre homestead; this property is further described as being located in the east half of section 2, township 24, range 18 in Pasco County. In June of 1908 Thomas B. Goethe was examined by Dr. W.H. Cox, M.D. of Hernando County and he was suffering from paralysis on one side of his body, likely the result of a stoke that he had.  As a result Thomas was unable to do any manual labor and its believed he may have been confined to a hospital in his last days.  On June 22, 1910 Thomas B. Goethe died while in Hillsborough County Florida.  Thomas B.Goethe was laid to rest in the East Elfers Cemetery after his death.  Today the grave site of Thomas B. Goethe lies unmarked in the East Elfers Cemetery.  Eventually Elizabeth moved to Citrus County, near Homosassa, after her husband's death. (Research by Jeff Cannon- Copyright © 2008)