Five generations of the Golden family have been involved in this legendary business. John Poitevent “Porter” Golden and Theodore Earnest “Theo” Golden founded Golden Brothers in 1882. They were incorporated and renamed Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Company in 1889 and have been in continuous operation ever since. Through expansion and innovation, they’ll likely be around another five generations.
National Register of Historic Places
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 
My father worked for this company until retirement. He had a back breaking job. He asked his sons to never go there for employment and they didn’t. This job took every good thing my daddy had in him out of him. His retirement was on disability. The company didn’t seem to have the best interest of the minority workers in mind and morale among some of them including my dad appeared low. I guess that’s why they would organize and strike.
Charlotte W. Seigle
This company is very much in operation and still going strong. It is owned and run
by a branch of the same family that started it. My husband has the pleasure of working for them at their cordele location.
Thanks, Jenny. That’s amazing!
I believe my grandmother, who is still living and is 95 (will be 96 in March) worked here at one point. I will have to ask her about it when I go home for Thanksgiving in a couple weeks.
My Uncle Woodrow Golden grew up in this area, I believe. He married my Aunt, who lived in Buffalo Grove on the family farm. He ran a cotton gin in Alabama after they started their family.
They currently produce parts for John Deere at this foundry.