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Thursday, January 27, 2011

Long Live The Goat Man

(This photo was made in the 1950's as the Goat Man passed through my town)

Charles McCartney was born on July 6, 1901. In 1915, at age 14, he ran away from his family's Iowa farm. He eventually wound up in New York, and was soon married to a Spanish knife-thrower. When she got pregnant they tried to make it as farmers, but bad weather and the Great Depression wiped them out. About the same time, he experienced a religious awakening. A man on a mission, he hitched up his team of goats to a wagon and took to the open road with his wife and son. His wife made goatskin clothes for him and his son to wear as a gimmick during their travels, but she quickly grew tired of the road and returned to Iowa, taking their son with her.

Charles McCartney looked like a goat. He smelled like one, too because he rarely took a bath. You take a fellow who looks like a goat, travels around with goats, eats with goats, lies down among goats and smells like a goat and it won't be long before people will be calling him the Goat Man. And that is exactly how he got his name. Someone would spot the Goat Man and his goats coming down the highway, his wagon piled high. Word would get around and pretty soon parents would be driving their children out to meet him.

For decades he traveled the back roads of the Southeast. Sometimes there were as many as 30 goats. One team would pull a large wagon while baby goats and nannies rode. Great big billies walked behind to push the wagon up hills and to act as brakes. "People are goats, they just don't know it," he would often say. The old iron-wheeled wagon was piled high with garbage, lanterns, bedding, clothes, an old pot belly stove, and plenty of scrap metal that McCartney gathered and sold. McCartney would wander five or 10 miles along country roads each day, then pull over into a field in the late afternoon. He'd light a bonfire, which was never complete until he hurled an old tire on top. Curious townspeople would see the black smoke and wander to his campsite. There he would preach the Gospel, drink goats milk and sell picture postcards of himself.



Eventually settling in Jeffersonville, Georgia, he established the Free Thinking Christian Mission. From the mission he journeyed out with his goat-pulled wagon to preach his message of impending and eternal damnation for sinners. His path through the countryside was easily traceable from the distinctive wooden signs he tacked on trees by the roadside, signs bearing such harsh messages as "Prepare to Meet Thy God" with the fires of hell painted underneath.

Occasionally, McCartney was attacked and mugged during his trips around the country. During one such attack in 1969, three young men assaulted him while he slept in his cart. He suffered three broken ribs, and two of his favorite goats were killed. Following this incident McCartney retired to his Jeffersonville mission. In 1978 his home burned down, after which he purchased and lived in a bus.

In 1985, during one of his final journeys away from Georgia, McCartney set out on foot to California, hoping to meet the actress Morgan Fairchild, whom he wanted to marry. En route to California, he was again mugged and hospitalized for his injuries. Following his return to Georgia, he left the road for good in 1987. He spent his final years as a local celebrity at a nursing home in Macon, where he died at the age of ninety-seven on November 15, 1998.

The Goat Man came through this area quite regularly from 1936 through the late 1950's, and maybe until the early 60's. It is for sure he passed through at least twice between 1936 and 1939 with about 20 goats each time (Kentucky Stories/Byron Crawford).

During the mid 1950s, the Goat Man would come down U.S. 127 and through my town on his way back South. School classes at Clear Fork, which was located along his route, would be let out so students could go see the Goat Man, who would let the students pet the goats. My uncle was one of thos students. He well remembers the goats, the wagon and the pots and pans, and the junk on it, and the old bearded man known as the Goat Man.

Do you recall seeing the Goat Man? If so, I would love to hear your story. Send an e-mail in the space provided on my page.
 


Since writing this story, I have received hundreds of e-mails from folks in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida who remember seeing the Goat Man pass through their town. Thank you for your great response. There are too many e-mails to post here, but I wanted to include a few of the memories that have been shared with me. Also, be sure to read the comments section below.

When I was young, the Goat Man used to come through very often on the road we lived on. My grandfather and father knew him by his first name and he would stop to rest and talk. The last time I saw him was around 1963 when I was 12. He was a very interesting man who loved God. The pictures of him are just as I remember him. Thanks for keeping his memory alive. G.L., Rome, GA.

When I was a kid about 7 or 8, the Goat Man would stop in a small field about a mile from where I lived. Of course, our neighborhood mothers would make sure to tell us to stay away from him, but we would jump on our bikes and ride down to the campsite. We would play with the goats and listen to all the stories he would tell. He had a way of telling stories that would keep your attention and make you yearn for more. Soon, dad would drive down to the camp and tell us all to get home. When we finally got home from our visit with the Goat Man, mother would not let us in the house with our clothes on. She made us strip down in the yard and take bath number one under the garden hose. Then, we would have to go in the house and scrub again. Thanks, K.C., GA.

My father was transferred from North Carolina to Macon, Georgia in 1954. As a child of 12 when we moved here I was amazed at the sights of the big city. But the most memorable and unique sight I saw as we approached Macon was a very strange-looking man with a beard and a herd of goats pulling a loaded down wagon. Lo and behold, we later found out that we had encountered the infamous and notorious Goat Man! From time to time, after that first arrival in Macon, we would see the Goat Man here and there along the highways and byways of the area, and each time we were as thrilled as if we had seen the most famous movie star in the world. We loved to tell our cousins back in NC about this famous ‘creature’ and his goats, and although we never conversed with him, we felt as if we knew him well, and deemed him as a friend. T.R., Macon Georgia

I met the Goatman a few times. The time I remember best was when I was around 13 years old, and we killed 3 or 4 rabbitts for him, and he gave us a hand full of post cards. He was camped at Mt Pleaseant GA. - G.R.

Returning today from a funeral in Dublin, GA, I happened to see the old school bus that the Goat Man lived in back in the 1980's and 1990's. It was overgrown with small trees and vines and barely visible from US Hwy 80. When I got home, my brother-in-law had sent me a copy of a webpage you had written. At the end, it asked for Goat Man stories. I first remember seeing the Goat Man in 1963 or 1964 on the east side of Macon, GA. He was camped in a grove of pine trees in a triangular grassy area across from the Ocmulgee National Monument entrance. My mother drove us out to see him after coming back home from work and spotting him setting up camp. His wagon was filled with so much junk that I thought it would tip over. And, there were goats everywhere. He had them tied out, staked up, on top of the wagon, and on runs so they could get to all of the grass. Chess McCartney was so dirty you could barely see his hands, and he smelled like a thousand campfires and 200 goats. I could not believe that someone was actually hiding under that dirt and behind that beard. In later years, I remember occasionally driving past the old school bus he lived in and seeing him outside every once in a while with a few of his goats. J.R., Macon, GA

I live a few miles north of Macon, Georgia which is about 8 or 10 miles north of his bus (home sight). It was not unusual to see Chess walking around Macon at any given time of the day or night. He would hitchike up to Macon and then back down Hwy 80 to his home. Sometimes he would walk and pick up bottles and cans to sell. As a child, I remember him coming thru my home, which is about 150 miles from his home. My daddy would drive us out to his campsite in late afternoon to see him. I also remember getting behind his wagon along the highway and it would cause a back-up of traffic both ways as people slowed down to see him and his herd. H.F., Cairo, GA.

I met him back in the early 50's along the road in front of my Grand Father's Country Store. He and his goats spent the night in field owned by my grandfather. I remember him quite well.. He told some amazing stories to then a young kid from Savannah Georgia..

As a young child I remember the Goat Man coming thru our town (Sunnyside, Georgia) several times. When someone told us he was around we would all get in Daddy's car and go to see him. It was a wonderful experience for us kids and adults too. One year when he came thru my neighbor, who was always drunk, stole two of his goats and cooked them and sold them as cow meat. He and his friends went to jail for it. I believe this may be the incident that happened in 1969 where he was beatened and his goats were killed. same. S.B., Jackson, GA.

Helen writes...Oh, what memories your goat man bio brought back. I grew up in Chattanooga, TN. I can remember seeing the goat man several times during the 50's and 60's. One particular memory is quite vivid. He and his goats were traveling through East Ridge, TN on Highway 41. This would take him through the tunnel under Missionary Ridge. I wondered if he and the goats were going to enter the tunnel or go over the ridge. My parents also commented that they had seen him. He was well known, even though my family was not aware of his ministry.

32 comments:

  1. I remember when the Goat Man would come through on Highway 70 into Kingston, TN when I was growing up. It seemed like half the town turned out to see him. I was a kid and it would have been in the late 1950s and early 1960s when he came through. I recall he had a lot of old license plates tacked to his wagon, and the smell was pretty wild. I am now 57 years old, and tell my grown kids about the goat man from time to time.

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  2. Somehow my dad would hear that the goatman was in the area. We used to drive down from Fayetteville, Tn to Huntsville, Ala to see him on the highway. He used to sell postcards w his picture. I hope my little sister has a old pic of him. We used the old Kodak "peek bacK" camera, so I hope they are still OK. Thanks for the old memory. BTW I'm 62/ sister is 57.

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  3. I never knew about the Goat Man's ministry but saw him several times when he came through Waynesville, N.C. It was quite a sight to see. I don't think he ever threw anything away. He would have been great on "The Hoarder" TV show. He must have liked living like that but a bath every now and then would have been nice. The smell was unbelievable! What a character.

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  4. Greensburg,KY. We lived on hwy.61 appx. 3 miles from town.The goat man was in this area several times when I was young.There was a lot of room in front of our house to get off the main road.He would pull off,under a tree,feed & water his animals & then he would eat.He seemed to be a gentle man.I remember him smiling a lot beneath that beard.Although I'm not sure,for I was afraid to get close to him because of the odor.That I know was the most horrible smell I've ever known.Once he had a boy with him.The child clung to him all the time he was off the wagon.This was sometime in the 50's I think.
    J.P. I'm 66.

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  5. Smelled like goats if I remember correctly.

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  6. I CAN REMEMBER THE GOATMAN WHEN HE PASSED BY OUR HOME WHEN WE LIVED ON 41 HIGHWAY BETWEEN CALHOUN AND ADAIRSVILLE GA. WE HAVE OR HAD VIDEO OF HIM WHICH I STILL GOT BUT ITS THE REEL TO REEL AND I DONT HAVE THE PROJECTER TO SEE WHAT ALL I HAVE. I GOT THE VIDEOS FROM MY DAD AND IT WAS ALWAYS A WELCOME SIGHT TO SEE HIM TRAVEL BY. IN THE DAY IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING SIGHTS TO SEE UNTIL THE BLIMP CAME INTO EXISTANCE.LOL. I SURE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HEARD HIM PREACH. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES JAMES THOMAS CALHOUN GA.

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  7. The Goatman passed through Fort Payne, Alabama, from time to time in th 1950s & 60s! Always exciting for us children.

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  8. Has anyone seen the goat house in the city of Dublin or East Dublin vicinity? Not far from Laurens Memorial Gardens Cemetery I think. A small man made pond surrounded with large rocks with goats standing upon them! What is the address.

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  9. He used to come through Lexington, S. C. once a year on highway #1 & we heard he was heading to Florida for the winter...this was in the 50s and not much entertainment (no TV) & this was an exciting thing when the news got out. Momma would load us into the car and we'd get on the side of the road (Main Street) by Rhoten's store across from the mill (now has many shops and Cotton Grill Restaurant) where Twelve Mile Creek went through and created a pond.

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  10. I am from Enfield, Illinois. I can remember him a couple of times on Highway 45. Never thought I would see anything about The Old Goat Man. Probably around 1955.1

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  11. Want to let you know how much I enjoyed your story and pictures. Love to read stories about real life 'characters.'

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  12. I remember seeing him in Huntsville AL and Collinsville AL back in the mid to late 1960's. My Grandma said he came into her store in Shaprsburg Ga in the mid 1960's. She said he smelled horrible.

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  13. I remember him coming through Fayetteville, TN in the mid to late 50s. We would always go to the road and wave and he always waved back.

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  14. I remember seeing the goatman first when my aunt edna would tell us he was in Perryville ky. we lived some miles away but would drive the distance to see him. he and his goats were really a sight for us little country kids to see. he was always polite and would tell the kids stories about his journeys and his goats. he seemed always to take care of his animals. he also had several dogs with him. one time he was camped on the banks of the chaplin river which runs through the small town of Perryville Kentucky. I only remember maybe seeing him twice in my lifetime. I was glad to hear that so many others remembered him. he was a beloved figure in our lives.

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  15. I saw the goatman as a child in the 50's in Perryville Kentucky. He came through and camped at the banks of the Chaplin river in Perryville. my aunt edna, who lived close to Perryville would call us and tell us he was there. we lived some miles away but my family loved to see him and we made the the short trip to see him. he loved his goats and seemed to take very good care of them . we loved the stories he would tell us about his travels and about his goats.

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  16. I saw the Goat Man many times over the years. I was a truck driver and traveled thru the southeast most of my life. It was mostly 2 lane roads with little or no shoulders. He traveled mostly durning the summer months and if he was going the same direction as me sometimes you could see the tracks from the steel wheels on his wagon. He would have goats pulling the wagon, some tied to the back and some that were crippled or had sore feet would be riding inside.It is said he was hit by traffic several times. My wife was with me one trip and I saw him camped late one afternoon we stopped. She was amazed. He had rags wrapped around the feet of the goats that had sore feet. Some sleeping insided the wagon where he slept. My wife talked with him and bought a postcard from him. I often thought what ever happened to him. I am glad I found this web site.
    Thanks.
    Ed F

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  17. As a Tennessee State Trooper I knew the Goat Man quite well.
    He would come thru Manchester, TN. and I would, at times, have to ask him to move his rig and goats as to not impede traffic and for his safety.
    I remember him as a very intelligent man who stunk to high heaven.
    Never could determine which smelled the worst, him or his goats.
    It is true that he slept with some of the goats.
    I asked him one day how long it had been since he had a bath and he answered, in all honesty, "I really don't remember." And yes, he was that dirty.

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  18. I REMEMBER THE GOAT MAN BACK IN THE 50. HE CAME THROUGH MY HOME TOWN OF CAVE IN ROCK ILL. SEVERAL TIMES ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT HAPPEND TO HIM.

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  19. The Goatman came through our little community of Dalzell, SC around 1970. I remember Daddy taking him to McCarty's Store, with me riding in the middle of our '66 Ford pickup. My God, I still remember the stink! It was like something out of a fairytale or movie, to me. As a 5 or 6 year old boy, I was amazed by his herd of goats and the shaky wagon they towed. Daddy was a good man. It took a week of both windows down, to air out the pickup.

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  20. I remember the Goat Man passing through Waugh, Alabama when I was kid arounnd 1960's . He would set up camp for abount a week, and than move on.
    It was on the old Atlanta Highway going to Montgomery Alabama.

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  21. I loved the goat man! Every time he came thru Bremen, GA on HWY. 27 Daddy would take me to see him. He loved those goats dearly and he would let me hold and play with "Simple", a little 3 legged goat that rode in a bucket attached to the side of his wagon. One time he let me ride with him and hold the little goat thru Bremen, GA, Daddy followed of course. He told the best stories, and yes, he smelled, but he was a good, good man. I always looked forward to him coming thru. He could keep you entertained for hours and hours. He is a treasured memory for me.

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  22. Yes remember him will as , I was a kid about 10 years old he would come down U.S. 41 in Hahira Ga, seen him on several occasion selling his postcards and other things that he found side of road,you could smell him way before you seen him ha ha,He would camp in various towns going and comeing south don`t know how far south he went Hahira Ga is about 29 miles from Fla line ,think he would winter over in Fla ,

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  23. I remember the goat man camped at the edge of our yard around 1969, we lived on the sugar valley Dr in Calhoun Ga. Some young guys were harassing him one night throwing rocks at his wagon and turned some of his goats loose, the next day my step dad let him borrow his 16 gauge shotgun and 1 round. That night around midnight the boys were back throwing rocks again. All of a sudden you hear KABOOM!!! the guys left black marks on the road and you could hear the car changing gears for a few miles. Next morning he brought the gun back and was rubbing his shoulder and said that sons a bitch like to have brokey shoulder....lol mom would feed him biscuit and gravy for breakfast every morning, he tried to repay her by giving me and my brother a baby goat but she wouldn't let us have it. He was a kind old soul and would never hurt anyone, just scared them with the shot gun. R.I.P. Goat man.

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  24. The Goatman came down McDaniel St. in Kinston,N.C. in the 60's.I distinctly remember hearing the clinking/clanging of the pots & pans. Can hear them as I type.

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  25. I remember the goat man coming up 441 north he would spend the night at Roy Fry gas station just about 2 miles out of Clarkesville , Ga. And he would also stop at the
    station on his way back south and spend the night, he would stay a couple of nights.

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  26. I remember the goat man coming through Chattanooga, TN traveling on highway 41 & highway 11 . One particular time I was working as a teenager in my brothers garage when he came through on highway 11 near the TN/GA line. He had a broken wheel on his wagon and stopped by the garage where we took it off and repaired it for him. I remember that we had the smell of goats for sometime after that. He had a meal in the Restaurant next door and then continued his travel toward Birmingham, AL, he was an interesting person to talk to.

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  27. I can remember seeing the goat man as a young boy in the early to late 1960's when my parents would drive from Annandale ,Va to St. Petersburg, Fla., so visit my grandparents. My parents would always make a stop in Atlanta and it was a real treat to see the goat man. I can remember my parents letting me and my brother pet the goats while they made chit chat talk with the goat man. Of all the car trips we made to Florida, we only saw the goat man 3 or 4 times. I remember how disappointed we all were when the goat man was not around. Those were some truly wonderful days. They are gone forever, but I will always have the memories.

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  28. Enjoyed the article and all the comments. I was a friend of Charles for many years and have some of his post cards and some of his wagon items if anyone would like to see them and share with Ronald L. He camped many times on a pond across from our home and our family was a close friend. I spent many nights with Ches around his campfire after the crowds left.
    e-mail locronlun@windstream.net

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    1. Today on the news I saw that the Flower Man of Chattanooga TN (Sandy Bell)has passed away at the age of 61. I remember him handing out flowers at the 23rd St flea market years ago.This brought to my mind the childhood memories I had of The Goat Man of Ga. (Charles McCartney).We lived in the little community of Pennville Ga in between Trion and Summerville Ga. My younger brothers and I would get so excited when we would see The Goat Man and his goats walking through.I also lived across the street from Howard Finister the bike repairing Baptist preacher who's folk art became world reknowed. Lot of childhood memories of playing in his backyard museum.My favorite was the three legged chicken and the mummified woman.You never known the effect you have on the lives of those you meet along the way or the effect they have on you. Lets all be kind to one another and give thanks for the interesting people we meet along lives journey.

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  29. Back in the late 40s or early 50s, when I was a little kid, the family would often take Sunday afternoon rides around the old highways of Georgia. On two of these trips we happened upon the Goatman and his billys and nannys. It was the highlight of our trips. Makes you miss the "good old days."

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  30. I can’t believe focusing long enough to research; much less write this kind of article. You’ve outdone yourself with this material without a doubt. It is one of the greatest contents. for more info

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  31. When I was a little girl, there was a drive-in movie theater called the Cedar Valley Drive-In on Highway 27 South in Rome, GA. I remember our family going to the drive-in one night and the Goat Man was parked across the street. He looked like a very poor traveling man with goats. We didn't venture over to see him, but he was the topic of conversation in Rome for a long time. He seemed to be famous just by being called the "Goat Man". I was too young to even know what he was doing or why he lived like he lived. We always wondered what happened to him. Deborah Elaine Helms Adair

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