Ches McCartney remembered by many as "America's Goat Man", He traveled the country in a wagon pulled by goats. He traveled this way for over 4 decades 1930's - 1987. He was born in Iowa in 1901 and died in Macon Georgia in November 1998 at 97 years old.

He traveled the country in his iron-wheeled wagon pulled by his goats. He sometimes had as many as 50 goats with him. He was a preacher and storyteller and sold and collected junk on his wagon. He also sold postcards of himself and his goats.

I have found bits and pieces of his life on the internet and I also have ordered a book that was writen about him. Their is a douctermentry video about his life that I also plan to order.

What I am looking for is people who have seen him in his travels across the country. I have spoke to a couple of people who remember seeing him here in Florida. He sure sounds like an interresting fellow. Thanks!!!

-- Mark (deadgoatman@webtv.net), September 11, 2000

Answers

Mark, I have the book and intend to order the video. The book was most interesting to read. I never saw him but someone I know who grew up in Alabama remembers seeing him. Whats funny is the thing everybody remembers the most was the incredible smell. He sure was a colorful fellow. He built several churches....one in Georgia that I'm gonna try to see the next time I'm through there. You'll enjoy the book. Blessings Peggy

-- Peggy (wclpc@cookeville.com), September 12, 2000.

"Mark, the Goatman used to pass through this county every few years. I recall a long article in the local paper "The Anniston Star" about him. You could check their archives. Their number is 256-236-1551. There was also a documentary on him aired on Alabama Public Television about a year ago. A local artist has done several portraits and other drawings of Mr. McCartney; his named is Larry Martin and his gallery is called "The Wren's Nest". It is in Anniston, Alabama and the number is 256-238-0710. The local Books-A- Million in Oxford, Alabama might have some books on the Goatman as well.

-- Rags in Alabama (RaggedReb@aol.com), September 13, 2000.

Mark,

I just run across your message on the net. We just checked out the The Goat Man Video from the library.

I remember the Goat Man was camped out about 2 miles from our house in Thomson, GA. when I was about five or six years old ('68-'69). I had forgotten about him until we ran across the video in the library the other day. My dad took me down to see him, though I don't remember much about it. He was a very interesting person.

Roger

-- Roger Whitaker (r-fwhitaker@msn.com), January 31, 2001.

Mark, As a child, I saw the "Goat-Man" two or three times in my life. I grew up in a small town in East Tennessee, and he always stopped at my grandmother's house. I remember her fixing food for him to take with him on the next leg of his "sojourn". Whenever he would pop up, she would call my family to tell us the Goat-Man was there. Somehow she knew every time he came though our small town. I remember being somewhat afraid of him because he was so very different from us. He had a long, long, unkempt beard and very wild, long hair.

He patted my sisters and me on the head while my grandmother took pictures. I have no earthly idea where those pictures might be today. To us he seemed terribly terribly old even then....1960's.

I saw him once on the front lawn of our local hospital while we were driving past. My grandmother volunteered at the hospital for years and years so that may be from where she "picked him up". She lived fairly nearby.

I now live in south Georgia. The Macon Telegraph had some good articles on him at the time of his death. I was sorry to read of his problems later in life and the sorrow he had.

Are you gathering material for publication? I think there is a great deal of interest in the Goat-Man of times past. Best wishes to you.

Tanya

-- tanya (tgfleury@cybersouth.com), February 09, 2001.

Mark, My dad took me to see him when I was about 8 years old. We lived in Bremen, Ga. which is about 20 miles from the Alabama line. It was incredible and I, too, remember the smell. People from everywhere were there. I guess if we slept and ate with goats and didn't bathe very often we would smell, too. He seemed to be a very proud man in what he believed in. Didn't mind the smurks and laughs people gave him. I also have the book "america's goat man" and am looking for another copy for someone. If you know where I can purchase one soon, let me know.

-- polly collins (pofool101@aol.com), April 01, 2001.

Mark, The old "Goat Man" just crossed through my mind for some reason today and started searching for info on him on the internet. Found your site among others. I can remember my father taking me to see him when he was camped for the night on Hwy. 70 (Thunder Road) near Kingston, Tn.. It would have been about the year 1965. He had a huge smoky fire going and was cooking his dinner in a can. It was about dark and in the early summer. Dad and I sat by his fire and he and dad talked about the "old days" and he let me see his special place he kept his baby goats. The next day after dad got home from work I talked him into taking me to see the Goat Man while he was traveling. We caught up with him just a very few miles down the road and dad pulled ahead of him and pulled off the side of the road. We stood there and waved at him as he went by. I can still hear the jingle of all the pots and pans and old license plates and other junk he had on his wagon, and yes, I can still remember the smell. I dont know why the old man has stayed in my memory for so many years. Maybe because of the respect I felt my dad had for him and maybe because of the yearning to wander that every small American boy has that the Goat Man actually got to experience. Oh yeah, LOL, I also remember him telling us about his "rich daughter" that lived in Georgia that rode around in a big limousine.. I think maybe he was pulling our leg about that one. I dont envy him his lifestyle anymore, I have become to old and stiff to live like that. I do regret so much that my beloved home state has the dishonor of causing The Goat Man so much pain and suffering in the attack upon him and his goats on Signal Mountain near Chattanooga. Just another sign of the evil times we live in. That old man never hurt a soul I am sure, why in the world someone would hurt him is beyond me.

-- Mark Melton (grinndel98@yahoo.com), April 13, 2001.

He came through coalmont tn. about 1963 .

-- Anthony Ray Jones (joekool@blomand.net), June 19, 2001.

hello,the kentucky new era,local newspaper for hopkinsville,kentucky ran an article on the goat man nov.24,1998,when he passed away.local historian,william t. turner had some things to say about him in the write-up.he would be someone to talk to for more info.(270)886-4303. hope he can give you anymore info. thank-you

-- sonja thomas (toby16@bellsouth.net), January 06, 2002.

In July of 1966, a good looking young man drove up in a new 1966 burgandy Mustang with black interior. I was fifteen years old and new to the neighborhood here on the southwest side of Savannah, GA. He asked me if I had ever seen the "Goat Man" and, of course, I had no clue what he was talking about. My mother rushed out of the house to "head off" this young man at the "pass" because this was his "modus operandi" to get to know me.. the new girl on the block. Long story short.... my MOTHER took me around the corner to see the "Goat Man" but the young man "had his foot in the door." Two years later I married the young man and we had two children. We were married for twenty seven years and any time the Goat Man came to Savannah, he always set up his wagon in the same spot... underneath a tree on Dean Forest Road where it met the "old Highway 17 South." I never ride by that spot without remembering him and his goats.

-- Pat Mack (luvpatt125@aol.com), January 20, 2002.

SEEING THE GOATMAN WAS ALWAYS A TREAT. WE SAW HIM MANY TIMES IN MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF GA. YOU HAD TO WONDER WHAT HIS STORY WAS AND IT LOOKS LIKE KNOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ALL ABOUT HIM.

-- BONNIE MCDANIEL (SCRLT1951@AOL.COM), January 21, 2002.

SEEING THE GOATMAN WAS ALWAYS A TREAT. WE SAW HIM MANY TIMES IN MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF GA. YOU HAD TO WONDER WHAT HIS STORY WAS AND IT LOOKS LIKE KNOW WE WILL BE ABLE TO FIND OUT ALL ABOUT HIM. DID NOT KNOW HE HAD DIED THOUGH.

-- BONNIE MCDANIEL (SCRLT1951@AOL.COM), January 21, 2002.

Mark,

I grew up in Alamo, GA, a small South GA town. I had the pleasure of listening to his stories. What a treat for a young boy. He was such a great storyteller and seemed to really love children.

Brian

-- Brian Hopkins (magnoliahouse@mindspring.com), January 31, 2002.

I remember the Goat Man as he used to go through Roswell, GA and camp at the same spot every time. I remember looking at him as a boy of ten and thinking how neat it would be to just go and go. He did smell though. My mom used to say he sold moonshine but I don't know.

-- Greg (soryy@no.cando), January 31, 2002.

Mark I saw the goat man two or three time in Woodbury GA. I have a few pictures of him and the goats.

-- Robert Lovett (wdbywater@alltel.net), February 03, 2002.

I saw him once come through LaGrange, Georgia right slap through the middle of town. He had over 30 goats and his wagon and held up traffic for a good while, but I was fascinated with the goats so didn't mind the wait. That was the only time I ever got to see him and I wish I could have spoken with him. I'll bet he had good stories to tell.

-- Cindy (colawson@mindspring.com), February 03, 2002.

Mark, I saw the goat man around about 1958 in Darien,Georgia. He was going by one day selling postcards and pots and pans. At this time or about there was also Hellfire revivals under tents. Other things i remember are a u.s. jet crashing into the river also each Saturday i would go near the town of Darien which had a gas station,five &dimestore,drug store,next to the river there an old woman used to skin and gut catfish,and i would be there each week to talk to her while she worked.Just a little added info, about the times then.Thank You,Ed!

-- edward l. fineman (shellcarver1@yahoo.com), February 14, 2002.

Hi Mark

I saw the Goat Man sometime in the early 50's just outside of Chicagoland area. My mom and dad took my sister and I to see him.My dad was an over the road truck driver and had seen the goat man on more than one occasion. My dad was returning from a trip from Santa Monica California with a load of polo ponies that he would haul all over the country. I think that's how he knew the Goat man was in the Chicagoland area and he took us out to see him. I don't recall the smell but remember the wagons and pots and pans and old license plates I remember he sold postcards and I think we bought some as my dad was a generous man I'm sure he would have done whatever he could do to help the goatman. I remember the goats and he had his son with him and I remember his son saying something smart allick and his father kicking him in the seat of his pants. I remember my dad telling me that that was just a little act they had. I don't remember much else but it seems to me a year or two later we took a family vacation out to California and we saw him again but where what state I have no idea but it seems like it was out west it certainly was not near Chicago.

-- Don Grant (gr82birish@worldnet.att.net), February 25, 2002.

Hi Mark, I saw the Goatman a few times when I was a young girl.I always saw him traveling between Douglas and Waycross Ga.on highway 158.

-- SHIRLEY THIGPEN (SJT@PLANTTEL.NET), April 26, 2002.

My family and I saw the Goat Man at least once (I think it was a few times) in Statesboro, Georgia in the early or mid-60s. I was fascinated by him and his lifestyle and, for some mystifying reason, I treasure the memory of seeing him. Like someone else said, I remember the jangle of his pots and pans as the wagon moved along. I'd very much like to know if the book(s) and video about him are worth buying.

-- Becky Baldwin (ragby1@yahoo.com), May 02, 2002.

Yes, I remember the Goat Man. My father took me to see him. He was camped for the night by the side of the Davisboro road in my hometown, Sandersville, GA. It had to have been the late 50s...'59 maybe. I was about 8 years old. It was very cold that night, but he had a roaring fire going. There were about 10 or 12 adults who had brought lawn chairs with them, and they were all sitting by the fire, listening to his stories. I wish I had listened more, but I was more interested in the wagon with all those license plates and lanterns. I can't recall what he looked like, but years later I saw the movie "Cannery Row" with Nick Nolte & Debra Winger. In the movie was a character called "The Seer" played by Sunshine Parker. That, to my child's eye, is what the Goat Man looked like. I do remember clearly that he was a gentle soul, though. That's the memory I'll take with me.

-- John Adams (jadams4310@aol.com), May 08, 2002.