Goldsboro was named in honor of J.M. Goldsborough, the civil engineer who was involved with making the railway through the town of "Martinsville" as it was called prior to 1850. The town consisted of three or four houses, the old "Red Mill", and a small store.
Etters is a town one mile north of Goldsboro. A post office was established in Etters in 1838 at the site of Henry Etter's tavern. When the railroad was built, the post office was moved to Goldsboro, but it still retained the name of Etters.