52 Ancestors - #2: James Meriweather Lankford

James Meriweather Lankford, the son of Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, was born in 1820 (exact date unknown to me) in Jackson County, Georgia according to a “Questions for Applicant” form submitted by Caroline B. Lankford when filing for a Widow’s Indigent Pension in 1901. The same record lists James’ full name, the only record I have found listing his middle name vs. the letter “M.” James was the 2nd child of 5—William A., James, Elizabeth Ann, .Curtis Caldwell, and Robert Chester. James is my 3rd great-grandfather.

James married Caroline B. Hobbs, daughter of Nathan Augustus Hobbs, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Lankford, on December 1, 1844 in Greene County, Georgia. The ceremony was performed by Jeremiah Lindsey.

James, Caroline, daughter Mary, and son James lived in District 145 of Greene County in 1850. Their home was three houses from Caroline’s parents. James was a farmer.

In 1860, James and Caroline lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. They have added five more children to the family since 1850—Emma S., Emerette R., Nathan, Laura J., and Marion. James was a stock trader. He had real estate valued at $1500 and personal property valued at $4000. The book How Curious a Land: Conflict and Change in Greene County, Georgia, 1850–1885* by Jonathan M. Bryant states “… James Lankford made a good living trading livestock and by 1860 had accumulated more than $5,000 worth of property …”

An 1860 slave schedule shows that James owned three slaves—a 65 year old male, a 50 year old male, and a 26 year old female. The word “Murder” is written beside the female’s name. A Southern Watchman article dated April 5, 1860 speaks of a female slave—most likely the 26 year old female listed in the 1860 slave schedule: “Three Children Drowned! We learn from the Washington Independent that a negro woman belonging to Mr. James M. Lankford, of Penfield, threw her three children into his well on Tuesday night of last week, and to make sure of their destruction she descended herself by means of the rope. She was drawn out next morning, and turned over to the authorities.” Bryant’s book How Curious a Land devotes two and a half pages to the story of slave Becky, age 26. As the mother of three children, Becky was considered valuable to the Lankford’s. When Caroline caught Becky stealing dough, she threatened to severely punish her. The next day, Mary Lankford, daughter of James and Caroline, discovered Becky and her three children in the bottom of their well. Becky was still alive but her children had died. Local officials ruled the deaths murder and Becky was taken to jail in Greensboro. There were rumors of different versions of the event—did Becky murder her children to get back at the Lankford’s for threats made by Caroline? Or was Becky despondent over the threats, attempt suicide, and decide to take her children with her in death? James was known to drink and lie. Did he make up the story in a drunken stupor? Becky was valuable property to a slave owner so George Dawson, the lawyer hired by James, took the suicide angle. She was only tried for one death and it was never mentioned that it was her child. Becky was eventually found not guilty and returned to the Lankford household. If Becky thought her life was hard before, what must she have thought after all this!

Claiming residence in Greene County, Georgia, James joined the Confederate cause and enlisted in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia on April 24, 1861 as a private in Company C of the Third Regiment Georgia Infantry, or the Dawson Grays, C.S.A. He was enlisted by Capt. R. L. McWhorter. The McWhorter name was (and still is) well known in Greene County. James mustered into service at Augusta, Georgia on May 3, 1861, by Capt. R. G. Cole. On the company roll covering the period May 3 to June 30, 1861 (only roll on which borne), he was reported present. Having been transferred, James was discharged on July 15, 1862 in Portsmouth, Virginia, leaving a substitute in his place. James then served in Company C of the Georgia Troops from November 1862 until May 1865. He was with his company in Augusta when the command surrendered. George N. Boswell stated that James made a good and faithful solder and was honorably discharged with his command at the surrender.

On July 5, 1867 James swore his allegiance to the United States and registered to vote in the state of Georgia. The record shows that he lived in Greene County.

In 1869, Caroline filed for and received a plot of land in Penfield under the Homestead Act, a federal law enacted to help with Reconstruction after the Civil War ended. The petition stated that Caroline was the head of household. The plot contained four acres and was bounded by lands of Robinson and Mercer University, belonging to her husband James M. Lankford. I personally don’t understand how the Homestead Act worked. Why was Caroline filing as head of household when James was still alive? Why was she given property bounded by land owned by her husband? If anyone can shed some light on this for me, please leave a comment to this blog.

In June 1870, they lived in Penfield, assumed to be the land received from the Homestead Act. Mary, James, and Emma have left the home and James is farming. They lived at the corner of Watson Spring Road.



1880 Soundex Cards

By June 1880, James and his family have moved to Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. The enumerator listed him as J. L. Lankford. James is still farming. Only three children are in the home now—Emerette, Laura, and Marion. Grandsons Walter Wilson, age 8, and Julien Wilson, age 6, are living with the family. Walter and Julien (or possibly Julius) were the sons of daughter Emma, who had apparently died. James and Caroline’s son, James C., lived next door with his family. 

On several Indigent Widow’s Pension records, Caroline stated that James died in Lithonia, DeKalb County, Georgia on October 29, 1887. J. Boswell and E.S. Powell, who fought with James during the war, signed affidavits stating that James died in 1888. In 1901, his widow Caroline filed for and was approved, a Widow’s Indigent Pension. She continued to file and receive a yearly pension until her death in Baldwin County on January 8, 1906. I have found no other record showing when James died nor have I found where James or Caroline are buried.

*Bryant, Jonathan M., How Curious a Land: Conflict and Change in Greene County, Georgia, 1850–1885, published by the University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1996.

52 Ancestors - #1: Charles Homer Murphy

Last week I discovered the 52 Ancestors challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow in January and after thinking about it a few days, thought I'd give it a try. I'm coming in very late to the challenge and don't know that I can post each week but I will at least attempt a post for 52 ancestors. It will also force me to get back to my genealogy blog which I've neglected far too long.

The first ancestor I'll blog about is my husband's grandfather, Charles Homer Murphy. He was a natural choice to me because my father-in-law is living with us right now and so I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask a few questions.

Charles Homer Murphy, the son of Martin William Murphy and Sarah Elizabeth Anderson, was born on October 11, 1885 in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. He was the 3rd child of 11—Cora Belle, Edward Francis, Charles, Essie Lee, William H., Ella Mae, Arliff Barrow, Tabitha M., Cecil Pearl, Addie Opal, and Olive Ruby.

Charles and his family lived in Littleton (Clay District) in 1910. The census record shows that he can read, write, and speak English.

On December 16, 1914, he married Dessie Church, daughter of Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy, in Wetzel County. Charles was 29 and Dessie was 25. Together, they had five children—Ralph, Evelyn, Raymond, Glenn, and Earl—all of whom were born at home. The family lived near Fish Creek along the railroad tracks in Littleton.

Charles registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918 in New Martinsville, Wetzel County. He was 32 years old and lived in Littleton. His nearest relative was Mrs. Dessie Murphy of Littleton. Charles noted that he was tall, medium built, had blue eyes, and brown hair. He listed his occupation as “helper on tools” for the South Penn Oil Company, a company with ties to John D. Rockefeller that he would eventually retire from. Charles also worked for the Hope Natural Gas Company during his lifetime, a company formed by Mr. Rockefeller.

In 1920, Charles and Dessie lived in Wetzel County next door to her parents, Robert and Lucinda Church. Charles rented the house they lived in.

On December 10, 1929, Charles was issued U.S. Patent No. 1,739,410 for a lock nut.

The 1930 census record dated April 5–7, 1930 shows Charles, Dessie, and all five of their children living in Littleton, Clay District. Dessie’s brother Presley Church lived three houses away. On April 16, 1940, the census record shows the entire family still living in Littleton. He owned the home which was valued at $850. 1940 was a tough year for the family. Charles was unemployed that year and Dessie died on November 20. Their oldest son Ralph helped raised the younger children after Dessie’s death, at least until he moved to Clarksburg.


Charles and Dessie

Charles bought a Ford Model T which he drove to Kodol, West Virginia to deliver newspapers (only four or five papers!). He liked to drive the car up the West Virginia hills. One time the wheel fell off the car. He was able to stop the car but watched the wheel roll down the hill past the car. He fueled the car with drip gas. Model T’s were produced by Henry Ford’s Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 27, 1927. We don’t know what year Charles’ Model T was or what year it was purchased.


Late in life, his son Glenn gave Charles a dog which he named Popeye. Charles loved Popeye and let him sleep in the bed with him all the time. Popeye was eventually killed when a truck ran over him.

Charles didn’t have hobbies. He worked and raised his children. After work, he ate supper, and then the family would play games such as Monopoly, cards (Hearts), or he would gather the neighborhood children in a circle and play marbles. Sometimes they would go fishing in nearby Fish Creek. The family would go to boat races on the Ohio River for fun.


Murphy family home in Littleton, West Virginia

Charles was the disciplinarian in the family but he never hit his children. He’d snap the belt to get their attention, but he never used it. Charles went to school but never graduated. He was not a religious person. He couldn’t afford to buy shoes so he cobbled the shoe soles for his family using leather he bought from the local hardware store. He would take the sheet of leather, sit down and mark out the foot, and then attach it to the shoe with glue.
In 1942, Charles registered for the World War II draft in Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He lived in Littleton at the time. He listed his son Raymond of Littleton as the person who would always know his address. Charles was unemployed at the time. He was 5’ 11,” weighed 155 pounds, had gray eyes, brown hair, and a ruddy complexion. The record states that the middle finger of his left hand was crooked at the first joint.

As Charles aged, he spent a lot of time in bed due to poor health. He died on November 16, 1949 at home in Littleton at the age of 64 after a brief illness. He had been plagued by heart problems for a long time. His funeral services were conducted on November 19 from the Littleton Methodist Church by Rev. H. J. Mitchell. Charles was buried beside his wife Dessie at Thomas Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Wetzel County, near the town of Hundred. Surviving were four sons: Ralph of Clarksburg; Raymond of Washington, D.C.; Glenn of Littleton; and Earl of Warren, Ohio; one daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Bailey of Buckeye, Arizona; two brothers, William Murphy of Wheeling and Ed Murphy of Littleton; five sisters, Mrs. Cora Moore of Weirton; Mrs. Ella McDougal of Penn Groce, New Jersey, Mrs. Cecil Grims of Wheeling; Mrs. Ada Garrison and Mrs. Olive Fry, both of Littleton, and one grandchild. Rev. H. J. Mitchell officiated the service. Singers were Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Dent, Mrs. Margaret Antil, Mrs. Truda Byers. The pianist was Mrs. Gertrude Allender. The song selections were “Abide With Me,” “In The Garden,” and “Going Down the Valley.” Funeral arrangements were handled by Garrett L. Hunt of Burton, West Virginia.

 

My husband, Charles, was named after his grandfather.