My Grandma, Floria Mae Burnette

Grandma and one of her grandsons
standing in front of Penfield Baptist Church
in Penfield, Georgia

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Floria Mae Burnette, daughter of Thomas Terrell Burnette and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Jones, was born in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia on November 18, 1897. She was the 3rd of 13 children—Luther Terrell Burnette, Eva Drucilla Burnette, Floria Mae Burnette, Jesse Burnette, unknown twin Burnette, Willie Lloyd Burnette, Prince Albert Burnette, Claudia Burnette, Maudie Burnette, Henry T. Burnette, Eleanor (Elna) Estelle Burnette, Samuel A. Burnette, and Julia Virginia Burnette. She was my paternal grandmother whom we called Grandma.

On June 26, 1900, Floria and her family lived in the Vinegar Hill District of Walton County. Her parents had been married for six years; her father worked as a farmer. The census enumerator recorded her mother as having had five children, all of which were living, however, there were only four children listed in the census record—Luther, Eva (enumerated as Ever), Flora, and a son named Jesse (age 1, born January 1899 in Georgia). I’ve been told that Lizzie had two sets of twins—one set survived (Claudia and Maudie) and one set that died at the age of one. This census is the only record I’ve found that lists Jesse who I’m assuming to be one of the twins. But what about the fifth child (the other twin)? Where was it? If the family lore is true, Jesse would have died shortly after this census was taken.

1900 Census, Walton County, Georgia. The only record that lists a child named Jesse.

When Floria was 11 years old, she attended the Jones family reunion with her family in 1908. The group photo below was taken that day. At this time, I can identify 38 family members.

Jones family reunion, ca. 1908

The photographer also took individual family photos. Floria is the girl with the bun on the left behind her mother.

Thomas Terrell Burnette family, ca. 1908

On April 28, 1910, Floria and her family lived in Greshamville, Greene County, Georgia. Her father was enumerated as Tom and was still farming. Luther, Eva, and Floria were all farm laborers on a home farm; all three could read and write and were attending school. The enumerator recorded her mother as having had 10 children, 8 of which were living. This accounts for the death of the twins. Still at home were Luther, Eva (again enumerated as Ever), and Floria (enumerated as either Florence or Flor Mae, it’s hard to read) with five more children added to the family—Willie, Prince (enumerated as Price), twins Claudia and Maudie, and Henry.

1910 Soundex Cards

Floria was a teenager during the early to mid-1910s. On one of her birthdays, her mother gave her a carnival glass vase that was eventually given to my Daddy. I remember it always sat on an end table in our living room when I was growing up. Today, it sits on my bedside table.

Grandma's carnival glass vase

You can see the vase on the table in our 1960s living room

   

On February 13, 1920, the family lived in the Walkers District of Greene County. At age 22, Floria, enumerated as either Florrie or Flossie (again, hard to read), was still living at home, as was her 24-year-old sister Eva. Her father was farming on a general farm and Eva, Floria, Willie, Prince, Claudia, Maudie, and Henry were all laborers on a home farm. The house was full with Floria’s parents, 10 of the children, and Floria’s 78-year-old widowed paternal grandfather, Samuel Pride Burnette all living together. Three more children had joined the family since the last census was taken—Eleanor, Samuel (enumerated as Sammie), and Julia. Floria’s brother Luther and his wife Etta Belle lived next door.

1920 Soundex Cards

Floria and Carroll Harvey Lankford, son of Thomas P. Janes Jr. and Alice Beman Lankford, visited the courthouse in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia on February 23, 1922 where they obtained a marriage license from Judge F. B. Shipp at the Court of the Ordinary. They were married by Mr. Dreyer on March 12, 1922 in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. Floria was 26-years-old and Carroll 36-years-old. Judge Shipp incorrectly wrote Floria’s last name as “Barnett” when he issued the license. I’m assuming they took the license with them when they left the courthouse so the person who married them could complete and sign it after performing the marriage ceremony. That would mean Floria and Carroll should have seen the misspelling of her last name. I can’t help but wonder why she didn’t ask the judge to correct the spelling, but that’s something we’ll never know.

1922 marriage license for Carroll and Floria Burnette

Something else we’ll never know is whether the burden Carroll brought to the union had any effects on their marriage. I’ve already told my grandpa’s story, one of a child born out of wedlock and living with that shame during his lifetime. If you’re interested, you can read it here and if you care to read more, click here to learn about our DNA connection to the Janes line. Floria and Carroll would go on to have eight children together—Carroll (Sport) Harvey Lankford Jr., Floria Lucile Lankford, Samuel Terrell Lankford, twins Alice and Elizabeth Lankford, Grover William Lankford, Clark Eugene Lankford, and Betty Ann Lankford.

Grandpa and Grandma with their eight children—front:  Carroll Harvey Jr. (AKA Sport),
Grover, Clark, and Sam; back: Liz (twin), Lucile, Grandma (Floria),
Grandpa (Carroll Sr.), Alice (twin), and Betty (ca. September 1959)

Carroll worked as a sharecropper, farming cotton and vegetables. Being a sharecropper meant they moved every two years working the land. Until Floria and Carroll moved into a house Daddy bought in Penfield, they lived in old, deserted plantation houses owned by Ralph Brightwell. Mr. Brightwell rented the houses to Carroll for half—Mr. Brightwell got the cotton and Carroll kept the vegetables. As the family grew, and as mentioned previously, they moved a lot, living in Stephens in Oglethorpe County and Woodville, Union Point, and Penfield in Greene County. I can’t find the family in the 1930 census records, but know they were still in Penfield that year. They made another move to Oglethorpe County, living in Maxeys, then moved back to Penfield, and then back to Maxeys by 1935. They eventually settled down in Penfield in a home purchased by their son Sam. Carroll also worked as a blacksmith, although I don’t know when and for how long.

Lankford home in Penfield, Georgia

Floria’s father Thomas died of heart disease at the age of 71 on February 6, 1940 in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia. He was buried at Walker United Methodist Church Cemetery in Greensboro. On April 11, 1940, the census enumerator found the family living in Woodville. Floria was a housewife and Carroll was enumerated as Caral Lanford working as a farmer on his own farm. The highest grade Floria had completed was the 7th and Carroll the 4th. Their son Sam joined the Navy in 1944 and left home. He returned in 1946, staying for a year before moving to Atlanta in 1947 to live with Floria’s sister Julia. While living with Julia, Sam worked with her husband, Jerry Gregory who was a plumber. Jerry taught Sam the trade and it wasn’t long before Sam encouraged his brothers Grover and Clark to move to Atlanta as well. Before long, all three were plumbers and worked together for many years.

Sam in the white t-shirt, other men unknown. Standing in front of Gregory Plumbing.

Before leaving for Atlanta, Sam transferred the house title to his mother Floria. Carroll sold pulpwood off the land and then bought an additional 20 acres, giving them a total of 25–30 acres. Carroll also bought property between Greensboro and Penfield from the government but was unable to pay for the land and filed bankruptcy on that piece of property. Along with whatever income Floria and Carroll received from his farming and blacksmith work, he also received a monthly pension of $60 for his service during World War I, which was eventually increased to $72. Really not that much money coming in.

My Aunt Lucille and Grandma

In 1955, Floria’s brother Henry was killed in a hunting accident in Putnam County, Georgia on New Year’s Eve. Henry was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton after a service held at Oak Street Baptist Church. Floria’s mother Lizzie died at Minnie G. Boswell Hospital in Greensboro on December 2, 1956. At the time of her death, she suffered from multiple issues, including acute adrenal insufficiency following a fracture of her right shoulder, cardiovascular disease, senility, and chronic bronchitis. Lizzie was buried beside her husband at Walker United Methodist Church Cemetery in Greensboro the next day. Her sister Eleanor died in Fulton County, Georgia on April 25, 1963 and was buried at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery in McDonough, Henry County, Georgia.

My Grandma was diagnosed with cancer (of the stomach I believe) in September 1969. By the time it was discovered, the cancer was pretty advanced. She and Grandpa moved into a nursing home for a short time but they both hated it so moved in with their my Aunt Lucille. With no money to pay medical expenses, Sam (my Daddy) hired a local Greensboro lawyer named Miles Walker Lewis to transfer their Penfield property over to my uncle Ralph Epps (Aunt Lucille’s husband). Uncle Ralph sold the property off in pieces to pay the medical bills for both Grandma and Grandpa. After all was said and done, there was only $500 left. The cancer took its toll and my Grandma died on March 3, 1970 at Boswell Hospital in Greensboro at the age of 72. I still remember the night she died. I knew she wasn’t doing well. My bedroom was downstairs at the time and after hearing the telephone ring just after 10 p.m., I headed upstairs. When I got to the dining room, Daddy was standing there crying, with his hands covering his face. That was the only time I ever saw my Daddy cry. My Uncle Clark, who was at the hospital with Grandma, was the person who called Daddy after she was gone. Daddy once told me that he remembers dreaming about Grandma the night she died and was woken by the phone when Uncle Clark called. Her funeral was held the next day at Bairds Baptist Church in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia with Rev. Robert C. Black officiating. She was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery near the church. She was survived by sisters Eva, twins Maudie and Claudia, and Julia; and brothers Willie, Luther, Prince, and Sam.

I was only 13 when Grandma died so only have a few memories of her. I remember the yearly family reunions at their house in Penfield, always in September to coincide with Grandpa’s birthday. I remember that house looked like it always needed to be painted, as in it was raw wood. Daddy said Grandpa wouldn’t let them paint it. Parts of the house was caved in; I remember in particular portions of the back porch. You pulled into a dirt driveway; in fact, most of the yard was dirt. My sister Bonita remembers that Grandma swept the dirt yard, an old Southern custom to help ward off snakes and make a safe play area for children. Pictures show there was a wooden building, perhaps a barn, at the end of the driveway. There was an outhouse a short distance from the house, in the field with a mule. I was always afraid of using the outhouse because you had to walk past the mule to get to the outhouse. Water was drawn from a pump well in the backyard. There was a large round grinding stone, powered by pedaling, either on the back porch or in the yard, that was used to sharpen knives and tools. You entered the house by going up a few steps which led into the kitchen. I don’t remember but it was probably the dining room as well. There was a large wood stove in the kitchen that Grandma cooked on. Because they had no heat or water in the house, Grandma got up before daylight every morning to light the stove and heat up the house before she cooked breakfast. I remember her adding wood to the stove, making biscuits in a large wooden bowl (my sister Bonita has that bowl now), and then putting the pan of biscuits in oven of the wood stove. It still fascinates me that people cooked that way inside their house.

Carroll and Floria Lankford (ca. 1959)

Daddy remembers they shelled a lot of corn so that must have been one of Grandpa’s crops. I can picture Grandma, standing in front of her wood stove, stirring a pot of southern style creamed corn for dinner, something any good southern woman knows how to cook.

My cousin Tim told me his Mom (Alice) said the kids only got one pair of shoes once a year when they were growing up. Aunt Alice told my cousin Kathy that when she and her twin sister Liz started working at the mill, they had Grandma and Grandpa’s house wired for electricity. They also bought them a refrigerator, two bedroom suites, a couch, a rug or piece of carpet for the living room, and put some kind of shades on the windows.

I don’t remember it but my Aunt Betty told me that Grandpa and Grandma had a piano. Aunt Betty said Grandma played by ear and loved to play church songs.

My cousin Euleen remembers spending the night at their house, something I don’t think I ever did, and having to watch the Jackie Gleason Show on their television. I didn’t even know they had one! Euleen also said they always had tons of quilts on the bed when they slept there in the winter. It got cold in the house at night.

Floria on the right standing
beside her mother Lizzie
and granddaughters
Linda and Nancy

Money was probably an issue all of her married life. Grandpa worked all the time, as a farmer/sharecropper and blacksmith, but Daddy once told me Grandpa couldn’t hold onto money—if there was money in the house, he spent it. That had to be hard on Grandma. I cringe when I hear someone complaining about the (material) things they don’t have. My mind always goes to how my grandparents lived, how hard life must have been for them, and how much they didn’t have. We think we have it so bad sometimes but we don’t know what bad really is.

A quiet, kind, sweet, and gentle woman—these are the words used by myself, my siblings, and cousins to describe my Grandma. That is how I remember her.

References

• “Back When Mamaws Would Sweep Their Yards,” Appalachian Magazine, April 11, 2017; http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/04/11/back-when-mamaws-would-sweep-their-yards/.
• Certificate of Death no. 30983 for Elizabeth Jones Burnette, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, December 4, 1956.
• Certificate of Death no. 4275 for Thomas Terrel Burnette, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, February 9, 1940.
• Floria Mae Burnette and Carroll Lankford, Marriage Certificate, State of Georgia, Greene County, recorded March 22, 1922.
• Mrs. Lankford Passes Away, obituary, newspaper unknown, March 1970.
• Obituary, Carroll H. Lankford Jr., McCommons Funeral Home, Greensboro, Georgia.
• Personal memories of Denise Murphy, Kathy Osborne, Tim Griffith, Alice Griffith, Betty Elrod, and Euleen Disharoon.
• U.S. Federal Census, Greshamville, Greene County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Vinegar Hill, Walton County, Georgia, 1900.
• U.S. Federal Census, Walkers District, Greene County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1940.

Roland Lankford, a victim of diphtheria

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Roland Lankford, son of Edward James Lankford and Nancy (Nannie) T. Reynolds, was born circa April 1879 in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He was the 2nd of 12 children born to Edward and Nannie—Ethel S. Lankford, Roland Lankford, Robert Lankford, James Brook Lankford, Sallie Mae Lankford, Idarene Lankford, Pearl M. Lankford, Ruby Lankford, Cecil Lankford, Thomas Watson Lankford, Sythia E. Lankford, and Edwin John Lankford.

Roland is my 2nd cousin 3x removed with our nearest common relatives being Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore.

Roland’s story isn’t one of a long prosperous life though as he did not survive infancy. At the age of about eight months, he contracted diphtheria, a “serious bacterial infection that usually affects the mucous membranes of your nose and throat” according to the Mayo Clinic. Diphtheria was once a leading cause of death among children. That would prove to be true for Roland when he died, most likely at home in Bairdstown, in November 1879. Roland was listed as R. Lankford on the mortality schedule taken in 1880. If you don’t read the notes on the schedule, you might think this child was his brother Robert, who died in 1880. But Note A reads: The Census Year begins June 1, 1879 and ends May 31, 1880. Mortality schedule 5 for “Persons who DIED during the Year ending May 31, 1880 …”  noted that Roland was 8/12 months and that he died in November. Because the schedule ended in May 1880, that would mean this child would have died in November 1879, not 1880 so it would have to be Roland, not Robert. Roland was under the care of Dr. Devant at the time of his death.

Mortality Schedule for the period June 1, 1879 to May 31, 1880, Oglethorpe County, Georgia

Roland was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown. Sadly, he wasn’t the only infant in the family that didn’t survive. When you visit Bairdstown Cemetery, you’ll find a row of five stones—all with just a name and a single year—for Roland and his siblings born after his death, Robert, Idarene, Ruby, and Cecil.

Thanks to vaccinations, diphtheria is now rare in the United States.

References

• Diphtheria, May Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diphtheria/symptoms-causes/syc-20351897.
• Personal visit to Bairdstown Cemetery.
• U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850–1885 for R. Lankford.

Martin William Murphy

Martin William Murphy

Martin William Murphy, son of Samuel C. Murphy and Nancy Daugherty, was born on August 22, 1852 or 1853 in Marshall County, Virginia. He was the second child of five born to Samuel and Nancy—Mary C. Murphy, Martin William Murphy, Margarete Emily Murphy, Elmer Elsworth Murphy, and Nancy Elizabeth Murphy. Martin is my husband’s great grandfather.

On September 6, 1860, Martin and his family lived in Marshall County, Virginia (now West Virginia). His father was a farmer with real estate valued at $375 and a personal estate valued at $150. Martin and his sister Mary were attending school at the time. His sister Margaret at one-year-old was obviously too young to be in school. Martin’s maternal grandparents, John P. and Catherine (Brannon) Daughtery, lived five houses from the Murphy house. On this census record, I learned that John Daughtery was from Ireland. Martin’s sister Nancy was born on January 25, 1867 and was just under two weeks old when their mother died in Marshall County on February 7 at the age of 41 years. Martin’s mother was buried at Greenville Ridge Cemetery in Silver Hill, Marshall County, West Virginia. Martin’s father Samuel was now left to raise five children alone. But that changed on November 27, 1868 when he married Tabitha A. Bonar Clark, daughter of David Bonar and Elizabeth J. Core near Belton, Pennsylvania. Tabitha, a widow, had previously been married to James C. Clark who died in 1865 and had five children of her own—Eliza Jane Clark (20), Emeline Clark (15), Charles W. Clark (12), Ann Rebecca Clark (7), and Artimace M. Clark (4). Tabitha had a sixth child named Sarah E. Clark who died on October 4, 1863 at the age of 2 years in Wetzel County, West Virginia. Samuel and Tabitha were only married a few months when Tabitha’s daughter Emeline died on March 10, 1869.

On July 26, 1870, Martin and his now blended family lived in the Center Township of Wetzel County, West Virginia. His father was a farmer with real estate valued at $500 and a personal estate valued at $200. Martin’s stepmother Tabitha was keeping house and unable to write. At 17 years of age, Martin was attending school but was also unable to write. Only three of Tabitha’s children lived in the home—Charles, Rebecca, and Artimace. They lived next door to the William H. Murphy family and beside him was the James Murphy family. I need to figure out if they’re connected to Samuel and his family.

Sarah E. Anderson Murphy

On June 24, 1880, the Murphy family lived in the Liberty District of Marshall County, West Virginia. Martin’s father was a farm laborer, most likely assisted by 24-year-old Martin who was a farm laborer. His stepmother Tabitha was keeping house, sister Emily was working as a domestic, and brother Elmer was working as a laborer. Martin’s stepbrother Charles was working as a farmer, while stepsisters Rebecca and Artimace (enumerated as Arte) were both “at home.” Martin now had a nephew named James L. Blake, although I haven’t determined which sister or stepsister he belonged to.

Martin married Sarah Elizabeth Anderson, daughter of Lewis Anderson and Mariah (or Mary) Eckelberry. I have yet to find a marriage record to determine the date and location. Between the years 1881 and 1903, Martin and Sarah had 11 children—Cora Belle Murphy, Edward Francis Murphy, Charles Homer Murphy, Essie Lee Murphy, William (Willie) H. Murphy, Ella Mae Murphy, Arliff Barow Murphy, Tabitha M. Murphy, Cecil Pearl Murphy, Addie Opal Murphy, and Olive Ruby Murphy.

Daughter Tabitha was born in 1896. Sadly, she only lived for about two years, dying in 1898. Tabitha was buried at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia. I wasn’t aware of this child until we visited the cemetery in 2009 and found her grave, which thankfully was clearly marked by the stone below.

 I found a second marker nailed to a tree.

On June 22, 1900, Martin and his family lived in Littleton, within the Clay District of Wetzel County, West Virginia. The 1900 census record shows that Martin and Sarah had been married for 16 years which would have meant they were married about 1884, three years before their first child was born in 1881. Martin supported his family working as a teamster, someone who hauled merchandise using a team of horses. As a teamster, Martin would have “worked 12–18 hours a day, seven days a week for an average wage of $2 per day” according to the Teamster’s webpage. His wife Sarah was enumerated as having had nine children, eight of which were living. That would account for the death of little Tabitha in 1898. Martin, Sarah, Charles, and Essie were all able to read and write, however, sons Edward and William weren’t. Their daughter Cora had already left home, living in the home of James and Ida Johnston, a local merchant. Cora was working as a servant, although it’s not clear if she was working for the Johnston’s or someone else. Daughter Essie married Frank Oscar Grimm in 1907 and by 1908 had started a family of her own.

On April 27, 1910, the Murphy family continued to live in the Clay District of Wetzel County. Martin was now working as a general farmer. The 1910 census record shows that Martin and Sarah had been married for 27 years and that Sarah was the mother of 11 children, 10 of which were living. Eight of the children still lived at home—Edward (26), Charles (21), William (18), Ella (17), Arliff (16), Cecil (11), Addie (8), and Olive (6). Edward, Charles, and William were working as teamsters in an oil field, daughter Ella as a servant for a private family, and son Arliff as a farm laborer. Cecil and Addie were both attending school while six-year-old Olive was not. On May 25, 1915, Martin’s daughter Essie died of septic endometritis in Warwood (a neighborhood of Wheeling), Ohio County, West Virginia. She was just 27 years old and left three young children behind, the youngest being three years old.

On January 13, 1920, Martin and Sarah still lived in the Clay District of Wetzel County, along with three of their adult children—William, Arliff, and Addie. Martin was the only person in the home working—farming on a general farm. Martin’s wife Sarah died of cancer on April 1, 1927 in the Clay District at the age of 67. She was buried at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton. Just five days later, Martin died on April 6, 1927 in Mannington, Marion County, West Virginia at the age of 74. He was buried beside Sarah at Anderson Bethel Cemetery in Littleton on April 8. Martin’s son Willie was the informant on his death certificate. Dr. F. W. Vance noted that he did not treat Martin and that he evidently died from a cerebral hemorrhage, also known as bleeding of the brain.

I wanted to write about Martin after finding the above photos of him and his wife Sarah last weekend on the www.familysearch.org website. These photos take us back visually one more generation in my husband’s family, which is very as exciting. Thank you to Cora Childers for posting the photos, as well as for giving me permission to post them here.


References

• Find A Grave, Martin W. Murphy memorial 38949113.
• Martin Murphy Certificate of Death no. 4950, West Virginia State Department of Health.
• Martin Murphy, West Virginia Births, 1853–1930; www.wvculture.org.
• Martin Murphy, West Virginia Deaths, 1804–1999; http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=834817&ImageNumber=315.
• Martin William Murphy and Sarah Anderson Murphy photos courtesy of Cora Childers.
• Personal visit by Denise Murphy to Anderson Bethel Cemetery, Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Sarah Murphy, General Index and Register of Deaths, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• Tabitha Murphy tombstone, Anderson Bethel Cemetery, Littleton, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
• The Early Years, Teamster’s; https://teamster.org/about/teamster-history/early-years.
• United States Federal Census, Marshall County, Virginia, 1860.
• United States Federal Census, Center Township, Wetzel County, Virginia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Liberty District, Marshall County, West Virginia, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, Clay District, Wetzel County, West Virginia, 1900, 1910, 1920.

Curtis Caldwell Lankford

This blog post is another in a series connecting the dots in my tree to the souls buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

Curtis Caldwell Lankford, son of Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, was born in Jackson County, Georgia on February 4, 1828. He was the fourth of five children—William A. Lankford, James Meriweather Lankford, Elizabeth Ann Lankford, Curtis Caldwell Lankford, and Robert Chester Lankford. Curtis is my 3rd great grand uncle. His brother, James Meriweather Lankford, was my 3rd great grandfather.

It appears that he sometimes went by the name Kirk or Curt.

A word of caution to other Lankford researchers ... there are several men named Curtis Lankford or Curtis Caldwell Lankford, so when researching, you need to be careful that you have the correct person.

The first record I find for Curtis is a marriage certificate in 1852. I have performed extensive searches of the 1850 census records, including page by page scans of multiple counties, and have been unable to find Curtis. I’ll keep looking.

Curtis married Nancy A. E. McCarty, daughter of John D. McCarty and Rene (or Rena) Harris, in Madison County, Georgia on December 28, 1852. The ceremony was performed by the local Justice of the Peace, Henry Smith. Curtis and Nancy would have a large family of at least 10 children over the course of their marriage—William A. Lankford, Mary A. Lankford, Rebeckah H. Lankford, John R. Lankford, George Washington Lankford, Charles Moore Lankford, Wade Hamilton Lankford, Joseph Jackson Lankford, Nancy Crawford Lankford, and Florence Lee Lankford.

Marriage record, Madison County, Georgia

Controversy found its way into Curtis’ life in 1860 when on March 29, the Southern Banner published a story about a cave that Curtis had reportedly found:

A cave was recently discovered on the land of Mr. Kirk Langford, near Penfield, Green county, containing bones of the hyena, rhinoceros, and other animals extinct in this country as well as of animals now existing. This discovery is an interesting one to geologists and Zoologists. – Augusta Dispatch.

Another article appeared in The Daily Sun in Columbus, Georgia on April 4, 1860 although it referenced March 27:

Special Correspondence of the Dispatch. Penfield, Ga., March 27. Editor Dispatch: You have doubtless noticed a communication to the Christian Index, concerning an “extraordinary discovery,” lately made upon the plantation of Mr. Kirke Langford, of Penfield. Particulars have since developed themselves more fully, and might prove interesting to the scientific portion of the readers of the Dispatch. The Index correspondent was generally correct in his statements, all of which it is presumed (as they have been copied extensively out of the State) your readers remember, but since the surrounding rocks have been blasted, the earth carefully dug out—and examined, several other interesting things have been added to the previous discovery, which no doubt will present to the Naturalists and Geologists of the country, a more fruitful theme by hypotheses than any other discovery ever made upon the North American Continent.

On March 30, The Rome Weekly Courier published a story that went into more detail on the cave story:

From the Christian Index. Extraordinary Discovery. Penfield, Ga., March 12, ’60. Dear Bro. Boykin:—It is my pleasure to be able to record one of the most extraordinary discoveries of the age.—A few days ago, while some of Bro. Kirke Langford’s negroes were employed on his plantation near this place, in removing some loose stones preparatory to getting ready to blast some rocks, these loose stones having prevented free access to the main body of the rock, when suddenly the whole mass fell in, and exposed to view a cave about nineteen feet in length, seventeen in breadth, and four or five in depth. Bro. L., on entering, found the roof and sides incrusted with stalactites, and a general sheet of stalagmite rising irregularly into bosses, lay beneath his feet. This sheet of stalagmite broken through, a rich brown mud was found about nine inches in thickness, loamy for the depth of two inches, while the interior was rather sandy. In this loam, at all depths, from the surface down to the rock, in the midst of the stalagmitic upper crust, were found bones of the following animals: carnivora—hyena, bear, fox, and weasel; pachydermata—rhinoceros and horse; ruminantia—ox and stag; rodential—rabbit, water rat, and mouse; and birds—raven, lark and snipe. The bones and teeth of the hyena were plentiful, while the bones of the remainder were comparatively scarce. There were three different species of bear, the largest of which was Cuvier’s “ursus spelacus.”—Bro. L., who is, although a plain, blunt farmer, one of the best versed men in science in the State, explains this natural phenomenon very satisfactorily.—He says that he thinks it a den of some ravenous animal; that carcasses of large animals were drifted into it. I will not enter into the details of the explanation, as Bro. L., intends to write an article himself on this great curiosity, for which this communication is designed simply to prepare the public ear.—Those wonders of nature will, I understand, be presented to the Mercer University museum. Very respectfully, your obt. Serv’t., H.H.T.

That story quickly went sour when on April 3, 1860, the Rome Tri-weekly Courier published the following article:

Kirk Langford is a “Brother” of the drinking persuasion, and about the only cave he has ever explored, has been some well that needed cleaning out. 

We have learned, that Prof. Tucker, of Mercer University, is quite outraged, as he well may be, at the audacious use of his initials, by the person who contributed this wonderful information to the Index.

We publish below an account of a diabolical and partially successful attempt of a negro woman to destroy herself and her three children. From the coincidence of the place and name with the cave hoax we are induced to suspect that the Locomotive, from which we learn the facts, may also have been imposed on. 

Devilish Act of a Negro Woman. We learned through a gentleman from Penfield, on yesterday, that a negro woman belonging to James Lankford, of that place, becoming tired of life, threw three of her children into a well, said to be 65 feet in depth, and then jumped in herself.

“Curt.” Lankford went down after them, and found her still living and not seriously injured; when he reached her she attempted to drown him, and it was only by main force that he subdued her and brought her up; the children were all dead. 

She is confined in mail and will no doubt be hung as a murderess. 

She assigned as a reason for the rash and in-human act, that she wished to die, and didn’t want to leave any of her children behind.—Atlanta Locomotive.

I wrote about “Becky” attempting to drown in her children in 2014. You’ll find that story here, although it doesn’t mention Curtis. It seems that brothers Curtis and James both had a drinking problem and apparently liked to tell stories.

On June 2, 1860, Curtis, Nancy, and their children William, Mary, Rebeckah (spelled Rebecca), and John were living in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. Curtis worked as a laborer and had a personal estate valued at $100. He was unable to read or write. Curtis enlisted as a private in Company C, 3rd Regiment Georgia Infantry “Dawson Grays” in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia on April 24, 1861 by Capt. R. L. McWhorter in General Wright’s Brigade. He claimed residence in Greene County, enlisting for a period of one year. He mustered into service at Augusta, Georgia on May 3, 1861 by Capt. R. G. Cole. Curtis was discharged from Company C on July 1, 1862 as under age. On December 24, 1862, Curtis swore his allegiance to the State of Georgia. He enlisted as a private in Company G, 66th Regiment Georgia Infantry on August 15, 1863, serving with them just under two years. He was paroled in Athens, Georgia on May 8, 1865. Curtis was at home on sick furlough due to inflammatory rheumatism approximately 60 days before the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

Oath of Allegiance

On June 16, 1870, Curtis and his family lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. Curtis was still working as a laborer, Nancy was keeping house, and son John was a farm laborer. Three children had been added to the family—George, Charles, and Hamilton. By 1878, the family had moved and was living in the Simston Militia District of Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Unfortunately, property tax records don’t show anything regarding the value of his real or personal estates.

On June 7, 1880, Curtis and his family lived in the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Curtis was now employed as a well digger while his wife Nancy kept house. Their 14-year-old son Charles (enumerated as Charlie) was a farm laborer and 10-year-old Hampton (Hamilton) was attending school. In addition to Curtis being unable to read or write, the census enumerator noted that neither Nancy or Charles could write. Three more children had been added to the family—Joseph, Nancy, and Florence. Property tax records for the period 1878 to 1882 show that Curtis was living in the community of Stephens within the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County. Again, the columns noting the value of his real or personal estates was blank. He was listed directly beneath a Charles Lankford, most likely his son, whose also had no real or personal estate listed on the tax record.

Seven years after the 1880 census was taken, Curtis was dead. He died at the age of 59 near Bairdstown in Oglethorpe County on June 13, 1887 “worn out with old age and rheumatism” according to a pension application noted below. He was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery, in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. His obituary was published in the Oglethorpe Echo on June 17, 1887:

(Bairdstown correspondent) - Mr. Kirk Langford died last Monday night and was buried in the cemetery here on Tuesday. After much suffering and a long spell of sickness he passed quietly away. He has many friends who will regret to hear of his death. 

His tombstone reads:

Curtis C. Lankford
Born Feb. 4, 1828
Died June 13, 1887
Father, let they grace be given,
That we may meet in heaven.

Lankford family plot, Bairdstown Cemetery

Curtis left no property, real or personal, for his family when he died. Curtis’ wife Nancy filed for and received a widow’s pension in 1901 under the name Susan A. Lankford. The paperwork originally had the name Nancy but that was crossed out and Susan was written in instead. She was living in Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia at the time. When she submitted the application, Nancy stated that she and Curtis were married in 1851, not 1852 as records show. Nancy also stated that Curtis never fully recovered from the rheumatism that caused him to be released from service in 1865 and that Curtis died on June 14, not the 13th. E. R. Cheney, a lifelong friend of the Lankford’s stated that Nancy had nothing at the time of her application. In fact, he stated “She has nothing at all, never did have anything. They have lived under my observation for 50 and 60 years. She had nothing at all.” It was noted in the application that at the time of his death, Curtis was very feeble and suffered from partial blindness. It also started that he had no property. Nancy received a pension through at least 1907.

References

• “Georgia Items,” Southern Banner, Athens, Georgia, March 29, 1860.
• “Extraordinary Discovery,” The Rome Weekly Courier, Rome, Georgia, March 30, 1860.
• “Caved,” Rome Tri-weekly Courier, Rome, Georgia, April 3, 1860.
• “Devilish Act of a Negro Woman,” Rome Tri-weekly Courier, Rome, Georgia, April 3, 1860.
• Cave Story, The Daily Sun, Columbus, Georgia, April 4, 1860.
• Company Muster Roll, Curtis C. Lankford, 3rd Regiment Georgia Infantry.
• Curtis C. Langford and Nancy McArty, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Curtis Lankford, Lexington, Oglethorpe, Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793–1892.
• Death notice, Oglethorpe Echo, June 17, 1887.
• Tombstone, Curtis C. Lankford, Bairdstown Cemetery, Bairdstown, Georgia.
• United States Federal Census, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• United States Federal Census, Militia District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Bowling Green District, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.
• Widow’s Indigent Pension, Susan A. Lankford, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907.

Jemima Durie

Durie tartan (personal)
Crown copyright, source: Scottish Register of Tartans;
https://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails?ref=1053.

I’m not ashamed to admit it … I play with elves. For the past seven Christmas seasons, I’ve posted daily pictures of my elf on the shelf named Athya (pronounced like Cathy, but with an A instead of a C). Athya was named for my husband’s grandfather, George Durie Athya. At my request last summer, my son and daughter-in-law gave me a baby elf for my birthday. The baby needed name so it made sense to continue with the Scottish family name and he was given the name Durie. After Christmas was over, it dawned on me that family members wouldn’t necessarily know where the name came from so I decided it was time to dedicate a blog post to a Durie family member to start off the year 2020. Meanwhile, if you’d like to see photos of the elves, click here.


Jemima Durie, daughter of James Durie and Jane Braidwood, was born in the District of Clyde, Glasgow, County Lanark, Scotland on July 26, 1856. There were at least nine children born to James and Jane—Mary Durie, Agnes Durie, Elizabeth Durie, George Durie, Jemima Durie, Andrewina Durie, John Durie, Robert Durie, and Jane Durie. Jemima is the only family member that I have researched at this point so it’s unknown to me how many of the nine survived into adulthood but you’ll see below I’ve taken a guess at some of them. Jemima was my husband’s great-grandmother.

In 1861, Jemima and her family lived at 62 Brown Street in the District of Clyde of the Glasgow St. George civil parish. Her father was an engine smith, a person who “made parts for and repaired engines using the tools of a Smith—similar work to that of a Blacksmith” according to the Hall Genealogy Website of Old Occupation Names. The 1861 census record recorded six children in the home: Mary (11), Elizabeth (10), George (8), Jamima (4), Andrewina (2), and John (3 months). Agnes, who was born about 1851, before Jemima was born, was not enumerated so has most likely died.

By 1871, Jemima and her family had moved to 22 Pitt Street in the Blythswood District of Barony, County Lanarkshire, Scotland. Her father was now an engine fitter, a job where he was “mainly responsible for properly fitting the engine and other electrical parts required in the engine room of a ship” according to Marine Insight. This 1871 census record shows six children in the home: Mary (21), Elizabeth (20), Gane (18 – George), Lemma (14 – Jemima), John (10), and Robert (8). Andrewina was not enumerated in this record. Since she would have been 12 now and too young to leave home, she has most likely died. A brother named Robert was born after the 1861 census was taken.

Jemima married James Athya, son of James Athya and Jane Wylie, at Lancefield Street in Glasgow on March 23, 1877. The marriage record listed her as a spinster, working as a cotton power loom weaver at the time of her marriage Their family would grow to at least nine children—Jane Athya, Margaret Wylie Athya, Elizabeth Athya, Isabella Athya, Robert Durie Athya, John Athya, George Durie Athya, David Athya, and Mary Athya. My husband’s uncle once told me he thought there may have been 13 children, but I haven’t found evidence of that yet. Jemima’s oldest daughter Jane was born in Glasgow about 1877 so I believe the pregnancy happened quickly after the marriage took place and that baby Jane was born by the end of that year.

By 1880, the family had moved to Liverpool, England where were both Margaret and Elizabeth were born, Margaret in 1880 and Elizabeth about 1883. They moved back to Scotland and lived at 5 Reid’s Lane in Wishaw where Isabella was born about 1886. Times must have been tough for the Athya family at that time, enough so that on November 30, 1886, Jemima submitted an Application for Parochial Relief in the Parish of Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, Scotland. She noted that she was of protestant faith and a housewife. Parish inspectors were scheduled to visit the home at 10:35 a.m. on December 1, 1886. Jemima told the Parochial Board that her husband had left her four days ago to look for work. As a housewife, she didn’t work so they had no income at that time. The application noted that Isabella and Robert were both born in Wishaw, while John, David, and Mary were born in Mossend, Lanarkshire, Scotland. George was born in Glasgow.

Portion of the Application for Parochial Relief

In 1891, Jemima, James, and their children Margaret, Elizabeth, Isabella, Robert, and seven-month-old John lived in the Civil Parish of Bothwell, County Lanarkshire. The census record transcription shows the address as No. 10 Back Ac Square. I tried to find this address on a map to better understand it, but haven’t had any luck so far. James worked as a joiner, a skilled carpenter.

In 1901, Jemima, James, and their children Robert, George, David, and Mary lived at 50 Hope Street in Motherwell, located in the Dalziel Parrish of County Lanarkshire. Youngest son John was no longer in the home. He would have only been 10 or 11 years old so since he’s not enumerated, I’m assuming he’s died since the last census was taken. Jemima’s husband James continued his work as a joiner. A couple in their mid-30s named John and Rosina Beck lived with them. John Beck was a draper, a retailer in the clothing business.

Margaret Athya Close

On May 8, 1912, Jemima’s second daughter, Margaret (Maggie) and her family left Glasgow aboard the S.S. Grampian, headed for Quebec, Canada. Maggie’s husband John Close was a miner and upon arrival in Canada, they settled at Joggins Mines in Nova Scotia where they lived for two years. The outward passenger list listed Maggie’s daughter as Jemima, not Ina as I had been told. When I looked at the 1911 Bellshill, Bothwell District, Scotland census record, she’s listed as Jemina, close enough that it appears she was named for her grandmother Jemima Durie Athya. Maggie listed her mother as the relative in the country from whence alien came on the ship manifest when they left Canada for America.

Jemima’s husband James died in Glasgow sometime in 1913 at the age of 57. Jemima and James had been married for 36 years.

Scotland entered World War I in 1914, an event that would have heavy consequences for the Athya family. All three of Jemima’s sons served—Robert and George with the Cameron Highlanders and David with the Second Highland Light Infantry.

Chalk drawing of George, David, and Robert Athya

Sadly, Jemima would receive the most devastating news a mother can receive—David was killed in action at France & Flanders on May 10, 1915. Family lore is that he was most likely killed during the second Battle for Ypres, standing in a Belgium trench between his brothers Robert and George but we have no proof of that. The Evening Times Roll of Honour ran the following story and photo:

Official word has been received by Mrs. J. Athya, 8 Garngad Road, Glasgow, that her son, Private David Athya, 2nd Battalion H.L.I., was killed in action in France on May 10. Deceased enlisted when the war broke out. Previous to that he was employed in Messrs Stewart and Lloyds. Other sons are in the firing line.

Credit: Evening Times Roll of Honour and The Mitchell Library, Glasgow, Scotland

David was awarded the Victory, British War, and 15 Star medals for his service in France. These medals were most likely given to Jemima. David’s name is inscribed at the Le Touret Memorial in Pas de Calais, France. Jemima received a Dependent’s Pension of five shillings a week from June 3, 1917 to May 3, 1918 after having been listed as David’s dependent and certified as wholly impaired.

On October 30, 1920, Jemima said goodbye to her son George as he left Glasgow aboard the ship S.S. Columbia. George was on his way to America to join his sister Maggie in Steubenville, Ohio. That was probably the last time Jemima saw George.

Jemima lived at 192 Dalmarnock Road in the Bridgeton District of Lanarkshire, Glasgow from at least 1919 until her death in 1924 or 1925, most likely in Glasgow.
 
The Durie family, from the Scottish Lowlands, can be traced back to the 1200s. Below is a map showing the Scottish Lowlands (in light green) and the Scottish Highlands (darker green).

Map of the Scottish Lowlands and Highlands, Jrockley [Public domain]; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scottish_Highlands_and_Lowlands.png.

References

• Applications for Relief, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Poor Law Applications and Registers, 1849–1917.
• Durie Family History—a Resumé, The Durie Family; https://www.duriefamily.co.uk/durie_history/durie_history.htm.
• Glasgow, Barony Civil Parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland Census, 1871.
• Glasgow, Bothwell Civil Parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland Census, 1891.
• Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1857–1962 (1919, 1921, 1924).
• Glasgow, St. George Civil Parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland Census, 1861.
• Hall Genealogy Website, Old Occupation Names; https://rmhh.co.uk/occup/e.html.
• Kantharia, Raunek, “The Not-So-Famous Marine Jobs: Shipfitters,” Marine Insight, November 12, 2019; https://www.marineinsight.com/careers-2/the-not-so-famous-marine-jobs-shipfitters/.
• Motherwell, Dalziel Civil Parish, County Lanarkshire, Scotland Census, 1901.
• Page 1—UK, WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914–1923 (1917).
• Victorian Occupations, London Census 1891 Transcription Blog; http://www.census1891.com/occupations-j.php.