Marion Lankford

Marion Lankford, daughter of James Meriweather Lankford and Caroline B. Hobbs, was born January 1859 in Georgia. Her family lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia in 1860 so the probability is high that she was born there. Marion was the youngest child of seven—Mary T. Lankford, James C. Lankford, Emma S. Lankford, Emerette (Nannie) R. Lankford, Nathan Lankford, Laura J. Lankford, and Marion Lankford. Marion is my 2nd great grand aunt. Our nearest common relatives are her parents, my 3rd great grandparents. Her brother James is my direct ancestor.

As mentioned above, the Lankford family lived in Woodville on July 21, 1860. Marion was enumerated as “Meron,” age 1. Her father was a stock trader with real estate valued at $1500 and a personal estate of $4000. In today’s world, that would be about $135.5K so I would say they lived comfortably. Siblings Mary, James, and Emma were all attending school. 

James M. Lankford family in the 1860 census (click to enlarge)

Like many men during the mid-1860s, Marion’s father left home to fight during the Civil War. Marion was just a little girl at that point in time.

By June 21, 1870, the family have moved four miles down the road to Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. The census enumerator spelled her name “Miriam” this time around. Her father was a farmer and brother Nathan a farm laborer. Her mother Caroline was enumerated as keeping house. 

Before the next census was taken, the Lankford family moved again, this time to Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. When the census enumerator visited the home on June 10 1880, he found Marion (age 21), her parents James and Caroline, sisters Emerette (enumerated as Ernest, age 27) and Laura (age 23), and two nephews—Walter and Julius Wilson—children of sister Emma who had apparently died sometime between June 1873 and the time this census was taken. 

1880 Soundex Cards for the James M. Lankford family

Marion’s brother James, his wife Mary Ann, and children Homer, Alice, Julia, and Jessie lived next door. Her father, the only adult working in the home, continued to work as a farmer. Marion’s brother Nathan died young, at age 28, June 1884 in Penfield. Her father James died October 29, 1887 in Lithonia, DeKalb County, Georgia. I have yet to find the circumstances of James’ death or burial. It’s unknown whether the Lankford’s had moved to DeKalb County or if James just happened to be there when he died. I haven’t found any evidence of this family living there but do know there were extended Lankford families there.

On June 16, 1900, Marion (age 41), her widowed mother Caroline (age 70), and sister Emerette (enumerated as Maurice, age 46), lived in Penfield once again. Both Marion and Emerette were single. Marion worked as a seamstress and Emerette worked in the knitting mill. Caroline and Emerette were both enumerated as able to read, write, and speak English, however, the census enumerator left those cells blank for Marion on the form. Caroline died on January 8, 1906 in Baldwin County, Georgia. Like her father, I don’t know the circumstances nor the burial location for Caroline. Marion’s brother James died in Greene County on January 21, 1908. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield. 

On April 16, 1910, Marion and Emerette (Nannie) still lived together on Main Street in Penfield. Marion was not working, and this time was enumerated as able to read and write. Nannie worked in the hosiery mill.

The paper trail for Marion ends with the 1910 census. Like her parents, I have not found a death record or burial location for her. My guess is she died before 1919. If she died between 1919 and 1927, I expect I would have found a death certificate for her on the Georgia Archives website. Nathan’s 1884 death notice doesn’t list any survivors, including his wife. Her brother James’ 1908 obituary notes only that he had three surviving sisters. Her sister Mary died in 1919 and her obituary notes “… She leaves a husband and several children besides hosts of friends” but no mention of siblings. Nannie died in 1935 and notes she was “survived by several nieces and nephews,” again no mention of siblings, but clear they had all died. Both Emma and James are buried at Penfield Cemetery. I’ve made many trips to that cemetery but have not found a grave for Marion, however, it took many visits there before I found Emma’s grave. Perhaps I need to make another trip to Penfield.

Marion never married and it appears she and her sister Nannie, who also never married, spent their entire lives together. I envision the two of them living out their lives in the family home in Penfield, looking after all their nieces and nephews.

References

• Miss Nannie Lankford Is Buried in Penfield, Penfield Correspondent, The Herald Journal, April 12, 1935.
• Mr. Nathan Lankford, The Greenesboro Herald, June 27, 1884.
• Mrs. Caroline B. Lankford, Georgia, Confederate Pension Applications, 1879–1960.
• Mrs. W.O. Wilson, Oglethorpe Echo, April 25, 1919. 
• Obituary, Mr. J.C. Lankford, newspaper unknown, January 1908.
• U.S. Inflation Rate Calculator from 1665 through 2022; https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1860?amount=4000.
• United States Federal Census, District 234, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.
• United States Federal Census, Militia District 140, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• United States Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1900, 1910.
• United States Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.