Three Children Drowned!

Southern Watchman, Apr. 5, 1860
We learn from the Washingtion 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.

Charles L. Lankford

Charles L. Lankford, born August 25, 1842 in Greene County, Georgia, was the son of William A. Lankford and Nancy Goodman. He lived in Georgia his entire life and was a farmer.

He enlisted as a private in Company C (Dawson Grays) of the 3rd Georgia Infantry, Confederate States Army, on September 1, 1861. He claimed residence in Greene Co., GA and was enrolled by Capt. McWhorter for a period of one year. The engagements at which he was present include Second Manassas, Malvern Hill, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Virginia, the siege around Richmond, and Petersburg, Virginia.

Charles appears on a register of the Episcopal Church Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1862. He was admitted with Ty Fever on May 10, 1862 and returned to duty on June 26, 1862. On July 15, 1862, Charles was discharged as over age, but reenlisted. Charles was paid by Capt. Philips on October 31, 1862. He appears as present on a Company Muster Roll for November and December 1862. Charles appears on a Register of Receiving and Wayside Hospital, or General Hospital No. 9, Richmond, Virginia, on February 8, 1864. He then appears on a Company Muster Roll for April 30 to August 31, 1864. Charles was again paid by Capt. Philips on April 30, 1864. He was paid by Capt. Keith on June 30, 1864. He appears as present on a Company Muster Roll for the period September and October 1864. Charles was paid by Capt. Stone on October 31, 1864. He last appears on a Company Muster Roll for the period January and February 1865. On April 10, 1865, Charles appears on a "List of Prisoners of War belonging to the Army of Northern Virginia, who have been this day surrendered by General Robert E. Lee, C.S.A., commanding said Army, to Lieut. Genl. U.S. Grant, commanding Armies of the United States. Done at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9, 1865."

Charles filed for a confederate pension in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia. A 1894 pension application states that "applicant aluminous nephritis, suffered all the time with his kidneys, in almost continuous pain in his back day and night or ("chronic lumbago,") which disqualifies him for all manual labor by which he can earn a support.

A record dated September 17, 1901 shows that he was admitted to the Confederate Soldiers' Home of Georgia. He died in October 1901.

Dessie Church

Dessie Church, born February 23, 1889 in Wetzel County, West Virginia, was the daughter of Robert Church and Lucinda Murphy. She descends from Henry Church Sr., AKA "Old Hundred" for whom the town of Hundred, West Virginia was named. Henry fought for the British Army under Cornwallis and was captured by American troops under Gen. Lafayette. He died in 1860 at the age of 109. Dessie married Charles Homer Murphy on December 16, 1914 in Hundred. Dessie and Charles raised five children in Littleton, West Virginia where she died on November 24, 1940. She's buried at the bottom of the hill at Thomas Chapel Cemetery in Littleton.

James McCluney Davison Sr.

Georgia Literary and Temperance Crusader, Jul. 19, 1860
Mr. J.M. Davison, aged about 55 years, died suddenly at Dalton on the 6th inst., it is thought, of apoplexy. His remains were upon the train on Sunday morning, being conveyed to Woodville, Greene county, the place of his residence.

Will post more on James Davison later.

Lankford sisters

Three daughters of James C. Lankford and Mary Ann Wilson of Greene County, Georgia. Julia Lee Lankford was born in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia in August 1875. She married John Dawson Hazlett and lived in Wilkes County, Georgia. Jessica Corinne Lankford was born on December 20, 1877 in Greene County. She married Seaborn Brice Barnhart and lived in Penfield. Alice Beman Lankford was born on August 11, 1872 in Penfield. She married Robert Dawson Callaway and lived in Union Point, Greene County, Georgia.

Minor Lankford Braden

Minor Lankford Braden, a veteran of both the Mexican and Civil Wars, was the son of Robert Mansfield Braden, Sr. and Rhoda Lankford. He was born in North Carolina on May 16, 1822. His family moved to Georgia in 1827 where he spent most of his life, 48 of those years on his farm near Stone Mountain.

In 1840, he was employed by the principal keeper of the penitentiary where he gathered convicts on horseback and in stage coaches. Bored with his job, Minor enlisted in Company F of the Palmetto Regiment, South Carolina Volunteers at Mobile, Alabama on January 10, 1847. Company F, commanded by Colonel Butler, sailed from Mobile on January 15, 1847 bound for Vera Cruz, landing 18 days later on the island of Lobos, 60 miles off Vera Cruz. They joined General Winfield Scott on the land and water attack of Vera Cruz until the city surrendered. After the surrender of Vera Cruz, General Scott’s army moved to the city of Mexico where they fought in the battles of Contreras, Churubusco, Chapultepec and Garita de Belen. Minor was selected to be part of the storming party at Chapultepec. The company fought until they were able to plant ‘Old Glory’ on the ramparts. He was present when the American army took possession of Mexico. Minor stayed with his regiment from the time he enlisted until he mustered out of service in 1848, returning home ill from the tolls of war. He received a silver medal for honorable service in the Mexican war and drew a government pension ($20 per month in 1910) for his services until he died.

On December 19, 1850, Minor married Mary Jane Milligan in DeKalb County, Georgia. They never had children.

On April 9, 1862, he enlisted for the Civil War with Company C, Twelfth Georgia Battalion—Light Artillery in Stone Mountain, Georgia. First Lieutenant Braden served until July 18, 1862 when he left his command on wounded/sick furlough under the authority of General J.P. McConn in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

He died on January 31, 1913 at the home of F.M. Mansfield in Gwinnett County at the age of 92. He was buried in the Braden family cemetery in DeKalb County, four miles from Stone Mountain.

Nellie Holland

Nellie Holland, daughter of Elijah Jeffers Holland and Cornelia Jane Dove, was born October 4, 1898 in Hart County, Georgia. By 1910, her family had moved to Whitfield County, Georgia. Nellie did housework for a living and played the organ at Deep Springs Baptist Church in Dalton. She contracted tuberculosis at the age of 20. She died at home in Deep Springs two years later. Nellie was buried in the church cemetery where her father was buried.