William Thorpe Lankford

William Thorpe Lankford, son of William A. Lankford and Nancy O. Goodman, was born in Jackson County, Georgia on July 11, 1847. He was the fourth of seven children—John W. Lankford, Elizabeth Lankford, Charles L. Lankford, William Thorpe Lankford, Robert Alonzo Lankford, Sarah W. Lankford, and Mary Frances Lankford. William is my 1st cousin 4x removed. Our nearest common relatives are Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, my 4th great-grandparents. His father was the brother of James Meriweather Lankford, my 3rd great grandfather.

On October 19, 1850, William and his family lived in District 163 of Greene County, Georgia. His father was a farmer. Neither of his parents could read or write. At age two, William was too young for school, however, his siblings Elizabeth, John, and Charles had all attended school within the year.

On July 23, 1860, William and his family lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. His father, who still worked as a farmer, had real estate valued at $1,000 and a personal estate worth $800. His brother John was no longer living in the home. John, who also lived in Penfield, had moved out of the home and was working as a grocer. William’s brother Charles worked as a farm hand. The enumerator noted that both of William’s parents were attending school, with what looks like a squiggly line drawn down the column for Elizabeth, Charles, and possibly William. The column “cannot read or write” was no longer marked for his parents. 

After the Civil War began on April 12, 1861, William’s brother John enlisted in Penfield, serving as a Private in Company C of the Dawson Grays, Third Georgia Infantry Regiment, along with several other Lankford relatives. John died of disease at a Richmond, Virginia hospital late summer 1862. William enlisted in Company I, 3rd Georgia Militia, Carswells Brigade under Captain Whit Johnston in Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia in 1864. His company was furloughed home just before surrender in 1865 and were still furloughed when the war ended, when they disbanded.

On July 26, 1870, William (age 22) lived alone in Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. His uncle Robert Chester Lankford and his family lived next door. William, like is uncle, worked as a farmer. William’s real estate was valued at $200 and his personal estate at $100. 

On June 21, 1880, I found a William J. Lankford living in the 146th District of Greene County, Georgia. Although the middle initial isn’t a “T,” I feel certain this is probably the subject of this sketch. This William is 32 years old, matching up with the 1870 census record 10 years earlier, and he’s a farmer. What makes me feel like it’s the correct William is the fact that two doors away there is a Charlie Langford, age 36, which would be about right for William’s brother. Of course, I could be wrong on this, but to date, it’s the only William Lankford I find in the 1880 census so it’s all I have to go on for now. Use this information with caution if you’re researching this family. Living in the home with William is a 20-year-old white male named Horace Barnwell working as a laborer, a 38-year-old black female named Puss Dobbins working as a cook, and her two daughters Alice (age 14) and Georgia (age 12), both working as laborers. 

William married Willie Smith, daughter of Mr. Smith and his wife Fannie P., in Greene County, Georgia on February 7, 1884 in a service performed by County Judge W. M. Weaver. Willie, 20 years younger than William, had a twin sister named Georgie Smith. 

Marriage license for William Lankford and Willie Smith

William and Willie had five children together—Mildred Lankford (born March 1888 in Georgia), Carl Lankford (born July 1889 in Florida), Florrie Lankford (born January 1896 in Florida according to the 1910 census), and two unknown children noted in the 1900 census record. William moved his family to Osceola County, Florida in February 1889.

On June 9, 1900, William and his family lived in Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida. The census enumerator noted that William and Willie had been married for 15 years. William continued his work as a farmer, renting the home/farm they lived in. Willie was enumerated as the mother of five children, three of which were living. Both Mildred and Carl were attending school. The census enumerator noted that Florrie was born in England and worked as a liveryman who owned her farm. He clearly had recorded the information on her line for the male head of household living next door, George Milliard.  

Cropped 1900 census for William's family (click to enlarge)

William’s wife Willie died sometime after the 1900 census was taken and before 1906 when he married his second wife, Fannie P. (last name unknown).

William filed for a soldier’s pension on multiple occasions between 1907 and 1914. In September 1907, Dr. W. L. Winn submitted a Physician’s Affidavit swearing that William was a chronic sufferer from digestion and bowel troubles, the bowel trouble dating from the time he had dysentery contracted during the time he was in service. In 1909, William filed the following deposition:

State of Florida, County Osceola

Before me personally appeared W. T. Langford a person whom I certify to be reputable and entitled to credit and who being by me duly sworn according to law deposith and sayeth: that he is the identical W. T. Langford who served in the 3d Regt Georgia Militia and was duly mustered into the Confederate service as per evidence of one McWhorter (a commissioned officer in aforesaid Regiment).

Deponent further avers that during said service he occupied with his said command ditches used as breastworks to retard Shermans advance through Georgia and remained with said army during its retreat through the said State of Georgia and through a portion of the State of South Carolina and endured the same, privations and submitted to the same discipline as that imposed on the regular troops of the Confederacy.

Deponent further avers that during said service his said regiment was under orders of Genl. Jos. E. Johnson commanding the confederate army.

W. T. Lankford

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 15th Day of February 1909. R. A. Bartow, Notary Public, State of Florida. My commission expires February 10, 1912.

On April 16, 1910, William, Fannie, Mildred, and Florrie lived in District 0119 of Kissimmee. William owned his home and worked as a laborer doing odd jobs. The census enumerator noted that William and Fannie had been married four years and that this was also a second marriage for Fannie. He also noted that Fannie had two children, both of which were living. I’m curious as to whether the enumerator counted Mildred and Florrie as her children or whether she had children from her first marriage. At this point, I don’t know the answer. William’s daughter Mildred died on January 24, 1913 at the age of 24. She was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee. William’s wife Fannie died some time before the 1920 census was taken. 

William’s claims for a pension were denied on the grounds that he served in the State Militia of Georgia and not in the regular Confederate States Army. He was therefore not entitled to a pension under the law of the state of Florida which provided for pensions to sailors and soldiers who enlisted and served in the Confederate States Army or in the service of the State of Florida. States troops of other states were not entitled under Florida state law.

In 1914, William had real estate in Kissimmee valued at $900.

On January 13, 1920, a widowed William lived on Randolph Avenue in Kissimmee. His daughter Florrie was now married and both she and her husband Louis Perry lived in the home with William. William worked as a public laborer and Louis as an automobile mechanic.

William died in Florida in 1925. He was still living in Kissimmee at the time of his death. William was buried near Mildred at Rose Hill Cemetery in Kissimmee. The only marking for his grave is an Iron Cross. His will, dated November 22, 1924, was filed in an Osceola County, Florida probate court on May 2, 1925. William left his son Carl a gold watch and daughter Florrie a center table. The rest of his property and possessions were left to Carl and Florrie, share and share alike. Had his wife Fannie still been alive, it would have been a three-way share. G. C. Bryan was appointed as the executor of William’s will.

References

• Deaths in the Third Georgia Regiment, Company C, Dawson Grays, Penfield, GA, Weekly Chronicle and Sentinel, Augusta, Georgia, December 9, 1862.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120194412/mildred-lankford: accessed 14 May 2022), memorial page for Mildred Lankford (1889–24 Jan 1913), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120194412, citing Rose Hill Cemetery, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, USA; maintained by Nicole Dollins (contributor 47119014).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120194305/william-thorpe-lankford: accessed 14 May 2022), memorial page for William Thorpe Lankford (17 Jul 1847–unknown), Find a Grave Memorial ID 120194305, citing Rose Hill Cemetery, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, USA; maintained by Nicole Dollins (contributor 47119014).
• John W. Lankford, Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Georgia.
• State Board of Pensions, LANKFORD, William Thorpe, 1907, State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory; https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/179919, accessed May 14, 2022.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 146, Greene County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 163, Greene County, Georgia, 1850.
• U.S. Federal Census, Kissimmee, Osceola County, Florida, 1900, 1910, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1870. 
• U.S. Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• W. T. Lankford, Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1827–1950.
• William T. Lankford and Willie Smith, marriage license 145, State of Georgia, Greene County; Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.