Nathan Lankford

Nathan Lankford, son of James Meriweather Lankford and Caroline B. Hobbs, was born 1856 in Georgia, most likely Greene County. He was the fifth child of seven—Mary T. Lankford, James C. Lankford, Emma S. Lankford, Emerette R. Lankford, Nathan Lankford, Laura J. Lankford, and Marion Lankford. Nathan would be my 3rd great-uncle with our nearest common relatives being his parents. His brother James is my 2nd great grandfather.

On July 25, 1860, the Lankford family lived in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. Nathan’s father was a stock trader with real estate valued at $1500 and a personal estate of $4000. Siblings Mary, James, and Emma were attending school at the time.

During the Civil War, Nathan’s father served in Company C of the Third Regiment Georgia Infantry (Dawson Grays), and then Company C of the Georgia State Troops Regiment. He enlisted in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia on April 24, 1861, mustering out in May 1865. 

On June 21, 1870, the Lankford family lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. Nathan’s father was a farmer, his mother kept house, and at age 14, Nathan worked as a farm laborer. Only four of the Lankford children still lived at home—Emerette, Nathan, Laura, and Marion. Sometime before 1880, Nathan’s sister Emma died and was buried at Penfield Cemetery in Penfield.

On June 7, 1880, Nathan lived as a boarder in the home of Ed Birchmore (age 29) in the village of Maxeys, Falling Creek, District 234, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Ed was a wheelwright, “a craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels” according to Wikipedia. Other members of the household were Ed’s wife Jessie, who was keeping house, and his 11-month-old daughter Claud. At age 24, Nathan worked as a blacksmith, a common occupation at the time. I have found several Lankford’s who were blacksmiths. It appears Nathan stayed in Maxeys as I found him listed in the Georgia Property Tax Digest for the periods 1873-1877 and 1878-1882. He was listed below his father in the 1878-1882 tax digest. While there was only one entry for Nathan—the amount of tax on polls: $1—his father had four entries:

Value of household and kitchen furniture, pianos, and organs, etc. - $50

Horses, mules, hogs, sheep, cattle, and all other stock - $60

Aggregate value of whole property - $110

Amount of tax on polls - $1

Nathan married Mary Moore, parents unknown, in a ceremony performed by W. B. Campbell in Greene County on June 2, 1880. 

Nathan Lankford and Mary Moore marriage certificate

The Georgia Home Journal published a short article on October 26, 1883 sharing an occasion when Nathan helped his grandfather, Nathan Augustus Hobbs, repair a farm tool:

…Mr. N. Langford repaired a hoe the other day which his grandfather, Mr. Nathan Hobbs, has been using for fifty-six years. Mr. Hobbs is one of the oldest men in our county, being now in his ninety-fifth year. He is hale and hearty and works every day.

Nathan’s grandfather is my fourth great-grandfather who lived to be 99 years old. Sadly, Nathan Lankford did not have the luxury of time on this earth. For reasons unknown to me, he passed away in Penfield late June 1884. The Greensboro Herald published the following news article on June 27, 1884:

—Mr. Nathan Lankford died in Penfield last Tuesday. Mr. Lankford was an excellent young man, and his death is greatly regreted.

 

Nathan was just 28 years old at the time of his death. I have been unable to find his final resting place. Several of his family members are buried at Penfield Cemetery so it is possible he is buried there as well; however, his grave is unmarked if so. It really could be any Greene or Oglethorpe County cemetery though. Hopefully, someday I will find a burial record for him.

References

• Mr. N. Langford, Georgia Home Journal, Greenesboro, Georgia, October 26, 1883.
• Mr. Nathan Lankford died, The Greensboro Herald, Greensboro, Georgia, June 27, 1884
• Nathan Hobbs Obituary, The Constitution, Atlanta, GA., Monday, May 27, 1889.
• Nathan Lankford and Mary Moore, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978.
• Nathan Lankford, Falling Creek, Maxeys, 1873- 1877 and 1878-1882; Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, Oglethorpe, 1793-1892.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, District 234, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Penfield, Militia District 140, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860.
• Wheelwright; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelwright.