James England George

James England George was born on October 6, 1875, in Brush Knobb, Henry County, Georgia. He was the oldest of six children born to Raleigh David George and Mary Willie Hollingsworth. His siblings were Bertie, Hayden Edgar, Ennis Adelle, Julia “Cleo,” and Raleigh Mae George. Though not a blood relative, James is connected to my Hobbs and Lankford families through marriage. He may have gone by Jim.

The George family after the death of Raleigh D. George
Back: James England George, mother Mary Willie (Hollingsworth) George, Hayden Edgar George
Front: Ennis Adelle George, Julia Cleo George, Raleigh Mae George

On June 15, 1880, one‑year‑old James lived in Brush Knobb with his widowed grandfather, Newton George; his aunts Sarah (14) and Gatewood (12); and his parents, Raleigh (19) and Mary (17). “Brush Knobb” was not an officially recognized community, but it was the name the 1880 census taker used to describe the local area he enumerated. Both Raleigh and Newton worked as farmers, while Mary kept house. Sarah and Gatewood were attending school. Also in the household was Melvin George, a 20‑year‑old black farm laborer.

James was 12 when his 6‑year‑old sister Bertie died in Conyers, Rockdale County, on April 21, 1887. She was buried at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers. Three years later, on March 23, 1891, his father Raleigh died in a tragic railroad accident at age 32. While working as a conductor in the East Tennessee yards, he was crushed between two colliding switch engines near the McDaniel Street crossing in Atlanta, Fulton County. Although he was rushed home, he died several hours later from severe leg injuries. A coroner’s jury later found that railroad employee negligence contributed to the accident. Within days, his widow, Mary George, filed a $25,000 lawsuit against the railroad, charging criminal negligence. Raleigh’s body was sent to Conyers, where he was buried beside Bertie at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery.

Raleigh’s death left Mary to raise five children alone in Atlanta. The daughters remained in the city as adults, but James and his younger brother Hayden eventually left Atlanta for Greene County in search of work. There the brothers entered the lumber business and operated a sawmill. Hayden was known for his hot temper, and family memory suggests the two may have left Atlanta together after Hayden got into trouble, prompting a fresh start in Greene County.

James married Gussie M. (and/or Annette) McCarty, daughter of William Harris McCarty and Marian Langford Hobbs, in Atlanta, on July 31, 1898, in a ceremony officiated by the Rev. John Almand. Although the marriage certificate records her middle initial as “M,” her tombstone was engraved with the name Gussie Annette George. James and Gussie had six children: Willie Marion, Raleigh Minor, Mary Lou, James Otis, Gussie O., and Guy Walton George.

 

Two versions of the marriage license for James and Gussie

On June 12, 1900, James and Gussie were living in Militia District 146, in the Branch community of Greene County, with her widowed father, William McCarty. Both James and William were farmers. Their daughter, Willie Marion George, appeared in the census as “William M. George,” grandson, age one. James, Gussie, and William were all able to read and write.

By April 15, 1910, the family had moved to Main Street in Penfield, Greene County. James and Gussie had been married 11 years and had four children. William McCarty and James’ brother Hayden were also living in the household. James worked as a sawyer at a sawmill; William farmed; and Hayden worked as an agent for Gloria Light, a home lighting system rather than a local company. James’ sister Julia and her husband Augustus lived next door, as did my 2nd great‑grandmother Mary (Wilson) Lankford and her children Oliver and Della. James and Gussie welcomed a daughter, also named Gussie, on May 12, 1910, but she lived only a little over two months and died on July 31. She was buried at Penfield Cemetery.

Gussie, son Raleigh, and James

James’ sons Raleigh and James

James’ sons James Otis George, Guy Walton George,
and Raleigh Minor George

James registered for the World War I draft on September 12, 1918, in Oglethorpe County, giving his birth year as 1878 rather than 1875. At the time, he was a self‑employed blacksmith and automobile mechanic working in Stephens—an entirely typical combination in rural Georgia, where blacksmiths often became the first local mechanics as automobiles spread. He listed his wife, Gussie, as his nearest relative. The registrar described him as of medium height and build, with blue eyes and dark hair.

James’ World War I draft registration card

By January 8, 1920, the family was living on Bowling Green Road in Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County. Their five living children—Willie, Raleigh, Mary, James, and Guy—were still at home. James worked as an operator in an auto garage. Sixteen‑year‑old Raleigh worked as a farmer on a general farm, while Mary and James attended school. James’s 77‑year‑old widowed father was also living with the family and no longer working.

By April 25, 1930, James had moved back to Penfield, where he lived in a rented home with Gussie and their children Marion, Mary, James, and Guy. James and his son James were both working on the farm. The household owned a radio.

Gussie, James, and possibly his brother Hayden

James’s mother, Mary, died at her home in Atlanta on January 6, 1935, at age 73. After a memorial service on January 8 at the J. Austin Dillon Company funeral home, officiated by Rev. L. A. Davis and Rev. W. E. Crane, she was buried at Smyrna Campground Cemetery in Conyers. Possibly still grieving his mother’s death, James’ brother Hayden died in Atlanta on September 18, 1936, at age 54. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery.

James’ daughter Mary Lou George ca. 1939

On April 13, 1940, James was living at Penfield and Woodville Roads in Penfield, in the same home the family occupied in 1935. He had a seventh‑grade education. Their daughter Marion (40) and son James (33) and his wife Thelma (31) were living in the home and had been since 1935. James was self‑employed as a mechanic in his own shop, and his son drove an oil truck.

Original image of James provided by his grandson

Same image enhanced by CoPilot AI

On April 24, 1950, James, Gussie, and their daughter Marion were living in Penfield in the first house on the left past the Presbyterian Church. Marion, then 50, remained unmarried until age 73. Both James and Gussie were unable to work, so Marion kept house. They had lived in the same home in 1949. The 1950 census recorded James with an eighth‑grade education; he had been unable to work in 1949 and earned no income.

James’ sister Julia Cleo (George) Clark died at her home in Atlanta on March 21, 1952, and was buried at Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery in Conyers. His sister Raleigh Mae (George) Farrar died in Atlanta on October 29, 1958, and was buried at East View Cemetery in East Atlanta.

James died in Greene County on August 18, 1960, at age 82, following a stroke that left him without speech. He was confined to bed for several years before his death. His daughters Marion and Mary Lou, along with his wife, cared for him until the end. He was buried at Penfield Cemetery.

My thanks to Kenneth George, James’ grandson, who shared memories and family photos with me 10 years ago.

References

• A Conductor Killed in the East Tennessee Yards Yesterday Morning: The Coroner Investigates the Killing, and Charges the Railroad Company’s Employees with Negligence, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, March 24, 1891.
• Crushed to Death: Mr. R. D. George, a Yard Conductor is Killed by a Switch Engine, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, March 24, 1891.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20820586/cleo-clark: accessed March 19, 2026), memorial page for Cleo George Clark (4 Apr 1890–21 Mar 1952), Find a Grave Memorial ID 20820586, citing Smyrna Presbyterian Campground Cemetery, Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Frankz (contributor 47926778).
• From Our Notebooks, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, April 2, 1891.
• George—Mr. Hayden E. George, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 19, 1936.
• Gusie O. George tombstone, Penfield Cemetery, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia.
• James E. George, Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919–1998.
• James England George, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
• Liberty Chapel Dots, The Conyers Weekly, Conyers, Georgia, April 27, 1887.
• Mortuary, Mrs. Carroll Farrar Sr., The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, October 31, 1958.
• Mrs. A. H. Clark, The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, Georgia, March 22, 1952.
• Mrs. Mary W. George, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, January 7, 1935.
• Personal family memories of Kenneth W. George, grandson of James England George.
• Personal visit to Penfield Cemetery, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Brushy Knobs, Henry County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1910, 1930, 1950. 

Mary Franklin Williamson

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.

Mary Franklin “Minnie” Williamson, daughter of William F. Williamson and Emily Allen, was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, on June 8, 1867. She was the seventh of eight children born to William and Emily: Susan, Matilda Caroline, Mary, Sarah, John (Jeff) D., Emma (or Emily) L., Mary Franklin, and Ella Janie Williamson. Likely because an older sister was also named Mary, the younger Mary was called Minnie, the name used throughout this sketch. Minnie later married my 1st cousin 4× removed, Charles Moore Lankford; we share no common ancestor.

Minnie was born into a blended and already well‑established Oglethorpe County family. Before her birth, her father, William F. Williamson, had first married Charlotte M. Brown in 1836. According to an online family history, William and Charlotte moved to Cherokee County, Alabama shortly after their marriage, and William returned to Oglethorpe County following her death. The family does not appear in the 1850 census—common for that county’s incomplete enumeration—so the full list of children from that marriage is uncertain. By 1860, William and his second wife, Emily Allen, were living in Bairdstown, where William farmed property valued at $1,400. Their household included children from both marriages; two daughters, Mary and Sarah, appear in the 1860 census but not in 1870.

By 1870—three years after Minnie’s birth—the Williamsons were living in Maxeys, Oglethorpe County. The census oddly records her birth month as March rather than June. William continued farming, though his property holdings had declined since 1860, and Emily was noted as unable to read or write. All of William’s older children from his first marriage had left the household. Emily’s mother, the widowed Sarah Allen (age 75), was also living with them, and several of Minnie’s half siblings lived nearby.

By June 8, 1880, the family had moved to the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County. William, now 66, was still farming but was recorded as blind since age 63, with the notation “weak eyes.” Emily managed the household, while Jeff worked as a farm laborer. Minnie—enumerated by that name—and her sister Ella were both attending school.

In 1881–1882, Minnie appeared in an Oglethorpe County ejectment case after she and her siblings leased 50 acres of their father’s land for 50 years. The tenant claimed he had been forced off the property, requiring all the Williamson children—including minors like Minnie, represented by their father—to be named in the suit. William was the legal owner, but the children were listed because they held a future interest in the land. Minnie’s half‑brother Thomas, who was living on the property, was named the “tenant in possession.” The jury ultimately ruled that Thomas could remain on the land, and the case was dismissed. Because the Williamson children had initiated the suit, they were responsible for the court costs, totaling $12.30.

Minnie’s father William died in 1885 in Oglethorpe County; his burial place is unknown. The following year, on February 18, 1886, Minnie married Charles Moore Lankford, son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford and Nancy A. Elizabeth McCarty, in a ceremony officiated by Justice of the Peace John F. Smith. Her name appears as Minnie on the marriage certificate.

Marriage certificate

Minnie and Charles had three children, two of whom survived to adulthood: Maude E. Lankford (born 1889) and Horace M. Lankford (born 1897). A third child died in infancy.

On June 1, 1900, the family was living in Bowling Green. Minnie and Charles had been married 14 years. The census notes that Minnie had given birth to three children, with two living. It also records her birth month as July. Their daughter Maude—enumerated as Mary—was 11 and attending school. Charles supported the family as a farmer.

Maude married Andrew C. McElreath, son of Charles C. Lee McElreath and Emaline Peeler, on May 14, 1905, in Oglethorpe County. By 1910, Maude, Andrew, and their daughter were living in Bowling Green, but Minnie, Charles, and Horace cannot be located in that census despite extensive searching.

By February 2, 1920, Minnie—enumerated again as Minnie—Charles, and Horace were still in Bowling Green, living on Washington Road. Charles was farming, and Horace was working as a laborer on the home farm. Maude, Andrew, and their daughter Knollie Belle lived next door. Knollie later named her daughter Minnie “Estell” Fulcher (born about 1923), a clear tribute to her grandmother’s name. 

1920 Census Soundex Card

On April 19, 1930, Minnie, Charles, and Horace were living in Militia District 607 of Taliaferro County, Georgia, in a rented home. Minnie and Charles were not employed at the time, while Horace worked as a lumber hauler. Next door lived Maude, Andrew, Knollie—now widowed—and seven‑year‑old Estell. Andrew worked as a laborer at a sawmill, likely alongside Horace, keeping the two households closely connected.

Sometime after the 1930 census, Minnie moved to Penfield in Greene County, where she spent her final years. She died at home on March 9, 1939. Because no doctor was present, her death was recorded simply as “senility,” a common notation in that era. Minnie was laid to rest in Bairdstown Cemetery in neighboring Oglethorpe County.

I’ve noted several inconsistencies regarding Mary’s birthdate in this sketch, so I want to explain how I arrived at June 8, 1867. Mary’s death certificate does not list a date of birth, but it does record her age as 71 years, 9 months, and 1 day. Her obituary states she was born in June, which conflicts with the 1870 census, where the enumerator wrote “Mar.” in the column reserved for children born within the census year—a category Minnie did not fit. The 1900 census adds another discrepancy by listing her birth month as July. Because her death certificate provides her exact age in years, months, and days, the most reliable approach is to work backward from her date of death, March 9, 1939, which produces a calculated birthdate of June 8, 1867.

Her obituary also contains an incorrect marriage date. It states that Minnie married Charles on February 22, 1885, although the marriage certificate clearly records the date as February 18, 1886. In this case, the official record created by the Ordinary and the Justice of the Peace must take precedence over the obituary’s later, less precise account.

References

• Charles Lankford, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Ejectment case, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, Court Records 1878–1886, images 205–206 and 242–243, FamilySearch.
• Georgia, U.S., Census for Re-Organizing the Georgia Militia, 1864.
• Jenkins, Mrs. Nelle Morris, Yarbrough–Yarborough and Allied Families: A Quarterly, U.S. Family History Books, 1961–62.
• Mrs. M. W. Langford Passes at Penfield, newspaper unknown, March 1939.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880, 1900, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 607, Taliaferro County, Georgia, 1930.
• William F. Williamson, Georgia, Compiled Marriages, 1754–1850. 

Henry Allen Jones

Henry Allen Jones, son of Henry Clayborn Jones Jr. and Martha B. McCarty, was born in Between, Walton County, Georgia on April 25, 1884. He was the oldest child of six—Henry Allen Jones, James Marshall Jones, William “Troy” Jones, Pearl Elizabeth Jones, Charles “Charley” Wesley Jones, and Mary Etta Jones. He is my 1st cousin 2x removed with our nearest common relatives being Henry Clayborn Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth Tuck, my 2nd great grandparents. 

Henry and his third wife Lena

On June 21, 1900, Henry and his family lived in Between, a town in the Vinegar Hill District of Walton County. His parents had been married for 17 years and his mother enumerated as having had five children, all of which were living. Henry and his brother Troy worked as farm laborers; his father was a farmer.

A Jones family reunion was held in Walton County about 1908 and the photo below was taken that day. I believe Henry is number 39 in the back row. My grandmother, Floria Mae Burnette, is number 17.

Jones family reunion photo, ca. 1908 (click to enlarge)

On July 20, 1902 when Henry was 18, he married Vallie Dee Evans, daughter of Charles Thomas Evans and Judith Harden Locklin, in Walton County. 

Marriage license for Henry and Vallie (click to enlarge)

Henry and Vallie had two daughters together, Eula born in 1904 and Clara born in 1908. After discovering that Vallie had been having an affair for two months with a man named Otis E. Ogletree, the couple separated on August 4, 1909. Henry was granted custody of the children. I have been unable to find a divorce decree, but it probably occurred in 1910. 

Walton County Court minutes (click to enlarge)

On April 15, 1910, I found Henry and daughters Eula and Clara living in Between, next door to his parents and siblings Troy, Pearl, and Charles. Henry was enumerated as Allen H. Jones. The census enumerator recorded him as married once (M1) for seven years. This leads me to believe the divorce took place after April 15. I was unable to find Vallie in the census records. Henry worked as a farmer on a general farm, which he rented. Eula was attending school but not her sister Clara.

Henry married Bessie Imogene Geiger, daughter of John Louis Geiger and Mary Hargrove, in Walton County, on November 5, 1911. 

Marriage certificate for Henry and Bessie (click to enlarge)

Their son John Ralph Jones was born on January 9, 1913. Sadly, Bessie died on March 15, 1915, most likely in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia. She was buried at Bay Creek Cemetery in Loganville, Walton County, Georgia.

Henry married Lena Emiline Cook, daughter of Benjamin Cook and Margaret Webb, about 1918, most likely in Walton County. Together they had two children—Louise Jones born about 1919, and Gladys Evelyn Jones born about 1923. 

When Henry registered for the World War I draft in Walton County on September 12, 1918, he lived at RFD #6 in Monroe. He worked as a farmer for his father, H. C. Jones, of the same address. Henry’s wife Lena was listed as his nearest relative. He was described as having brown eyes and black hair; he was of medium height and build.

On January 2, 1920, the Jones family lived on Federal Highway in the town of Between. Henry worked as a farmer on a general farm and Lena was a housekeeper. Henry, Lena, and Clara were able to read and write. Ralph, age 6, was not attending school yet. Daughter Louise, whose age was enumerated as 1/52, was a newborn at one week old. On a side note, I can track all of Henry’s children except for Louise so wonder if perhaps she died in infancy. The Jones family lived next door to Henry’s parents and siblings Troy, Pearl, Charley, and Mary.

Henry’s father died at home in Between on February 9, 1921 of acute indigestion, contributed by gall stones. His sister Pearl died on August 30, 1921 of pellagra, a “disease caused by a lack of the vitamin niacin (vitamin B3)” according to Wikipedia and appendicitis. Both were buried at New Hope Methodist Church in Between.

By April 16, 1930, Henry, wife Lena, and children Clara, John, and Gladys had moved to Panthersville, DeKalb County, Georgia where they lived on Orphans Home Road. The home, a rented farm, did not have a radio. The census record shows that Henry was 32 and Lena 23 when they married. Henry, Lena, Clara, and John were all able to read and write. Henry worked as a truck driver and Clara a laborer, both in the laundry industry. Henry’s son John worked as a laborer on a general farm. Sometime after the 1930 census was taken and before 1935, the family moved to a farm on Glenwood Road in Panthersville. 

On April 2, 1940, Henry and his family still lived on Glenwood Road. The farm, which he owned, was valued at $2500. He was enumerated as H. Allen Jones, age 54, and had an 8th grade education. Henry worked as a truck driver and had worked 48 hours the week prior to the census being taken. He had an income of $1000. His 28-year-old son John lived in the home. John, enumerated as Ralph, worked as a helper in an auto garage. Henry’s 17-year-old daughter Gladys still lived at home as well and was attending school. Two males, one named Earl L. Knight (age 19), and the other Charles R. Knight (age 17), lived in the home and were enumerated as Henry’s grandsons. Both were sons of Henry’s daughter Eula and her first husband, Earl Lester Knight Sr., who died in 1928. Eula remarried and moved to Monroe, Union, North Carolina with her new husband Herman L. Brooks. Earl and Charles had both been living in the home since 1935. Henry was listed as the person who would always know his address when his son John registered for the World War II draft in 1945. The registration card shows that Henry lived at #1 Decatur in DeKalb County at the time. 

Henry died on September 3, 1946 at the age of 62 at his Glenwood Road home in Decatur. He was buried at Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Decatur. Henry was survived by his wife Lena; daughters Eula, Clara, and Gladys; son John; mother Martha; sister Mary; brothers James, Charles, and Troy; and four grandchildren.

Photo used with permission of Tony Sills, Find A Grave member 47008815

Based on the tombstone engraving, he may have gone by his middle name, Allen.

References

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27903041/lena-emiline-jones: accessed 01 April 2023), memorial page for Lena Emiline Cook Jones (6 Aug 1895–7 May 1969), Find a Grave Memorial ID 27903041, citing Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Tony Sills (contributor 47008815).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/89104725/vallie-dee-jones_wimberly_huguley: accessed 02 April 2023), memorial page for Vallie Dee Evans Jones Wimberly Huguley (17 Jun 1887–Jun 1964), Find a Grave Memorial ID 89104725; Burial Details Unknown; maintained by Sarah Locklin Taylor (contributor 46921363).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27903213/henry-allen-jones: accessed 02 April 2023), memorial page for Henry Allen Jones (25 Apr 1884–3 Sep 1946), Find a Grave Memorial ID 27903213, citing Hardeman Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Decatur, DeKalb County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Tony Sills (contributor 47008815).
• H. C. Jones, Standard Certificate of Death no. 5161, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1921.
• Henry Allen Jones, 62, Succumbs in Decatur, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, September 4, 1946.
• Henry Allen Jones, U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918.
• Henry Allen Jones and Vallie Dee Evans, Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Henry Jones and Bessie Imogene Geiger, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Henry Allen Jones, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007.
• John R. Jones, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014.
• John Ralph Jones, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940–1947.
• Lena Cook Jones, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, May 8, 1969.
• Pearl Jones, Standard Certificate of Death no. 24245, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 1921.
• Pellagra; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellagra. 
• Personal visit to New Hope United Methodist Church Cemetery, Between, Walton County, Georgia.
• Superior Court Minutes, Walton County, Georgia, 1909.
• U.S. Federal Census, Between, Walton County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Panthersville, DeKalb County, Georgia, 1930, 1940.
• U.S. Federal Census, Vinegar Hill, Walton County, Georgia, 1900, 1910. 

Joseph Jackson Lankford

Joseph Jackson Lankford, son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford and Nancy A. E. McCarty, was born on March 1, 1871 in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He was the 8th child of 10—William A. Lankford, Mary A. Lankford, Irena 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. Joseph would be my 1st cousin 4x removed with our nearest common relatives being Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore, my 4th great grandparents. He went by Joe.

On June 8, 1880, Joseph and his family lived in the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County, Georgia. His father Curtis was a well digger who was unable to read or write. His mother Nancy, a housekeeper, could read but not write. At age 14, brother Charles, enumerated as Charlie, worked as a farm laborer. Like his mother, he was able to read but not write. Brother Wade, enumerated as Hampton, was attending school. At age 7, Joe must have been staying home with his mother, along with sisters Nancy and Florence.

When Joe was just 16 years old, his father Curtis died in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia on June 13, 1887. Curtis was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. The Oglethorpe Echo carried the death notice on June 17, 1887:

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 this death.

Joe married Lola Edwards, parents unknown, in Greene County, Georgia on March 19, 1891. It was a short-lived marriage. 

Lankford/Edwards marriage certificate

Although there are date discrepancies, it appears that Joe and Lola only lived together for five days and then three years later, she deserted him. Joe filed for a divorce in Oglethorpe County on February 28, 1896. The petition was acknowledged on February 29, Leap Day.

Georgia, Oglethorpe County.

To the Superior Court of said County.

Par. 1 … The petition of J. J. Lankford of said county shows that on the 9th day of March 1891 he was married to Lola Lankford who resides in the county of Clark in said State.

Par. 2 … That your petitioner and said Lola lived together as husband and wife until the 14th day of March 1891. 

Par. 3 … That on the last named day more than three years before the filing of this writ the said Lola without just cause wilfully deserted your petitioner and has from time of said desertion continuously persisted in the same.

Par. 4 … Wherefore your petitioner prays that he may be totally divorced from said Lola Lankford and that process issue requiring the said Lola to be and appear at the next superior court to be held in and for said county to answer your petitioners libel for divorce.

Bery Gilham, Pettsr. Atty.

Filed in office this 28th day of February 1896.

G. Lester, Clerk Sup. Court

------------

Service of the within and foregoing petition for Divorce is hereby acknowledged copy filing time of filing and all other and further service is hereby acknowledged by me Lola Lankford the defendant therein named. This 29th day of February 1896.

Lola Lankford

To the Superior Court of Said County.

Georgia, Oglethorpe County 

Divorce petition (click each image to enlarge)

I haven’t found when the divorce actually took place but by January 12, 1899, Joe was free to marry Bessie Tidwell, daughter of John H. Tidwell and Sarah McCannon, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Joe and Bessie had 10 children together—Lorenzo Lankford, Woodie S. Lankford, Mell Lankford, John Henry Lankford, Jessie Lankford, Lenora Lankford, Camille Lankford, Garland Lankford, Moena Lankford, and George Lee Lankford.

Lankford/Tidwell marriage certificate

On June 2, 1900, Joe and wife Bessie lived in the Bowling Greene District of Oglethorpe County. The census enumerator noted that Joe was 26 years old and Bessie 19. They had been married for one year. Bessie was noted as having had no children yet. Joe, a farmer, rented his farm. He was unable to read or write; Bessie could both read and write. A lodger named Thomas Lankford, an 18-year-old farmer born in Georgia, lived in the home with them. I have not determined whether Thomas fits into this Lankford family at this point.

On April 26, 1910, Joe and Bessie lived on Callaway Place in the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County. The census enumerator recorded Joseph as having been married twice. Bessie was the mother of five children, all of which were living. Joe was a farmer on a general farm. There was a 19-year-old black male living in the home. His name is hard to read but has been transcribed as Gowman Fuice. It could possibly be Gowner Fuish. Whatever the case, he was a farm laborer so probably working with Joe on the farm.

Joe’s mother Nancy died in Oglethorpe County on April 12, 1920. She was buried beside his father at Bairdstown Cemetery.

I’ve been unsuccessful in finding Joe and his family in the 1920 census but it appears they were still living in Oglethorpe County. Joe’s five-year-old son Garland died in Lexington, Oglethorpe County, Georgia on September 2, 1921. Just two days after Garland passed away, two-year-old daughter Moena died on September 4. Both Garland and Moena died from diphtheria and were buried at Salem Church Cemetery in Crawford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. The Oglethorpe Echo reported their deaths on September 9, 1921:

Two of the children of Mrs. Lankford who have been so low with diphtheria for several days died last week and were buried at Salem. 

On April 7, 1930, Joe and his family lived in the Mill Settlement—North East Side of Union Point, Greene County, Georgia. He rented his home, valued at $800. Joe was still unable to read or write. Working at the hosiery mill was a family affair with three of the four living in the home working there. Joe worked as a finisher, Bessie an inspector, and daughter Camille (age 16) a knitter. George, age 7, was attending school. The mid-1930s were hard on Joe’s family. His daughter Lenora gave birth to a son, Harold Ashley, in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia on March 28, 1935. Harold contracted bronchial pneumonia and died in Woodville on May 2, 1935 (age one month, seven days). Lenora died (age 26) at home from bronchial pneumonia in Union Point on December 18, 1937, three days after giving birth to another son, James (Jimmie) Lee Ashley on December 15. Sadly, Jimmie died (age one and a half months) in Greensboro, Greene County on February 1, 1938 from malnutrition acidosis. All three were buried at a cemetery in Siloam, Greene County, Georgia—Harold on May 2, 1935, Lenora on December 21, 1937, and Jimmie on February 1, 1938. 

Joe, Bessie, and their family

On April 24, 1940, Joe and Bessie lived in Union Point along with two of their adult sons. John, age 33, was divorced. Their son George lived there with his wife Clarice (Turner). There was a 12-year age difference between George and Clarice. George was enumerated as age 17 and Clarice 29. Joe, George, and Clarice worked at the Hosiery Manufacturing Company—Joe as a sweeper, George a turner, and Clarice a knitter. John was apparently not working. The enumerator noted that all five of them had been living in the same place since April 1, 1935. The census record shows that Joe and George had an income of $676 while Clarice’s income was $520. The hosiery company was their only source of income.

Bessie and Joe Lankford

On April 10, 1950, Joe and his family lived in Union Point. George and Clarice continued to live with Joe and Bessie and now had two children—Rachel (age 9) and Bennie (age 5). George worked as a newspaper carrier and Clarice ran the knitting machine at the hosiery mill.

Joe died at the age of 83 on May 23, 1954 at his niece’s home in Union Point. He was buried at Wisteria Cemetery in Union Point on May 25 following a funeral service at the First Methodist Church in Union Point officiated by Revs. Owen Duvall and W.W. Byington. Joe had been a member of the Oglethorpe Methodist Church. He spent his life working as a farmer and textile worker. Joe was survived by his wife Bessie; daughter Camile; sons Lloyd, Woodie, Mell, John, Jessie, and George; sister Florence; 36 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

Lankford family plot

References

• Certificates of Death, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics: Harold Ashley (12565), Lenora Ashley (31967), Jimmie Lee Ashley (3928), Moena Lankford (23718), Garland Lankford (23716), 
• Death of two children, Oglethorpe Echo, September 9, 1921.
• Joseph Lankford and Lola Edwards; Jas. J. Lankford and Bessie Tidwell: Georgia, Marriage Records From Select Counties, 1828–1978.
• Mr. Kirk Langford, The Oglethorpe Echo, Crawford, Georgia, June 17, 1887.
• Mrs. Lenora Ashley, The Macon Telegraph, Macon, Georgia, December 24, 1937.
• Mrs. Lenora L. Ashley Passes at Union Point, The Herald Journal, Greensboro, Georgia, December 24, 1937.
• Obituary, J. J. Lankford is Claimed by Death, newspaper unknown, 1954.
• Personal visit to Wisteria Cemetery, Union Point, Georgia.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880, 1900, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 138, Penfield, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Union Point, Greene County, Georgia, 1930, 1940, 1950.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860. 

Emily E. Arthur

Emily E. Arthur, daughter of William Henry Arthur and Mattie Belle Moore, was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia on May 3, 1906. She was the third child of eight—Mary Arthur, George “Hugh” Arthur, Emily E. Arthur, Sue Belle Arthur, Nellie Arthur, Frances Arthur, William Arthur, and Roy Mell Arthur. Emily is the wife of my 2nd cousin 3x removed (Raleigh Minor George). We have no common relatives.

Emily (Arthur) and daughter Juanita George (1936). Photo courtesy of Kenneth George.

6/17/25 update: A news article published in The Oglethorpe Echo on January 5, 1923 noted that Henry and Mattie Moore had nine children, not eight.

On April 15, 1910, Emily and her family lived on Lexington Road in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Her parents had been married for seven years and had five children. Emily’s father was a farmer on a general farm. Both of her parents could read and write. Johnnie Arthur, Emily’s paternal uncle, lived in the home. He too worked as a farmer.

On January 2, 1920, the Arthur family lived in the Falling Creek district of Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Emily had a new sister and two new brothers since the last census was taken—Frances, William, and Roy. Her father continued to work as a farmer on a general farm and her brother Hugh now worked as a farm laborer on the home farm. With the exception of Roy, all of the children were attending school.

Emily was just 16 years old when her mother died suddenly in Maxeys on December 30, 1922. Within three years, her father was gone as well, passing away in Oglethorpe County on December 2, 1925. Both were buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown.

Emily married Raleigh Minor George, son of James England George and Gussie Annette McCarty, on May 26, 1924. I assume the marriage would have taken place in Oglethorpe or nearby Greene County, Georgia. There was a six-year age difference between Emily and Raleigh. I’m only aware of one daughter born to this union—Juanita Elizabeth George in 1928.

Arthur family members - Emily is the last woman on the right with the
initials E.A. above her head. Raleigh is standing beside her with the
initials R.G. above his head. Emily's brother Hugh Arthur is the last man on
the right. I'm unsure who the others are. Photo courtesy of Kenneth George.

On April 2, 1930, Emily, Raleigh, and Juanita lived on Railroad Street (East Side) in Maxeys. Emily’s 10-year-old brother Mark T. Arthur lived in the home as well. Raleigh worked as an auto garage machinist. About 1934, Emily and Raleigh opened a general store in Maxeys. Their store was housed in what had once been the Citizens Bank and still included the bank vault that was eventually converted into a kitchen. The store also had a pot-bellied stove to keep them warm. They sold a lot of tobacco products including snuff, chewing tobacco, and apparently tobacco for rolling into cigarettes. They kept a five-gallon jar of pickled pig’s feet on the counter for customers to help themselves at 15 cents each and sold cans of sardines for 5 cents each.

On April 30, 1940, Emily, Raleigh, and Juanita still lived in the Falling Creek district of Maxeys. They’d been living in the same home since at least 1935. Raleigh worked as the proprietor of a filling station, working 70 hours the week before the census was taken. That would have kept him pretty busy so I wonder if the filling station was part of their general store or did he work elsewhere and leave Emily in charge of the store. I found several articles written by Bob Harrell for his “Dateline Georgia” series in The Atlanta Constitution and they didn’t mention a filling station, just the general store.

On May 2, 1950, Emily, Raleigh, and Juanita lived on State Highway 77 in Maxeys. The census enumerator didn’t record an occupation for Emily, although it was apparent from Harrell’s “Dateline Georgia” articles that she worked at the general store for many years. The enumerator did record Raleigh as working as a manager and Juanita as a clerk, both in a grocery store. From the “Dateline Georgia” articles, it appears the store was a gathering place for the citizens of Maxeys from early on and continued well into the 1960s. Their pot-bellied stove was eventually converted to a more modern type stove and they placed several chairs and a sofa around the stove for people to stop and visit. During slow periods, Emily sewed from an old foot-peddled sewing machine they kept in the store. Emily and Raleigh were still operating the store into the early 1970s, although life was different by then and people didn’t stop and visit like they used to. In 1972, Harrell dedicated one article to the bank vault that had been converted into a kitchen. It didn’t have access to running water so Emily brought in buckets of water to cook and clean. She decorated the tiny kitchen with a small table, a couple of “straight-backed chairs” and a “red and white checkered oil cloth.” Emily told Harrell she ate and cooked in the kitchen, saving her from having to go home during the day.

In another 1972 “Dateline Georgia”" article, Harrell wrote of Raleigh purchasing a Model T bus with a body made of wood and planks for seats about 1926. He then contracted to be a school bus driver for the Greene County School Board. Raleigh drove the school bus 43 years and told Harrell he “never would have made it without her” [Emily]. Raleigh told Harrell he had to “draw the oil from the motor” into Emily’s “old iron cookpot” and heat it up the next morning to keep the bus running. But Raleigh didn’t just drive the school bus. Harrell wrote of the children giving Raleigh a shopping list as they boarded the bus in the morning. After delivering the children to school, Raleigh went back to the general store and gathered the goods, I assume with Emily’s help, to give to the students when they boarded the bus for their trip home. It appears that while Raleigh drove the bus and pursued other opportunities to help the children and citizens of Maxeys all those years, Emily ran the store.

Thelma Mapp George, Juanita Elizabeth George Brightwell and
Emily Arthur George. Photo courtesy of Kenneth George.

Emily died on September 30, 1983 in Greensboro, Greene County, Georgia at the age of 77. She was buried at Maxeys Sunset Cemetery in Maxeys. Her funeral, officiated by Revs. Wayne Spangler and Eugene Murray, was held at Maxeys Christian Church. She was survived by her husband Raleigh, daughter Juanita, sisters Nell and Frances, brothers Roy and Hugh, and two grandchildren. Emily was a homemaker, a member of Maxeys Christian Church and the Ladies Aid Society.

Photo courtesy of Bud, Find a Grave member ID 46594959.

References

• Emily A. George, Georgia Deaths 1919–98.
• Emily George, Social Security Death Index.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61209883/emily-a-george: accessed 28 May 2022), memorial page for Emily A. George (3 May 1906–30 Sep 1983), Find a Grave Memorial ID 61209883, citing Sunset Street Cemetery, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA; maintained by 1-48069415 (contributor 48069415).
• Gravestone photo by Bud, Find a Grave member ID 46594959.
• Harrell, Bob, Her Kitchen Is Bank Vault, Dateline Georgia, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, June 13, 1972.
• Harrell, Bob, Rabbits Rode His School Bus, Too, Dateline Georgia, The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, June 12, 1972.
• Mattie Bell Arthur, Standard Certificate of Death no. 33357, Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
• Mrs. Emily Arthur George Obituary, Oglethorpe Echo, October 6, 1983.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Falling Creek, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Maxeys, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1930, 1940, 1950. 

George Washington Lankford Sr.

George Washington Lankford Sr., son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford and Nancy A. Elizabeth McCarty, was born in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia on July 15, 1863. There were 14 children born to this family—William A. Lankford, Mary A. Lankford, Irena Rebeckah H. Lankford, John R. Lankford, George Washington Lankford, Charles Moore Lankford, Wade Hamilton Lankford, Joseph Jackson Lankford, Nancy Crawford Lankford, Florence Lee Lankford, and four that did not survive. George is my 1st cousin 4x removed. Our nearest common relatives are Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore.

On June 15, 1870, George, his parents, and six siblings lived in Penfield. His father worked as a common laborer while his mother stayed home keeping house. His 10-year-old brother John was enumerated as a farm laborer.

On June 9, 1880, an 18-year-old boarder named George Langford lived with the Burwell Brooks family in Simston, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. He worked as a farm hand and was unable to read or write. George (the subject of this sketch) was no longer living with his family in Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia so this was most likely him. George’s last name was spelled Langford vs. Lankford in the census record which is a common thing with this surname. I noticed his father’s surname was also spelled Langford in the 1880 census record. On June 13, 1887, George’s father Curtis died at the age of 59 years following a long illness. The family buried Curtis at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Happier times came seven years later when George married Jessie (or Jesse) Burton, daughter of George W. Burton and Mattie Parham and 16 years younger than him, at Greene County, Georgia on May 2, 1894. Six children were born to this union—Owen Lankford (1898), Eva Lankford (1900), George Washington Lankford Jr. (1903), Mattie Bell Lankford (1906), William Mell Lankford (1909), and Mary Lucy Lankford (1913).

George Lankford-Jessie Burton marriage license

On June 2, 1900, George, Jessie, and their son Owen lived in a rental home in Woodville, Greene County, Georgia. The census record shows that George and Jessie had been married for six years and that both could read and write. Jessie was enumerated as having had one child who was living. George worked as a sawyer in a saw mill.

By April 19, 1910, the family had moved to Union Point, Greene County, Georgia and had grown to five children. George still worked as a sawyer in a saw mill. None of the children were attending school at the time. Owen could read but not write. It was the 1910 census record that told us there were 14 children in the Curtis Lankford family. George’s mother Nancy, who was living with daughter Florence was shown as having had 14 children, 10 of which were living. 

1910 Oglethorpe County, Georgia census record showing George's mother,
Nancy Lankford, had 14 children (click to enlarge)

By January 25, 1920, the family had moved to Hudson Avenue in Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia, 32 miles from Union Point. Hopefully, they lived in a large home because there were now 11 people under one roof—George, Jessie, son Owen and wife Florrie (Owens), daughter Eva and husband Snow Gurley, sons George and William, daughters Mattie and Mary, and George’s mother-in-law Mattie (Parham Burton Drake). George continued to work in the saw mill, now as a laborer. Owen had joined his father at the saw mill. Even though she still had young children at home, Jessie now worked outside the home as a spooler in the cotton mill. Their son-in-law Snow worked as a weaver at the cotton mill, perhaps the same one as Jessie. The 1920s were hard on the Lankford family beginning on April 12, 1920 when George’s mother died. The family buried her beside George’s father at Bairdstown Cemetery. Then tragedy struck in 1922 when George Jr., only 19 years old, died following surgery for a ruptured appendix on June 16 at the Oglethorpe Infirmary in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. A funeral service performed by Rev. M. S. Williams was held at their home the next day followed by burial at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton. Probably still reeling from the death of George Jr., tragedy struck again on July 3, 1923 in what today we would call a case of road rage. George’s son Owen was driving a car when he came upon a man named Tom Carter, who was driving a lumber wagon. Mr. Carter felt crowded on the road and an altercation ensued that ended with Owen being struck in the head with an auto jack. The blow fractured Owen’s skull and he died at the hospital the next day. George Sr. took a warrant out on Mr. Carter who was charged with manslaughter and then released on bond. Owen was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton on July 5, leaving a wife and child behind. Mr. Carter claimed he acted in self-defense but I’ve been unable to find a news article detailing events after his release on bond so don’t know what the outcome was. And finally, George’s sketch ends with his death on May 10, 1927 in Eatonton at the age of 63. I’ve been unable to find a death or burial record for George but this is what his Find-A-Grave memorial shows. It’s believed he too was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton but don’t have proof of that. Years ago, a fellow researcher visited Pine Grove Cemetery to document these Lankford deaths but she didn’t find a headstone for George. She shared the following with me: “In Pine Grove, there is a plot with 5 slabs, 1 marked for Gertrude and Lucy and 1 marked for Dorothy Agnes. The other 3 unmarked have to be Owen, George Jr. and Jessie because the cemetery records have all of them listed as section 2 lot 28. William Mell and Gladys are in section 1 Div C lot 281 1/2. No space that could be George Sr.” 

Lankford family plot at Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton, Georgia

Of course, I’d like to have a record to confirm George’s death and burial so if anyone reading this has one, I’d love to hear from you. 

References

• Carter Out on Bond, Eatonton Messenger, Eatonton, Georgia, July 13, 1923.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129243930/george-washington-lankford: accessed 26 December 2021), memorial page for George Washington Lankford Jr. (26 Feb 1903–16 Jun 1922), Find a Grave Memorial ID 129243930, citing Pine Grove Cemetery, Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Patty Shreve (contributor 47563794).
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129388747/george-washington-lankford: accessed 27 December 2021), memorial page for George Washington Lankford Sr. (15 Jul 1863–10 May 1927), Find a Grave Memorial ID 129388747, citing Pine Grove Cemetery, Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia, USA; maintained by Patty Shreve (contributor 47563794).
• George W. Lankford, Eatonton Messenger, Eatonton, Georgia, June 23, 1922.
• Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certification of Death no. 21380, Owen Langford.
• Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certification of Death no. 10570, Mr. Wade H. Lankford.
• Georgia State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Standard Certification of Death no. 13929, Geo. W. Lankford Jr.
• Langford Dies as Result of Blow on Head from Carter, Eatonton Messenger, Eatonton, Georgia, July 6, 1923.
• Obituary, Mr. Kirk Langford, Oglethorpe Echo, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, June 17, 1887.
• Personal visit to Pine Grove Cemetery, P. Moon.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bowling Green, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, District 0127, Woodstock, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Simston, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880.
• U.S. Federal Census, Union Point, Greene County, Georgia, 1910.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1860, 1900. 

Charles Moore 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.

Charles Moore Lankford, son of Curtis Caldwell Lankford and Nancy A. E. McCarty, was born in Greene County, Georgia on September 7, 1865. He was the 6th child of 10—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. He went by Charlie and is my 1st cousin 4x removed with our nearest common relatives being Charles L. Lankford and Miss Moore.

On June 16, 1870, the Lankford family lived in Penfield, Greene County, Georgia. His father worked as a common laborer while his mother stayed home keeping house. Of the six children in the home, only John was shown with an occupation in the census record—farm laborer.

By June 7, 1880, the Lankford family had moved to the Bowling Green District of Oglethorpe County, Georgia. His father worked as a well digger, his mother kept house, and Charlie kept busy as a farm laborer. His brother Hampton was attending school but appears to be the only child at home doing so at the time. 

Charlie married Mary Franklin “Minnie” Williamson, daughter of William F. Williamson and Emily “Emmie” Allen, in Oglethorpe County, Georgia on February 18, 1886. Their first child, a daughter named Maude Estelle Lankford was born in Oglethorpe County on May 11, 1889. Their second child, a son named Horace M. Lankford, was born in Georgia, probably Oglethorpe County, on September 17, 1897.

Charles Lankford and Minnie Williamson's marriage license

On June 1, 1900, Charlie and his family lived in the Bowling Greene District of Oglethorpe County, Georgia. Charlie worked as a farmer. Minnie and Maude were both enumerated as “Mary” in the census record. The census enumerator noted that Minnie had given birth to three children, two of which were living. I have yet to find a record for the birth or death of this child. 

I have been unable to find Charlie in the 1910 census but will keep looking. When Charlie’s son Horace filled out his World War I registration card on September 12, 1918, he noted that he was employed by his father whose place of business was in Rayle, Wilkes County, Georgia. Horace also noted that his father was his nearest relative and that he lived in Rayle.

On February 2, 1920, Charlie lived on Washington Road in the Bowling Green District. In this census record, his last name was spelled Langford. He worked as a farmer on a general farm. Horace, the only child left at home, worked as a farm laborer on a home farm. Daughter Maude lived next door with her husband Andrew and daughter Knollie.

1920 Soundex Census Index for Charlie and family

On April 19, 1930, Charlie, Minnie, and Horace lived in Taliaferro County. At age 64, he had apparently retired as his occupation was enumerated as “none.” Horace worked as a laborer, hauling lumber. Charlie’s daughter Maude lived next door with her husband Andrew, widowed daughter Knollie, and granddaughter Estelle Fulcher. Minnie died of senility at age 71 in Penfield on March 9, 1939. She was buried at Bairdstown Cemetery in Bairdstown, Oglethorpe County, Georgia.

On April 2, 1940, Charlie lived with his daughter Maude and her husband Andrew McElreath in Union Point, Greene County, Georgia. They were joined in the home by Horace and his wife Rosie, as well as a cousin of Andrew’s, M. D. Adkins. They had been living in the home since 1935. The only member of the family working was Andrew and he was a brick mason. Those not working were not seeking work according to the census enumerator. 

Charlie died on July 14, 1947 at his home in Shiloh, Greene County. He was buried beside Minnie at Bairdstown Cemetery following a service a Bairds Baptist Church the following day. The Oglethorpe Echo carried a notice of Charlie’s funeral on July 24, 1947:

Mr. Charlie Lankford, son of Mr. Curt Lankford of Civil War fame, was buried here (Bairdstown) last Wednesday with the Rev. O.L. Duval officiating. Mr. Lankford was well advanced in age and had been blind for several years. His funeral was well attended by a host of friends and relatives.

References

• C. M. Lankford Dies at Shiloh, newspaper and date published unknown.
• Charles Lankford and Minnie Williamson marriage certificate, Georgia, U.S., Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978.
• Charlie Langford, Oglethorpe County, Georgia Soundex, 1920.
• Charlie M. Lankford, Georgia, U.S., Death Index, 1919-1998.
• Funeral notice, Oglethorpe Echo, July 24, 1947.
• Minnie Franklin Lankford, Certificate of Death no. 8759, Georgia Department of Public Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics.
• U.S. Federal Census, Bowling Greene District, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1880, 1900, 1920.
• U.S. Federal Census, Georgia Militia District 228, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 1860.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 138, Greene County, Georgia, 1870.
• U.S. Federal Census, Militia District 607, Taliaferro County, Georgia, USA, 1930.
• U.S. Federal Census, Union Point, Greene County, Georgia, 1940.
• William F. Williams and Emily Allen, Georgia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1754-1850.