Stillborn Lankford Infant

One day, I went to the main Public Library in St. Joseph, Missouri.
I was going to do some family history research.
I was searching for city birth and death records.
I can't recall the year.
It was during the 1990's.

I went through the index.
I thought to go through the entire records.
I went through the records page by page.
As I was searching, I came across something.
I found a Lankford stillborn female on record born in 1893.

For some reason I didn't or forgot to write down the date.
This book was the actual record book.
The mother was Charlotta Lankford.
The father was Robert Lankford.

Charlotta was listed as having 10 children on the 1900 census.
One child was not living.
This child was believed to have been Jennie Lankford.
Jennie was listed on the 1880 census.
Jennie was born about 1873 in Missouri.
I have found no additional information on Jennie.

Also I looked at the 1920 census.
The page the Charlotta was on was faded.
I couldn't make out the number of children Charlotta had.
The number appears to be 11 not 10.
There were 9 children living in 1920.

Did Charlotta have 11 or 10 children?
The mystery of Isaac Lankford Jr. is still a mystery.
Isaac Jr. was the informant on Charlotta Lankford's 1924 death record in NY.

While On The Journey,
Stillborn Lankford Infant

Perhaps Charlotta forgot to include this child.
She should have remember how many children she had.

Or the person who gave the census information didn't know.

Peace to you,

Susan

The Lankford Family in 1892
I didn't notice the dog until the Lankford Family Reunion in July 2010.

Watching A Video

Back in 2008 or so I came across a video online. I was googling one of my cousin, Ted Blakey from Yankton, South Dakota. I came across his 12:51 video interview in Yankton.

I didn't know what I would discover in that video. I had to re listen to it at least twice. I wanted to take a picture of a picture that I saw. There was an article too that I had to see.

Through the years I forgot about that video. Some how I came across it again. It was still online. Thank God!

It wasn't until May 12, 2010, when I took some photos of some of my relatives from the video. One was my 2nd Great Grandfather, Isaac Blakey.

I had seen a photo of my Great Grandfather, Isaac on October 31, 1981. I was visiting my cousin, Mary Jane Blakey Lightner. We share the same Great Grandfather Blakey. Our Grandfather's were brothers.

I was so happy that I got to see another photo of my Great Grandfather I saw a photo of Great Grandfather with his 2nd wife, Rachel back in October of 1981. I didn't have a camera then. I wished I did.

I was so happy that I had a digital camera now. I was more than watching a video. I was looking at history. A part of my family history that was recorded for others to discover online. Thank God for video recording.

Staying On The Journey,
Susan

P.S.
Both Ted Blakey and Mary Jane Lightner have passed on.

If I Could Choose

I was thinking about some of my ancestors. If I could choose one of my ancestors to meet with and talk to, Who would I choose?

Out of all my ancestors that I have discovered on my lineage,

I would choose my Great Grand Father Isaac Blakey.
Why? I have many reasons.

A number ONE, he was my Great Grand Father. But what questions would I ask him?

Here are some questions.I know that I can't speak to my Great Grandpa. He has passed on. I know that I can't communicate with the died. What I wrote after the questions was what I have discovered on my journey.

How did you escape to join the Mississippi Union Army while in slavery?
I read that Great Grandpa Isaac played marbles while he was serving during Civil War. He was between the age of 12 - 15 when he ran away from Missouri to join the Mississippi Army.  There are records that stated that he and his mother (Julia) were sold and they went south.

What can you tell me about your first wife?
Great Grandpa's first wife, Martha Scott was my father's father's mother. She died in child birth on Hew Davis' plantation.  There were twin sons born on 21 June 1871. One was my Grandpa John. His brother Andrew died in child birth.

How did you gather together as a family in Missouri after the Civil War?
I don't know how many brothers and sister my Great Grandpa Isaac had.  The family was divided around the breaking out of the war. I searched the census records.

I think 2nd Great Grandma Julia had about 14 or 16 children. She was widowed on the 1880 census. There were so many same name in the family.

How did you hear about Jesus?
In my Great Grandpa's pension records, he had a minster testify for him. Great Grandpa Isaac was a deacon in the church. Great Grandpa was apart of the church. He went to church.

Why did you keep the Blakey surname?
Great Grandpa Isaac was the only one in his family that I have come across with the Blakey surname.  His parents and siblings carried the White surname. When Isaac join the Civil War in MS, he became Private Isaac BLAKER. 

Great Grandpa went by the surname BLAKEY. But I have found his name to be WHITE when he was listed in the 1880 census with his mother, Julia as head of the household. According to Isaac's  on his pension records he declared his name to be Isaac Blakey .

What was your relationship with your slave holder?
I have read my Great Grandpa Isaac's pension records. There were two slave holders that testified for my Great grandpa. They spoke kind words of Great Grandpa.

One who sold my Great Grandpa into slavery (W.C. Harvey) stated that Great Grandpa had a good reputation as a slave. This man knew my Great Grandpa since Isaac was born.

The other ex slave owner, (Y.C. BLAKEY) who was 10 older than my Great Grandpa. This man gave a good report as while. He stated that the "family" name was BLAKEY. The slave holders helped raise my Great Grandpa.

These ex slave owner lived about 10 miles from Great Grandpa at the turn of the 1900's. Both testified that Great Grandpa was the same boy that they knew. I think that there was some respect in the family.

Staying On The Journey,
If I Could Choose

Susan

Memories Of The Past

This was from my Xanga site posted on Friday, 22 August 2008
I added photos in this blog. (There were some update added too.)
There is a place where I can go stand and see a part of my family history. I can look around and think-- Memories Of The Past. I can see  the land and houses in our neighborhood. As I do this, I would think about some things. Things I've discovered through my family search.

I can see the place where my mother was born. Then I can turn my head to the house where she passed away. I can see the places where my Grandparents lived. (The photo what the car in it. The home of Leo and Mary Lankford in May of 1965.)

 The area where at least 5 generation grew up.

I was standing on the block where history took place. There was much history here. I recall old photos that came back into my thinking. It brought life as I was looking at the vacant lots.

The areas where Grandma Mary, Grandpa Leo, and their children , my Uncle "Sam", Aunt Leola, Aunt Sarah Bell and Aunt "Jennie" used to live. This was less than a block away. They were neighbors with my parents too.

My mother's parents, Leo and Mary were born in the early and late 1880's. My parents, David and Lula were born in the teens and 1920. I came along in the early - mid 1960's. I could imagine how the difference in our up bringing could have been.

Three of the houses are torn down. Still I can see the imagines in my mind of what the outside of the houses looked like. I recall that time when the houses were torn down. (The photo on the right was the home of William and Leola Farmer.)

I am discovering new things about my ancestors. I am glad that the past generations recorded some things. I am so glad that I have been coming across new information.

I even thought about our neighbors. There was one neighbor who has been went us as long as I can remember in the 70's. Mr. Mier passed away Jan of 2010. He was in an accident.in

What a journey in time to see and been apart in our neighborhood. How wonderful it is to be in the place where some of my ancestor lived. I can see that some of the same trees are still here when my ancestors were here.

I am so thankful that I grew up in the area where my parents grew up. I am so thankful that I can share memories of the past. I am thankful that I can use my imagination to take a look at memories of the past.

While On The Journey
Memories Of The Past

Blessings,
Susan

From LSF
His Gift Of Prayers Blessing For Wisdom And Guidance!

"May Your presence be with me as I walk the path of life, Lord. Help me to be wise in my choices...and if I have doubts encourage me to stop and ask myself what You would have me to do. Let my faith in Your loving care grow stronger every day, for that is the only foundation of happiness!

May Your Gift of Prayer bring blessings of Wisdom and Guidance to me and all of my Fellow Members near and far! ~ Amen."

Yes, the LORD will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase. NKJV Psalm 85:12