The Lankford Family
Arnold Freeborn Lankford was born December 1830 in Somerset County, Maryland. The 1850 census was first public record of him living in the Quantico District in Somerset County. He was 18 years of age. There were other persons who lived in the same area that may have been close relatives of him because of their ages. Their names were George Lankford age 23; Mary Lankford age 20 and George P Lankford age one.
By 1860, He had married Mary Ann Wright of Wetipquin, Maryland. She was born circa 1838 in Wetipquin. Her parents were Boyce Wright and Lead Miles Wright of Wetipquin. Other persons listed in the 1860 census were Hester Georgia Lankford age 2 and a lady named Iffa Lankford age 60. She was born circa 1800 in Somerset County. It has not been discovered whether or not she was his mother or another relative. She was not mention after that census record.
Arnold Lankford enlisted in the Ninth Regiment of The United States Colored Troops of the Civil War on November 26, 1863 by Colonel William Berney of the Second USC Troops. Colonel Berney was the Superintendent of recruiting colored troops in the state of Maryland at White Haven, Maryland. The military description of Arnold Lankford was five feet, six inches with a dark complexion, black hair and black eyes. He was a private in Company K. His occupation in the military was a cook. He received a certificate of disability for a discharge on February 29, 1865 when he lost two fingers on his right hand due to an accident.
The children of that marriage were Hester Georgia Lankford, Levin Thomas Lankford, Sarah Etta Lankford, Ida Mae Lankford, Mary Ann Virginia Lankford, George Perry Lankford, Samuel Brewston Lankford and Leah Ella Lankford. After the death of her father, Boyce Wright, Mary Ann Wright Lankford and her siblings – Caroline Wright Jones, Michael Wright, Rosetta Wright Whitney and Sally Wright had his property divided and surveyed by H. H. Crawford, a Surveyor on June 28, 1883. Her part of the “Wright’s Land was five and three-eighths acres in Wetipquin. Mary Ann Wright passed away May 18, 1891 in Wetipquin. Her property was passed through seven generations and is presently owned by her descendants living Wetipquin today.
First Child. Hester Georgia Lankford was born circa 1858 in Wetipquin. Her name appears twice in 1860 census and 1870 census in the Tyaskin District. Six children of Arnold and Mary Ann Lankford were born in old Somerset County; three of them were born in the new county called Wicomico.
Second Child. Levin Thomas Lankford was born March 1862 in Wetipquin. His first marriage was to Mary Eliza Seldon of Wetipquin. She was born April 1870 in Quantico, Maryland. Her parents were George Seldon and Matilda J Hull Seldon of Wetipquin. The children of that marriage were Georgia Emma Lankford and James Asbury Lankford. Georgia Emma Lankford was born circa 1887 in Wetipquin. She married Upshur Wright October 27, 1909 in Wetipquin. He was born October 1886 in Wetipquin. His parents were Michael Wright and Eleanor Peters Wright. The children of this family were Rosa Wright born circa 1911; twins – Florence Matilda Wright and Fredrick Wright who were born March 1917 in Wetipquin. Georgia Emma Lankford Wright passed away June 1967.
James Asbury Lankford was born circa 1888 in Wetipquin. His wife was Rebecca Jones Lankford. She was born November 1890 in Wetipquin. Her parents were William Jones and Mary Catherine Stanley Jones of Wetipquin. Asbury Lankford and his wife Rebecca spent most of the early days of their marriage in Baltimore, Maryland with his mother and Traveled throughout the east coast with Dr. Fields, a local physician practicing medicine in this area. Rebecca was a midwife who worked with Dr. Fields. They returned back home to Wetipquin and purchased back his grandmother’s property in 1917 from Watson D. Mitchell, a landowner in Wetipquin. They had two daughters Reba Lankford and Carrie Lankford.
Reba Lankford was born August 7, 1915 in Wetipquin. Her husband was Raymond Burrell of Crisfield, Maryland. He was born in Piney Point located in St Mary’s County Maryland. His parents were Frank Wilson and Mildred Burrell. The children of that marriage were Warren George Burrell, Mason Malcon and Mildred Inez Burrell. Reba Lankford Burrell passed away December 11, 1938. Her parents, Asbury and Rebecca Lankford, reared her children.
Carrie Lankford, an adopted daughter, was born circa 1923. Her first marriage was to Joseph Prater. Her second marriage was to Leonard Cuff of Salisbury, Maryland. There were not any children of either marriage. Rebecca Jones Lankford passed away February 14, 1949 and James Asbury Lankford passed June 1965. They were buried in Odd Fellows cemetery in Wetipquin.
Levin Thomas Lankford second marriage was to Mary Wilson Moore of Wetipquin. She was born March 1862 in Quantico, Maryland. Her parents were Hester Wilson and John Way. The children of that marriage were Arletta Lankford, William Lankford, Bertha Lankford, Helen Lankford and Arnold Lankford. He also had two stepsons William Francis Moore and Noah H Moore.
Arletta Lankford was born February 1892 in Wetipquin. She married Algie Horsey of Mt Daniel, Maryland. The children of that marriage were Granville Butler, Lucretia Butler, Helen Horsey, Bertha Horsey, Ruth B. Horsey, Lillian Horsey, Violet Horsey and Algie Horsey, Jr. Algie Horsey and Arletta Lankford Horsey made their home in Mt Daniel, Maryland and some of their descendants resides in Mt Daniel.
William Lankford was born March 22, 1896 in Wetipquin. His wife was Lula Lankford. She was born circa 1901. They had one son – Edward Lankford born circa 1916. William Lankford served as a PVT in 154 Depot Bridge in World War I. William Lankford and his family lived on Tilghmans Island located in Avalon, Maryland. William Lankford passed September 17, 1956 and was buried in Odd Fellows cemetery in Wetipquin. Bertha Ellen Lankford was born February 1900 in Wetipquin. She married John Wesley Bailey February 22, 1917 in Wetipquin. He was born May 12, 1887 in Wetipquin. His parents were John Pembrooke Bailey and Adaline Allen Bailey of Wetipquin. The children of that marriage were James Bailey and Ella Elizabeth Bailey. James Bailey was a soldier in World War II and passed away in Germany during the war. John Wesley Bailey passed away October 3, 1941 and was buried in the Conway farm located on Royal Oak Road. Bertha Ellen Lankford Bailey passed away October 11, 1981 in Salisbury, Maryland. She was buried in Memorial Gardens in Hebron, Maryland. Their descendants resides in Salisbury, Maryland. Helen Lankford was born circa 1903 in Wetipquin. Her husband was James Carey of Harve De Grace, Maryland. The children of that marriage were Bertha Carey, Arletta Carey and Ella Carey. Arnold Lankford was born circa 1904 in Wetipquin. His wife was Ola Lankford. There were not any children of that marriage.
Thomas Lankford’s mother had inherited property from her father Boyce Wright. The land was surveyed in 1883. August 23, 1902, his father Arnold Lankford and his surviving siblings - Sarah E Waters, Mary V Conway, Ida Bennett, Ella Brown, George P Lankford and Samuel B Lankford deed the property to Levin Thomas Lankford. Levin Lankford lost the property due to lapse in mortgage payments to Watson D. Mitchell. The land was purchased by his son James Asbury Lankford and his wife Rebecca Jones Lankford dated May 2, 1917. The property is still owned by his descendants today. Mary Wilson Moore Lankford passed away March 14, 1918 in Wetipquin. Levin Thomas Lankford passed August 6, 1948.
Third Child. Ida Mae Lankford was born May 1863 in Wetipquin, Maryland. She married David Bennett July 1, 1891 in Friendship ME Church in Wetipquin. David Bennett was born August 1864. He came to Wetipquin by 1880 from the Quantico District in Wicomico County, Maryland. His parents are unknown. Ida Mae Lankford Bennett was a midwife and delivered babies in the local area.
The children of that marriage were William T Bennett, Serena Bennett, Percy R Bennett, Joseph Bennett, Augusta Bennett, Joyce Bennett, Basil Bennett, May E Bennett and Dallas Bennett. William T. Bennett was Born June 1894 in Wetipquin, Maryland. Serena Bennett, was born July 1897 in Wetipquin. She married James Conway of White Haven, Maryland June 17, 1914 in Wetipquin. He was born August 1892 in White Haven. His parents were James Conway and Laura Horsey Conway.
The children of that marriage: Granville Conway, Howard Conway, Clinton Conway, Edward Conway, Fulton Conway, Leroy Conway, Lawrence Conway, Laura Conway-Armstrong, Priscilla Conway- Crawford and Julia Conway –Garrison. Percy R Bennett was born April 1899 in Wetipquin. Joseph was born circa 1901 in Wetipquin. Augusta Bennett was born circa 1905 in Wetipquin. Joyce Noretta Bennett was born circa 1907 in Wetipquin. Basil Bennett was born circa 1913 in Wetipquin. May Elizabeth Bennett was born circa 1915 in Wetipquin Dallas Bennett was born circa 1916 in Sussex County, Delaware.
The Bennett family moved from Wetipquin to Sussex County, Delaware. The 1920 census of Sussex County, Delaware listed Ida Bennett as a widow living Seaford, Delaware. Some of their descendants can be located in Beverly, New Jersey and the surrounding States.
Fourth Child. Sarah Etta Lankford was born April 1865 in Wetipquin. Her husband was James Waters. He was born March 1855. She had ten children, however, by 1900 there five of them still living. They were the following: Mary A Waters, Lillie G Waters, Noah Waters, Alvesta Waters, and Sarah Margaret Waters. Mary A Waters was born February 1884 in Wetipquin. She passed away March 14, 1906 at age 22 in Wetipquin.
Lillie G Waters was born April 1888 in Wetipquin. She married Noah Moore September 20, 1905 in Wetipquin. His parents were Noah F. Moore and Mary Wilson Moore Lankford. The minister was William Haymen. Their daughter was M. E. Moore born circa 1908. Lillie G Waters Moore passed away August 24, 1913 in Wetipquin.
Noah J Waters was born August 1889 in Wetipquin. He married Rachel Harvey July 17, 1913. She was born circa 1905. By 1920, his mother was a widow and lived in his household. They had one daughter named Mary L V Waters. She was three months of age. Noah Waters also had an older son. His name was William Stewart - (Bill) Robinson of Wetipquin. Noah and his family moved to Somerset County. His descendants live in Somerset and Wicomico counties.
Alvesta Water was born February 1896. There was no further mention of her after 1900. Sarah Margaret Waters was born April 1898 in Wetipquin. She married Charles Marvin Birckhead February 8, 1919. His parents were Samuel Birckhead and Hester M Birckhead of Hebron, Maryland. The children of that marriage: E Helen Birckhead, Novella Birckhead, Charles Marvin Birckhead Jr., William Gerald Birckhead, Noah James Birckhead and Thelma Birckhead. In 1930, Sarah Etta Lankford Waters was living in their household in 1930. She was sixty-six years of age.
Fifth Child. Mary A Virginia Lankford was born July 1866 in Wetipquin. She married Heziah Lenmore Conway of Jesterville, Maryland September 19, 1888. He was born August 1866 in Jesterville. His parents were Isaac and Julia Conway. The children of that marriage were Levin Thomas Conway, Mary Ann Conway, Sadie Conway and James A Conway. Levin Thomas Conway was born January 1890 in Jesterville. He married Lillie Jones January 27, 1914. They had one daughter Mary Virginia Conway who was born circa 1916 in Jesterville.
Mary Ann Conway was born July 1892 in Jesterville. Her husband was Dennis Jones. He was born September 1891. His parents were Noah Jones and Mary E. Jones of Jesterville. The children of that marriage: Douglas Jones, Freeman Jones, Wilmer Jones, Shelly Jones, Heziah Jones, Otha Jones, Charles Jones and Hazel Frances Jones. Mary Ann Jones passed away March 1967, her husband Dennis Jones passed away April 1956. They were buried in Elzey Church cemetery in Jesterville, Maryland.
Sadie Virginia Conway was born December 1894 in Jesterville. She made her home in Baltimore, Maryland. James A Conway was born June 1897 in Jesterville. His wife was Massie Conway of White Haven, Maryland. The children of this marriage were Ronald Conway and Geneva Conway. Geneva Conway was a schoolteacher and taught school in Jesterville and Wetipquin.
Sixth Child. George Perry Lankford was born September 8, 1867 in Wetipquin, Maryland. His wife was Martha Emma Lankford of Seaford, Delaware. She was born August 24, 1864 in Delaware. Her parents were William Mosley and Elizabeth Cooney. According to the Delaware Death Records two of their children were Leon Lankford born July 1900; he lived 6 weeks and passed away July 30, l900. An infant female who live for two days from September 10, 1903 to September 12, 1903; two other children reaching adulthood were Ada Lankford, and James Lankford. George Perry Lankford passed away November 23, 1922 and was buried in Seaford, Delaware. His wife Emma Lankford died August 2, 1945 in Hockessin New Castle, Delaware and was buried Union Hills.
The 1930 census in Seaford, Delaware stated that his wife Emma Lankford was a widow. In her household were her son James Lankford; her daughter Ada Lankford Dashiells age 19; her son-in-law Lloyd Dashiell age 18 and two small grandchildren- Lloyd Dashiell Jr. and Gladys Dashiell. All of them were born in Delaware.
Seventh Child. Samuel Brewston Lankford was born March 1876 in Wetipquin. He married Bessie McCoy December 16, 1899 in White Haven, Maryland. She was born February 1882 in Washington, DC. Her family came to the Wetipquin on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the Steamship era. The Steamships sailed on the Nanticoke River to Sandy Hill Landing in Wetipquin weekly from Baltimore, Maryland.
The children of that marriage were Etha Lankford and Julia Lankford. Etha Lankford was born May 17, 1901 in Wetipquin. She and her sister made their home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Julia Lankford was born April 8, 1904 in Wetipquin. Julia was a foster parent in Philadelphia. She reared several children. Julia Lankford Bourne passed away February 1979 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was buried in Green cemetery in Philadelphia. Bessie McCoy Lankford passed away May 9, 1907 in Wetipquin. Three years later, Samuel Brewston Lankford was remarried to Mary Margaret Jones Camper February 8, 1910 in Wetipquin. She was born June 26, 1868 in Wetipquin. Her mother was Mary Angeline Jones of Wetipquin. They were nicknamed by their family and friends “Bruce” & “Maggie”. Bruce Lankford and his wife Maggie had two twin boys Michael Linwood Lankford and John Henry Lankford who were born November 19, 1910.
The twins lived a very short life. Michael Linwood Lankford passed away February 9, 1912. John Henry Lankford passed away February 17, 1912. They reared his daughters along with his stepchildren. His stepchildren were John Camper who was born circa 1891. There was not any further information concerning him after the 1910 census. We may assume that he was probably deceased. Other children of Maggie Camper Lankford were Marcellus Camper, Lydia Camper, William David Camper, Minnie Camper and Raymond Camper. They also reared a granddaughter Myrtle Peters who was a toddler when her mother Minnie Camper Conway passed away. Myrtle Peters was born circa 1917 in Wetipquin. The children in Wetipquin loved Samuel Brewston Lankford. The called him “Uncle Bruce”. He played Santa Claus for many years at the Lodge Hall and the Church in Wetipquin. The children had to give account at Christmas whether they had been good or bad every year and face their just reward. Uncle Bruce could have been a professional wrestler; there were few men who dare to challenge him. He could whip the best of them.
Samuel Brewston Lankford ordained as local preacher in 1938. He was the Church custodian for many years. He was also a member of several lodges in the community. He furnished information that helped with the writing the history of Friendship Church because his memory spanned over 75 years of the Church. His wife Margaret Jones Camper Lankford passed away August 8, 1956. Samuel Brewston Lankford passed December 1966 in Wetipquin. They were buried in Odd Fellows cemetery in Wetipquin. He had out lived all of his siblings. His granddaughter Myrtle Peters Johnson inherited their property when he passed away.
Eighth Child. Leah Ella Lankford was born January 1878 in Wetipquin. She married George H Brown February 12, 1896 in Tyaskin, Maryland. He was born June 1873 in Quantico, Maryland. His parents were James Brown and Hester Wainwright Brown. Their only child was James Brown. He was born April 1894 in Wetipquin. Ella Lankford was the youngest of all her siblings. Leah Ella Lankford Brown passed August 17, 1903 in Wetipquin at twenty-five years of age. She was buried in Friendship cemetery in Wetipquin, Maryland.
Second Marriage of Arnold Lankford. Arnold Lankford at age 65 was remarried to Margaret Jones Nichols December 23, 1896 in Nanticoke, Maryland. She was born August 30, 1847 in Jesterville, Maryland. Her parents were Jack Laws and Mahala Jones of Jesterville. Margaret Jones Nichols Lankford passed away March 21, 1918 and buried in Jesterville, Maryland. Arnold Lankford passed circa 1905 and was buried in Friendship cemetery next to a private land by the Lodge Monument. In 1990 his great great granddaughter Mildred Burrell Cottman worked with the County Commissioners on the public road leading from Wetipquin Road to Sandy Hill Road. The Road was called “Lankford Road” in memory of her ancestors “The Lankford Family”.