In Memory of My Great Grandma Charlotta ~ Week 2 ~ The prompts "Favorite Photo #25ancestors 52 Weeks

I choose this photo of my Great Grandmother,

Charlotta "Lottie" Charlottie (DADE) LANKFORD / LANKFARD. 

I have many favorite photos. There are some that I've written about.
This is one of them. But, I've added more to the story.

Mrs. Robert Louis Lankford / Lankfard
(1854- 1924)

 I don't know where this photo was taken. However, it's a postcard. There's nothing written on the back of it. I was told this was a picture of my Grandmother, Charlotta "Lottie" Charlottie DADE LANKFORD / LANKFARD.

I can't recall when I learned about this postcard. I know that it came from my Grandmother, Mary (Allen) Lankford / Lankfard's home around 1976. The Lankford / Lankfard home was being cleaned out and later torn down.

I love this photo. There's so much there that tells a story. As I look at what my Great Grandmother was wearing, it's nice clothing. I was told that Charlotta was a seamstress. The census records states that she kept house and was a laundress. 

I've seen two other photos of Charlotta. She looked like a well kept woman. She dressed well. I could only imagine where she bought her clothes. Or if she design them herself.

Also, I noticed in the above photo, that Charlotta is posing in a way to tell a story. She has a book in her hand. There's another photo of Charlotta holding something. But, in this photo, she also has reading glasses and wearing her ring. It appears that she had a watch or jewelry on her left side. There a broach near her neck.

Who was Charlotta Lankford / Lankfard ?
 Charlotta was the daughter of Isaac DADE and Frances "Frankie" (OVINGTON) DADE. Charlotta was of 14 children. Charlotta was the wife of Robert Louis Lankford / Lankfard. Robert was a Contractor and a builder. They had 11 children

Robert and Charlotta had three well known sons in their time. One son, Frederick A. Lankfard was a musician who traveled the country in a professional banjo group. Another son, Louis A. Lankfard, a.k.a. Add Langford, played in the Negro League Baseball. Another son, Nym Lankfard was a porter  etc. and was married an entertainer by the name of Hattie McDaniel.

Other Lankford / Lankfard sons, were James A. Lankfard was as a mason, construction and a teamster, Leo Lankfard was in trucking and hauling, Charles E. Lankfard was a labor. And daughters, Lula Madison, a housewife, Anna Alice Smith was a seamstress, and Isabella Nickerson was a housewife.



Mrs. Charlotta "Lottie" Lankford / Lankfard.

Burial at Ashland Cemetery in St. Joseph, Missouri

Charlotta lived to be 70 years old. She was living in New York City for about eight months before she passed on April 3, 1924. Her body was brought back to St. Joseph, Missouri  to be buried next to her husband.

I found parts of her obituary in the St. Joseph, Missouri newspaper. It was in the classified adverting section. In the Funeral Notices. It isn't readable. There were bits and pieces that can be made out. Her body came in the route of St. Paul MN. The funeral was at the A.M.C. on 18th Street.

I believe that the Lankfords / Lankfards posed for photos. They used postcard. Sadly to say most of ones that I've come across had nothing written on them. I know where 3 of the photos of Charlotta Lankfard are located. The are treasured photos.

Thanks for reading.
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley