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

The photo was taken outside the Lankford/ Lankfard Family home

at 2411 Messanie St. in 1892 in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Charlotta about 38 was standing on the porch area of the entrance way of the home.

Her 7 children, husband and family dog were on the right of her.

She appears to have a book in her hand.

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

As I was looking through some photos, I was thinking about my Great Grandmother Charlotta. I began to look at the photos I have of her. As I began to really look at the photos, I noticed something about her. She was a well dressed woman. She was distinguish in appearance.

Over the years as I've been searching through records, I discovered some things about Charlotta. I don't know if there was an obiturary written about Charlotta. If so, I wonder what it would have said?

HER BIRTH / HER FAMILY:

She was believed to have been born as Charlotta DADE sometime in January of 1854 in Missouri. The date of her birth is not known. She was born in slavery and the daughter of Isaac DADE who was born about 1808 in Virgina. Her mother was Frances (OVINGTON) DADE who was born about 1812 in Kentucky.

Charlotta was one of 14 children. Some of her siblings were born in Kentucky and the others in Missouri. Charlotta and her family saw their freedom. Charlotta would have been about 11 when slavery was abolished.

Charlotta's where a bout in 1870 was unknown. She wasn't listed on the census. She could have been missed in the census. Most likely she was in Missouri.

HER MARRIAGE:

According to the Missouri marriage records; Miss Charlotta DADE married LEWIS LANKFORD on January 25, 1873 in Canton, Missouri. Isaac and Frances Dade were witnesses to the marriage. (Charlotta was 19 and Lewis was 21.)

HER FIRST NAME:

We can assume that Charlotta was her given name or the name she choose. I have come across records with Charlotta's name spelled Charlotte, Charlottie and Lottie. I believe that those names were her nicknames.

HER OCCUPATION:

According to records, Charlotta was listed as a housewife and laundress. (I may add she was a mother.) According to a cousin, Charlotta was a steamstress or a dressmaker. How interesting! This may have been why she dressed so well. She had good taste.

HER RESIDENCY:

Charlotta most likely lived in Missouri during her early life. As an adult, she lived in Lewis County Missouri til about 1885. Then she and her family made their way from Canton, Missouri, to Kansas City, Missouri and then to St. Joseph, Missouri between 1886 to 1890.

Charlotta and her husband, Lewis (a.k.a Robert Louis Lankford / Lankfard) moved to Denver, Colorado sometime about 1916 or 1917. They had two sons living in Denver. They included, Frederick and Nymadula Lankfard. (Or perhaps Charlotta's husband had found work in Denver.)

I can't determined how long Robert and Charlotta lived in Denver. The Denver City directory recorded them there in 1918. They may have been there a couple years. But, evenually, they moved back to St. Joseph, Missouri where their other children were living.

THE CHILDREN:

Robert and Charlotta had 11 children. (I need to blog an update on Robert Louis Lankford / Lankfard and on short blog on "The Children of Robert and Charlotta Lankford / Lankfard.")

THE LATTER YEARS AND DEATH:

Robert L. Lankfard passed away on November 14, 1919. Robert and Charlotta were married for 46 years. Charlotta was a widow at the age of 65.

According to the 1920 census she was listed as a widow. She was living with two of her children; Charles and Isabella. They all were listed as mulatto.

At some point in Charlotta's latter life, she moved to New York. It was about July or August of 1923. She lived there for about 8 months. That was where she passed away on April 3, 1924. She was 70. (Charlotta perhaps moved Manhattan, New York, to be with three of her sons. Louis, Frederick and Nym LANKFARD.)

HER BURIAL:

The Lankford / Lankfard Family made arrangements for Charlotta's body to be brought back to St. Joseph, Missouri. Her remains was laid to rest on April 6, 1924 next to her husband, Robert L. Lankfard at Ashland Cemterey.

Charlotta's profile photo:

Charlotta dressed in elegancy ;

…posing with a book in her hands.

It appears that she wore reading glasses.

(I didn't notice that until January of 2014.)

She was wearing her wedding ring and had a watch.

Charlotta Dade Lankford

Source Documents

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