Pasadena Public Library

In researching Charles E. Langford and his move from Fulton, Illinois to Pasadena, California, I found a note that he had donated to the very first public library in Pasadena. I thought that I should contact the library to see if they had any other information about him. I was pleased to learn that the library has a free obituary look-up service. So, I sent an email explaining his connection to the library and asking for his obituary. The reply came today, a series of attachments to an email. Innocent enough at first glance.

What I hoped to learn was what happened to his first wife, Hannah. She disappears from the census records before 1880 when he is remarried to Maria his second wife. I got more than I bargained for. Here are the articles that were sent to me. I offer them in chronological order and without editorial comment.

Los Angeles Times
June 13, 1893

Death of an Old Resident of This City, C. E. Langford

In the death of Charles E. Langford, which occurred Monday night at his home on the corner of California Street and Euclid Avenue, Pasadena loses one of its old-time and highly respected citizens. Mr. Langford had attained the ripe age of 73 years. He was a member of the Masonic order, and the funeral which will take place from his late residence on Thursday next at 10 a. m., will be in charge of, and according to the ritual of the Masonic Lodge.

Short devotional exercises at the house will be conducted by Rev. D. D. Hill of the Congregational Church, and the remains will be interred in Mountain View Cemetery.

Pictured here is the monument on the grave of Charles E. Langford in Mountain View Cemetery. He is interred with his second wife Maria, his daughter by Maria, Mabel Williams and John Garcia. a previous husband of Mabel.


Los Angeles Times
November 22, 1893
Contest The Will
Heirs of C. E. Langford in Court
Legal Fight Over an Estate Valued at $75,000
Charges Against the Widow by the First Wife's Children
Undue Influence Alleged on the Part of the Second Wife


The trial of the contest over the estate of Charles E. Langford, deceased, who died at Pasadena on June 10 last, leaving real and personal property valued at from $60,000 to $75,000, was commenced before Judge Clark and a jury in Department Two of the Superior Court and promises to occupy their attention for a considerable amount of time.

The parties to the action are represented as follows: The contestants by Messrs. R. A. Ling, H. T. Gordon and H. H. Appel and the proponents by Messrs. Anderson & Anderson and A. R. Metcalfe, Esq.

The jurors selected to try the case are: N. P. Campbell, J. G. Carmichael, J. E. Courtney, J. A. de Courcy, J. G. de Turk, R. Devine, P. F. Ebert, I. H. Leahy, G. A. Ralphs, J. Weber, L. Williams and J. J. Woodworth.

From the pleadings in the case it appears that on June 26 last, Maria Langford, the widow of the deceased, filed a petition in the Probate Court praying for the admission to probate of the late will and testament of her deceased husband, and for her appointment as sole executrix of his estate thereunder.

This will which is dated November 29, 1887, bequeaths to his wife, Maria M. Langford, the sum of $20,000 and a homestead of five acres, upon the express condition that she receives the same in full satisfaction of all rights and claims she may have at the time of his death against his estate. Should the rest of the estate be of the value of $7000, he bequeathed the sum of $1000 to each of his seven children by a former wife; it being provided that should the remainder of this estate not be worth so much, it was to be divided among said children, share and share alike.

To his daughter Mabel C. Langford, he left only a "father's blessing", but no portion of his estate, leaving her future welfare in the hands of her mother.

All the rest of his estate, of whatever nature, he bequeathed to his wife, absolutely, and appointed her as the sole executrix, without bonds.

Attached to this will is a codicil, dated January 23, 1890, ratifying the will, except that it provides in case his wife died before him, that his daughter by her, Mabel C. Langford, should receive all that he had previously willed to his wife.

The estate as set forth in the petition consists of personal property valued at $3000 and the following real property: Twelve acres in Langford's subdivision at Pasadena; lots and three cottages, valued at $30,000; house and lot on Peoria Street, $1000;small tract on Raymond Avenue, $4000; ten acres on California Street, $6000; two cottages and lots on Villa Avenue, $1000; three acres at Olivewood, $6000; house and lot on Dayton Street, $1500; and forty acres at Lamanda Park, subject to contract, upon which is due $8000.

The contestants, Mrs. Mary Herwick, Mrs. Elizabeth Longshore, Mrs. Anna Finch, Mrs. Helen Finch, Charles E. Langford, Thomas A. Langford and Edward O. Langford, are the seven children by a former wife, referred to in the will.

They allege that some twenty years ago, the proponent, Maria M. Langford, while in their father's employ as a domestic servant in Illinois, obtained such an influence over him as to induce him to put away his wife, their mother, and two months after obtaining a divorce in Chicago, to marry her. Shortly afterward she prevailed upon him to leave Illinois for California. From that time on, she, by insidious wiles and machinations, estranged him from his children, the contestants, and coerced him into denying them "the affections of a father, and to his and their friends, the hospitality of a home." They allege that they had always been on good terms with him, and that when away from her, he was always kind and affectionate to them, and had frequently intimated his intention to leave two thirds of his property to them. It is further alleged that the second Mrs. Langford did not allow anyone to know that her husband had another family, and, if should could prevent it, did not permit any of the contestants to visit or see him. As an instance of this, it is stated that that although their father was sick for three weeks during his last illness, Mrs. Langford never notified two of his children, who resided in the city, nor allowed them to see him before he died.

The grounds upon which the contest is based are that their father accumulated the bulk of his fortune with the assistance of the money of their mother, his first wife, that on the date upon which the will in controversy was executed, he was 79 years of age, and not of such sound mine as to be competent to dispose of his estate, and that owing to the despotic control exercised by his second wife he was deprived of free agency and acted under duress in making said will.

The first witness called was Fannie E. Longshore, one of the contestants, but after the usual preliminary questions had been put to her a lengthy and warm argument was indulged as to the admissibility of a certain line of questioning, which lasted until the court adjourned for the day.


Los Angeles Times
November 23, 1893
Langford's Money
Second Day of the Will Contest
Testimony of the Children of the Deceased
Change in Their Father After His Second Marriage
Apparently Completely Under the Control of His Wife

The trial of the contest over the will of Charles E. Langford, deceased, of Pasadena, was resumed today before Judge Clark and a jury in Department Two, yesterday, three witnesses being examined on behalf of the contestants during the day's session.

The proceedings commenced with the examination of Fannie E. Longshore, a daughter of the decedent by his first wife, who was upon the witness stand when court adjourned Friday afternoon. She testified to the effect that she first met the proponent, who was then Maria H. Sherman, at her father's house in Fulton, Illinois in 1869 or 1870, at which time she was employed as a seamstress or tailoress. About a year later witness accompanied her father to the home of Maria Sherman's brother-in-law, McBride, where she resided. This was some eight miles from their home, but her father often made the trip. Witness knew nothing of her father's second courtship and marriage, however, as in 1872, her mother went to live in the country, and just before the wedding her father sent her to Mount Vernon, Iowa, where one of her brothers was at school. Her next visit to her father's house was in 1875, and she stayed there about two months prior to her own marriage. She then found her father very much changed, his former cheerfulness having disappeared entirely, so that he seemed to her to be morose, sad and under constraint all the time. His second wife never left witness alone with her father if she could help it, and he was very cautious in his speech in her presence. Whenever he met his daughter down town, however, he was as kind and considerate as ever, and endeavored to convince her that he still entertained a father's affection for her.

Witness related a number of incidents tending to show that her father practically admitted that his second wife completely controlled him; and told of a visit paid by herself and a sister, to the widow a week after the funeral, on which occasion Mrs. Langford told them of the contents of their father's will.

Thomas A. Longshore, the husband of the preceding witness, was then called and corroborated his wife's testimony, so far as he was conversant with the details as to the manner in which she was treated by his father and his second wifeupon the occasion of her last visit to her old home.

Mrs. Mary Helen Langford, the wife of one of the contestants, then took the stand and testified to the effect that in 1870 she resided with her father-in-law for nine months. During that time she met Maria Sherman at the Langford residence, Mr. Langford having introduced her to witness at dinner one evening. About three years later witness again visited the Langford family, but received a very frigid welcome from Mrs. Maria Langford, and found matters very much changed for the worse since her former visit.

While the witness was visiting at the house, a book entitled "Nothing but Money", the plot of which hinged upon the scheming of an adventuress, who endeavored to coerce a wealthy man to leave all of his property to her, instead of his children, was read and discussed by the deceased and others of the family, and during the course of the conversation Mr. Langford emphatically said that as he should leave at least two thirds of his property to his children, they need fear nothing of that kind.

At the close of Mrs. Langford's testimony, court adjourned for the day, the matter being continued until Tuesday morning next.


Los Angeles Times
November 24, 1893
Was In His Dotage
The Mental Condition of Charles Langford
During the Closing Years of His Life
Further Testimony in the Will Contest

The trial of the contest over the will of Charles E. Langford of Pasadena was resumed before Judge Clark and a jury, in Department Two, yesterday, ten witnesses being examined for the contestants, who closed their side of the case at 4 o'clock p. m. The witnesses called during the day's session were Dr. W. B. Roland, Mrs. Francesca A. Austin, William McCarty, C. E. Langford, Mrs. M. M. Langford, Charles E. Brown, James M. Doty, Mrs. M. J. Herwick, Mrs. F. E. Longshore and Thomas Langford.

Their testimony upon the whole was merely cumulative evidence, tending to show that decedent was in his dotage, and completely under the influence of his second wife, during the last years of his life. An effort was made, however, when the witness McCarty was on the stand to introduce some sensational evidence, reflecting upon the conduct of Mrs. Langford, during the year 1888, but the court refused to admit it. Four of the contestants were recalled, for the purpose of acquainting the jury with their impoverished circumstances and need for the money they are seeking to obtain, and the first half of the case was then closed.

The matter will be taken up again this morning.

Los Angeles Times
November 25, 1893
Unusually Bright
Langford Was in His Right Mind
The Other Side of the Sensational Will Contest
Prominent Citizens of Pasadena on the Witness Stand

The second half of the trial of the contest over the estate of Charles E. Langford of Pasadena, that is the taking of the testimony for his proponent, was commenced before Judge Clark and a jury , in Department Two yesterday, ten witnesses being examined during the days' session.

These were Attorneys Frank J. Polley, M. C. Hester and G. A. Gibbs; F. B. Weatherby, a shoe dealer; President P. M. Green, of the First National Bank; Rev. D. D. Hill; W. L. Wotkyns, a real estate agent; T. J. Rigg, a druggist; J. Clark, and Mrs. Frank Marston, all of whom are well known residents of Pasadena.

Their testimony, on the whole, was in direct contravention to that introduced by the contestants, with reference to Mr. Langford's mental condition, each and all declaring that, in their opinion, the decedent was a man of unusually bright mind, and relating various incidents which had occurred during their respective relations with him, business and otherwise, in support of their views on the subject.
At the close of Mrs. Marston's examination, court adjourned for the day, the matter going over until Tuesday morning next.

Los Angeles Times
December 5, 1893
Langford's Money
It Will Probably Go to His Children
Verdict of the Jury in the Will Contest
One Juror Answers Two Questions in the Negative 

The trial of the contest over the estate of the late Charles E. Langford of Pasadena was concluded in Department Two, yesterday afternoon, the matter finally being submitted to the jury at 3:15 o'clock.

A. R. Metcalfe, Esq., consumed part of the morning session in making his closing argument for the proponent, and R. A. Ling, Esq., who closed for the contestants occupied the attention of the jury for the remainder of the time.

After a deliberation of Four hours and a half, the jury found for the contestant upon the special issues submitted to them, the form of their verdict being as follows:

First--Was Charles E. Langford, on November 29, 1887, the date proposed will purports to have been executed of sound and disposing mind and memory? Yes

Second--Was Charles E. Langford, on January 29, 1890, the date the proposed codicil to said will purports to have been executed of sound and disposing mind and memory? Yes

Third--Was the execution of said proposed will procured through the undue influence of Maria M. Langford? Yes

Fourth--Was the execution of said codicil procured through the influence of Maria M. Langford? Yes

Fifth--Was the execution of said will procured through the fraud of Maria M. Langford? Yes

Sixth--Was the execution of said codicil procured through the fraud of said Maria M. Langford? Yes

Upon the jurors being polled it was found that the verdict was unanimous except as to the first two interrogatories, which were answered negatively by Juror J. H. Leahy.

The Court reserved its judgement upon said verdict.

 

Jeanette Langford Wise

While I was looking through a book in the Clinton Library that listed cemetery interments in Elk River Township, I found a reference to Oscar's sister Jeanette. Jeanette was buried with her husband Peter Wise in the old section of Oakland Cemetery, block 9, lot 4, space 10. Peter was buried next to her. I kept looking and played a hunch by looking for Wilcox. Sure enough, I found Delia Jeanette Wilcox and her husband Melvin, both buried right next to Jeanette. Delia was buried Thursday, March 11, 1943, almost 51 years after Melvin was interred on May 19, 1892.
From looking through the old newspaper microfilm, I had seen the name Melvin J. Wilcox a number of times and posited that Melvin might be Delia's husband. Finding them buried together answered that question. Melvin was in the newspaper in 1879 because he had just been elected to the position of Clinton County Superintendent of Schools. At this time in our history we had not centralized education and had no state or federal departments of education. In Iowa, there was a County Superintendent who reported to the County Board and whose job it was to oversee and coordinate education activities in the county. 
When I got home from Clinton I did a web search for books on the history of Clinton County and found several, including one that had a brief sketch of Melvin J. Wilcox. From the history of Clinton County Iowa by LP Allen:


MELVIN J. WILCOX, County Superintendent of Schools, Lyons; born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., in 1849; his father, Jairus Wilcox, came to Deep Creek Township, Clinton Co., in April, 1864, where he still resides; Mr. Wilcox was a teacher in Clinton Co. for eight years; was for some time Principal of the South Ward School in Lyons; was elected County Superintendent in the fall of 1878. His wife was Miss Delia J. Wise, a native of Fredonia, N. Y.
 
 Also buried nearby are Mary Wise Graul, Jeanette's other daughter and her husband, Jefferson George Graul. Mary and Jefferson had four children: Gertrude, Daniel, Melvin and Julia Graul. Jefferson worked as a station agent for the railroad and for a time they lived in Crawford, Iowa, quite a distance from Clinton. I imagine he had a railroad position in Crawford because they returned "home" to Clinton and were buried there. Their children had a number of descendants and would appear to be the most likely ones to still be in the Clinton area.
One last note, Oscar's sister, Fidelia Emily Langford Pierce, had a daughter Anna Woodruff Pierce who married Charles Godwin. Anna named one of her children after the judge, William George Langford Godwin. And he lived in Webster Groves at the time of his death in 1968.

Another Trip to Clinton

I made a list of things to check and drove to Clinton, Iowa, yesterday to make some new headway on my Langford family research.
My primary reason was to visit the Clinton Public Library Root Cellar which is their specialized area for genealogy research. They have microfilm there of Clinton newspapers going well back into the middle 1800s. I was hoping to pin down the exact date and place of burial of Charles Langford, the great great grandfather of my wife Nancy. He uprooted much of his family about 1840 from Chautauqua County, New York, and moved to Clinton County, Iowa. But we had been unable to pinpoint when he died. All we knew was that it was before the 1880 census.
I spent three and one half hours there, most of it on the microfilm reader.  A relative had a hand written note that gave his date of death as January 10, 1879, so I concentrated on newspapers around that date.
I found an article in the Lyons Weekly Mirror of Saturday, January 25, 1879:
"Mr. Langford, father of C. E. Langford of Fulton, died at Almont Thursday night, aged 89 years."
Then I found another article this time in the Clinton Herald of Friday evening, January 24, 1879:
"Mr. Chas. Langford, for many years a resident of this vicinity, died at the residence of Mr. Fowler in Almont, where he was stopping, about seven o'clock last evening. The deceased was the father of Chas. Langford, Jr., of Fulton, and the grandfather of E. O. Langford, of Almont. He was about 80 years old and was well known and widely respected."
I again reviewed the burial records of that time for Clinton County and could not find a reference to where Charles was buried.
In the Root Cellar, I next gave my attention to old plat books to determine the precise location of the Langford farm. I knew it was in Elk River Township and had an idea of its section and lot numbers from the real estate transactions I had previously reviewed. This was readily found in a plat book from 1874. The Charles Langford farm was owned by Charles E. Langford of Fulton, but he allowed his father to live on it. It was about 200 acres located in Section 12 of Elk River Township. From the earlier land transactions I reviewed Charles E. Langford also owned land in the sections surrounding section 12. I think it is likely that he owned as much as 2000 acres of prime Iowa farm land at some point, selling most of it off to finance his lumber mill ventures.
The farm is located on the Elk River and I can imagine that made it a prime location for raising animals and irrigating crops. Here is the current plat with the Langford farm outlined.

I then stopped at the Clinton County Administration Building and met with the County Engineer. He provided some current plat maps showing who owns the Langford farm now. County roads that should be paved wind right through the farm and should make it easy to find.
I had hoped to drive by the farm but was running out of time and daylight as I made my way in the direction of the farm.
As I headed north out of Clinton, on HWY 67, I passed Oakland Cemetery on the very north edge of Clinton. Several Langfords are buried there but it was raining and not a good day for a cemetery visit. I was able to get as far as Almont, and I stopped at the last remaining building of what was then Almont, the Almont Tap. I stopped and found the bartended and one customer besides myself.
I toasted Charles and told the barkeep of my reason for being in the area. The lady on the bar stool perked up and started telling me where the cemeteries were in the immediate area.  I quickly located the likely locations of two of the oldest cemeteries in the area. I had previously reviewed the pictures of gravestones in these cemeteries and found a couple possibilities. I knew from the status of Charles E. Langford, that a headstone would have been provided for his father. There are no records of a headstone on the Iowa Gravestones Project site or the Find A Grave site, although there is at least one unknown that looks promising.
I will make another post about the information that I discovered on other family members, in particular, Delia Wise Wilcox.

Oscar's Letters to Julia Gilbert Langford

Oscar Langford apparently kept up with his sister-in-law, Julia Gilbert Langford , after his brother and her husband, Judge William G. Langford passed away in 1893. A pair of his letters have survived in the hands of family members.

Oscar Langford
Charter Member of
Dayton Typographical Union, No. 57
Reorganized in 1866

Colorado Springs, Colo.
January 2, 1907

Dear sister-
I should have acknowledged your kind gift of "the House Beautiful" before now but was waiting for my I. O. O. F. (International Order of Odd Fellows) certificate before writing. The card contains a whole sermon of precious truths and I have hung it up in my room so that I can keep its lesson in mind. Thank you.

Well Christmas and New Year's have come and gone, and we at the home have received numberless and all kind of gifts from our local unions and from personal friends. One of mine was a hundred letter heads from the Dayton Union, of which this sheet is a sample. I received from the St. Louis Union $5.00 cash, as did the five other members of that union at the home. I received handkerchiefs, etc., from different friends and have got a big enough stock on hand to keep my nose clean till next Christmas at least. Mr. and Mrs. Graul, living at Dow City, Iowa, sent me their photos and a pretty handkerchief. Mrs. Graul is a niece of mine, and the younger sister of Delia Wilcox. I was surprised to get a letter from her about three weeks ago, as she has never written to me before. I have not seen her for about forty years when she was then Mary Wise and I think not over 15 years old. She is now a mother of several grown-up children, and also a grandmother. It seems but yesterday that since she and Delia were little "kids" playing about their fathers house at Elk River, Iowa. You know Delia and Mary are daughters of my sister Jeanette, one of the dearest, sweetest women that ever lived, and who died early in the fifties.

Delia Wilcox is almost a perfect picture of what her mother was and Mary looks like her father. Mary wrote me for information about the birthplace of her father and mother. but I could tell her nothing but that her father was born in Canada. You know, I was the youngest of eleven children. My mother died when I was about three years old, and I was adopted by a farmer named Griswold and thought that was my name till about ten years old. My father went West and I was introduced to him when I went to sister Jeanette's in Iowa when I was about 18 years old.

Jeanette lived at Fredonia, New York, near where I was raised, but I never knew that she was my sister till I found out that my name was Langford, though she often came to see me when a little boy, "down on the farm." My foster parents told me her name was Walker. I remember I was mighty glad when I found out the relationship for I was very fond of her. My father was such a "rolling stone" that I never knew where I myself was born till I became a young man, when I visited cousins in Erie County, N.Y., and they told me that I was born there. The rest of the family became scattered all over the country, and "their long lost brother" had a terrible time hunting them up and getting acquainted. So I wrote Mary Graul all I knew about the Langford family, which wasn't very much, especially about their early history. Sister Harriet knew all about all of them, but I never saw a family record.

Mary mentioned her sister Delia Wilcox but did not write whether she was still at Mount Vernon, Iowa, or not, from which I infer that she is. I have had no letter from her in over a year though I wrote to her last. The last letter she wrote she complained of bad health and that she was wearing herself out sewing for so many people, who were tiring her to death, and she seemed rather discouraged. I wrote her an encouraging letter, telling her to put her trust in God and to be more cheerful. But she never answered the letter.

Well, our holiday weather has been more like spring than like winter. We have had no snow to speak of since November, when we had a severe blizzard and bad weather for a week or so., but December has been mostly a pleasant month, the sun shining almost every day. It tried to snow yesterday a little but quit the job in a few hours. I expect we will get plenty of winter weather yet, because the stormy times come late in the season here.

I got no holiday gifts from either of my sons, and hardly expected any, as Charley (so Veva wrote) has been out of work a good while though was at work again a couple of weeks ago. I hear that Harry and his wife are both in poor health. I sent Veva some magazines, their little girl a doll, and Charley some cigars and tobacco.

You must be rather lonesome trying to run the farm yourself, but I suppose there isn't much to do in winter. I hope and pray that you may continue to be healthy, prosperous and happy. I want to hear from you often. My health is about the same. Will be 70 years old Feb. 20. God bless you and keep you.
Your affectionate brother,
Oscar

And, the second letter was written fifteen years later indicating that they had a regular correspondence for a long period of time.

Union Printers Home
Colorado Springs, Colo.
June 20, 1922

Dear Sister Julia, Hillsdale Michigan,
Last month I had some "Kodak" pictures of myself taken, the face being a little too much shaded, but I will now mail you one of them in this letter that you may see how I "show up" in the poor "Kodak" form, taken the date I was three months past eighty-five years of age. Today I am four months past eighty-five, being born February 20, 1837. Please make the best of it.

Since you became disabled, I seldom hear from you. My daughter-in-law, Veva, in St. Louis, Missouri, cannot write from a similar affliction, but her daughter Vivian, and some other relatives write me occasionally. I often think of you, and will not forget your past kindness. Weather, sun shining, warm all this month.

Owing to my handwriting not being first class on account of my poor eyesight, Jason E. Haynes, a roommate union printer kindly writes this for me. He has his arm off since thirty years of age and had his left hip socket injured, causing short left leg, when forty-nine years old by two separate train accidents, yet full of life and intellect. He was born October 22, 1854. Now eight months past sixty-seven-an American and a Missourian, long time a printer and an editor.

Hoping this will find you in good health, I remain,
Your affectionate brother,
Oscar Langford
(resident Union Printers Home)

Oscar's Memorial to Judge William Langford

Also included in the package sent from Susan Chambers was a booklet which was compiled by Oscar as a  memorial to his brother, Judge William G. Langford. Oscar wrote an article about the trials of growing up in this branch of the tree with their mother dying in 1840, and Oscar also compiled newspaper articles about his brother published in various newspapers.

In Memoriam
****************

Hon.

William G. Langford

with sketches

of

his life

Born August 8, 1835

Died May 13, 1893

Compiled By His Brother, Oscar Langford, Dayton, Ohio

HON. W. G. LANGFORD

Brief Sketch of His Early Life

His life was gentle; and the elements

So mixed in him, that nature might stand up

And say to all the world, "This was a man!"

Shakespeare

Hon. William G. Langford was born in Ohio, August 8, 1835, and died at Spokane, Washington, May 13, 1893.

He was one of eleven children-six sisters and five brothers-whose parents were Charles and Fannie Langford. His mother died in Fredonia, Chautauqua County, N. Y., when he was about seven years old, he having two brothers still younger than himself, and his father died some years afterward. Thus he and his several other little brothers and sisters were left orphans at a very tender age, the youngest (the writer of this article) being only about three years old at the time that this large family were  thrown broadcast and destitute upon the uncertain mercies of the world. However, through the humanity and benevolence of a few friendly citizens of Fredonia, the larger proportion of the younger children found homes in different families, young William among the number. As years passed by the numerous family members became widely scattered and separated, several of the elder and grown members finding homes in the (then) thinly-settled Territories of Iowa and Wisconsin.

But little can be learned of the boyhood of William G. Langford. Whatever were the early home care and influences which surrounded him, from the time he became an orphan child up to his young manhood, cannot be ascertained. From subsequent intimations to the writer, however, he traversed a rather thorny path. No one ever filled the place of his lamented mother; no father, by precept or example, ever encouraged him in an upward career. He simply grew to noble manhood through his own innate moral principles, in spite of adverse influences and circumstances.

William G. Langford and the writer met for the first time in the latter's recollection (we being too young to both of us recall the event of our early separation) when he was about 16 years old and I was bordering the age of 13, and then our association together did not extend over a year, or thereabouts. This was, I think, during the years 1850-1851 in Chautauqua County, New York, the home of my boyhood. He soon afterwards went to Iowa, where some near relatives resided, and during the California gold excitement of that period, joined an emigrant train for the gold regions, a portion of these immigrants afterwards changing their destination to Oregon and Washington Territories, himself included. After arriving at his destination he went into the mines, was more or less successful, accumulated a considerable competency, left the mines and engaged in business which turned out disastrously through the dishonesty and misfortunes of others.

His education up to this point had been limited to that obtained at the district school, which he had been compelled to leave to labor for a livelihood when a mere boy. His employment had been heretofore, and for many years afterward, been mostly confined to hard manual labor. He had shown no extraordinary aptness or talent capable of lifting himself above these circumstances. Yet his future career evinced dormant capabilities which he himself had doubtless been totally ignorant that he possessed. After several years of alternate hardship and success, he made a sudden resolution to obtain a higher education. With him, to resolve was to act. He was then at Portland, Oregon, and something over twenty years of age. There were no night schools in Portland at that time to educate young men employed during the day, and he had no means for attaining the desired end except through his own indomitable will and personal application. He finally secured the necessary books for preliminary studies, and for several years applied the "midnight oil" (or tallow candle), and adding to his library as his means and necessities required. Thus, mostly unaided by teachers, he eventually qualified himself and passed examination for school teacher. Still, after entering upon this vocation, he devoted his leisure time to general study, and at the end of his school term he entered upon his law studies. He applied himself to these studies with the same diligence and earnestness which characterized his preparation for school teaching, and his labors were greatly encouraged by the help of the attorneys with whom he was associated. They had no very difficult task in doing this; for William was quick of comprehension, and possessed a retentive memory. When finally admitted to the bar he soon established a reputation which gained for him an increasing practice, until in a few years he became noted as a leading civil and criminal attorney.

William's whole earthly career was guided by strict morality. He had a very sympathetic, charitable and humane temperament, and desired to alleviate human suffering to the extent of his ability. I have often known him to practice much self-denial and inconvenience in responding to the call of needy relatives and friends. His ideas of justice were always tempered by mercy. He was kind and courteous to everybody, and his youthful associates were deeply attached to him. When yet a young lawyer he displayed fluent oratorical abilities as a pleader at the bar, debater and lecturer. When the Indian War broke out, he did heroic service in defense of the white settlers against the depredations of treacherous and murderous savages. He was neither a moral or physical coward. His life, from youth to age, was replete with generous acts, love of country, and an ambition to be of service to his fellow men. He certainly leaves an impressive example of what the most humble or indigent youth can accomplish by study, determination, and a laudable ambition.

Farewell, noble brother, thy life work is done,

But in memory thy labors shine bright as the sun;

Though thy generous heart throbs will pulsate no more,

We remember thy presence as a joy to adore.

Earth's physical pain is no longer thy guest.

Peace to thy rest, brother--peace to thy rest.

                                                Oscar Langford

Also included in the memorial booklet were articles in the Spokane Review and Spokane Chronicle that appeared near the time of his death. I will include these in a future post.

A Package of Information from Alabama

Genealogy is a great hobby. The same week that I was sending off a package to a newly discovered Cuban cousin in Virginia in my Fleming family tree, I received a package from Nancy's newly found Langford cousin in Alabama.
Rafael Alberto Madan is descended from Squire John Fleming of Bald Eagle Township, Pennsylvania, same as me. He traces his line to Squire John's son Ezekiel and I to Squire John's son David. I can only hope he found the package I sent as interesting as the Susan Chambers package about the Langfords I received was. Susan descends from Fidelia Emily Langford Pierce, a sister of Oscar Langford, and much of what we have learned about the family has come to light or been verified by Susan Chambers and her information.
Susan had a few copies of original works from Oscar. Most notably a booklet that Oscar put together as a memorial tribute to his brother William G. Langford who had a distinguished legal career in Washington state. There was also his Christmas greeting in 1904 sent to William's widow, Julia Gilbert Langford. There were also new pictures and one letter that hopes to shed light on the death and burial of Oscar's father, Charles Langford.

First, here is Oscar Langford's Christmas letter from 1904, complete with his picture.

My Christmas Greeting

to Mrs. Julia Gilbert Langford

I herewith send to you my Christmas Greeting

From Colorado plains, far, far away,

Where vast prairie and azure sky seem meeting

Far in the east, while western mountains gray

Point heavenward Upon high-ridged land,

O'erlooking groves now strewn with fallen leaves,

I write these lines, near snow-capped Rockies grand,

Yet far from friends, for which my spirit grieves.

But Christmastide means cheerfulness, not sighs;

Good wishes reign in every grateful heart.

Today I would send a prayer above the skies

That you may merry be, and never part

From Faith and Peace; that heavenly blessings flow

To you, my faithful friend, forevermore;

May healthful breezes o'er life's pathway blow!

This is my Christmas wish of Nineteen Four.

From your grateful brother,

Oscar Langford

New Information from a variety of sources

The full scope of the size and impact of the Langford family is starting to sink in. 
In the last two weeks, Nancy and I have visited the Clinton Iowa Public Library, the Fulton, Illinois Historical Society, the Schmaling Library in Fulton, the historian for Fulton, Illinois, and Brinkman Hardware Company which sits on the land where the Langford and Hall Lumber Company once was located. We also stopped by for an outside look at the Langford home in Fulton. In addition to these travels, I went back for another visit to the Clinton Iowa Public Administration building to review County Recorder land records and vital records. The Fulton historian also recently sent us some newspaper articles from the Fulton Weekly Journal which contained the Langford name. And, lastly, I have been in touch and sharing information with another Langford descendant. One of Oscar's sisters, Fidelia Emily Langford, has a descendant with the same family tree information posted an ancestry.com. I attempted to make contact back in April but she had taken a hiatus from ancestry and found my message at the end of the year.
All of these events have added a lot to our understanding of the family. Where to start? Lets get the pictures out of the way first.

The Charles E. Langford Home

Fulton, Illinois

The house is "Steamboat Gothic" and if you can imagine a steamwheel riverboat on the Mississippi River coming right at you, it would look fairly similar to this with its double deck and rounded wood frame.  Charles was married to Hannah Shadduck in Iowa and they had a large family together. At least one of the Langford daughters, Fannie Elizabeth, was married here.I hope to discover what happened to Hannah but as of this time all we know is that Charles had a second wife by the late 1870s living here with him, Maria A. Sherman, 24 years his junior. Charles and Maria had one daughter, Mabel Celia Langford. The three of them moved to Pasadena California around 1887, where Charles began to make land dealings and started an orange growing operation.

We visited with Barbara Mask, who runs the Fulton Historical Society. Barbara welcomed us into her Civil War era home, and, decorated for Christmas, it was lovely. Her beautiful flocked Christmas tree was about 12 feet tall and as big around as it was tall. Barbara had done a segment on the Langford and Hall Lumber Company for one of their meetings and had a lot of information about the business which she went over with us. Barbara is going to make a package of information for us after the holidays and we look forward to returning to Fulton.

While we were in Fulton we also stopped by the local historian's business. Ed and Nancy Kolk and their daughter run a small business in the downtown. Nancy is a volunteer for the Schmaling Public Library who was not in when we stopped by, but has sent us a number of articles from the Fulton paper. Most involve Charles Langford and his business interests.

And here is a picture of the lumber baron from Fulton, Illinois, Charles E. Langford:

Many of the land transactions that I found in Clinton County involved Charles. I reviewed thirty large ledgers of land transactions for the period 1844 to 1880. I started to record them all but gave up. There were between 60 and 100 different transactions. There were deeds bought and sold, mortgages bought, sold and satisfied, equipment bought and sold involving a large number of people. There were a few other deeds involving Langfords other than Charles. Orange Mansfield Langford bought and sold some land right after the Civil War. Jane Langford also sold some land. I have to research what the settlement procedures were when new folks moved into an area. It was not a land rush but very likely there was some way to award land just for agreeing to live there. Names which repeatedly come up with Charles are George Griswold, David Tripp, David Shadduck, Joseph Herwick, as well as Edwin O. Langford. I believe Joseph Herwick was a son-in-law of Charles.

Discovering a new cousin for all the Langfords was a special treat. Susan Chambers is descended from a sister of Oscar Langford, Fidelia Emily Langford Pierce, pictured here.

I had run across Oscar Langford in the tree that Susan maintains on ancestry.com and we got in touch. Fidelia was to us an unknown, and we were not 100% sure that we had the right names for all of Oscar's brothers and sisters. With Susan's help we believe that we have them all. In Oscar's letters to the Fredonia Censor he mentions there being six sisters and four brothers. He does not make it clear whether he was including himself or not. After some study, I believe he was not including himself and that there were eleven children. Here then are the most likely children of Charles Langford and Fanny Mansfield:

Charles Elliott Langford
Oscar W. Langford
William George Langford
James Mansfield Langford
Orange Mansfield Langford

Jane Rennets Langford, married name Allen

Mary Jane Langford, married name Allen

Fidelia Emily Langford, married name Pierce

Harriet E. Langford,  married name McGinnis

Jeanette Maria Langford, married name Wise

Ellen or Eliza Langford, married name thought to be Collins

Pasadena California was calling to him and Charles went west again. He bought land that is now in the heart of downtown Pasadena. It is unlikely that his home out there still exists. It was on the SW corner of Euclid and California streets. From Google Earth there appears to be a large office or apartment building on that site now. After he died, Maria and Mabel can be found living at 476 S Marengo in Pasadena. Sons Edwin O. Langford, Charles E. Jr.and Thomas Langford can also be found in Pasadena. Charles only lived there six years before he died but can be found donating money for the construction of the first public library in Pasadena.

Future trips for more research include a return to Fulton and a trip to Morrison, Illinois, the County seat of Whiteside County, Illinois for more records.

Okay, one more picture provided by Susan Chambers of the blog namesake himself, Oscar Langford, taken on the steps of the Union Printers Home in Colorado Springs in 1922: