Lankford family tombstone in Hopeville Cemetery
There is a tombstone in Double Springs, Hopeville Cemetery, Calhoun County, Arkansas that has only the tag "Gone But Not Forgotten" and the names Jesse Lankford, Winnie Lankford, Sallie McDonald, Annie Sanders, Jemerson E. Sanders and G. B. Sanders.
To a photo in the Internet of the stone someone has added:
Jesse Lankford born 1798 North Carolina died 1865 Arkansas father of Joannie and husband of Winifred Saunders.
Winifred Saunders born 1793 NC died 1866 Calhoun County, Arkansas.
Sallie McDonald born 1864 and died after 1880 in Arkansas. Daughter of N. G. McDonald and JoAnnie Lankford.
Joannie Lankford Sanders born 1834 Tennessee and died 11 Aug 1875 married (1) Jemason E Sanders (2) N. G.McDonald (3) George Buck Sanders.
Jemason E Sanders b 1824 Mississippi d 1862
George Buck Sanders born 1818 Tennessee and died after 1880.
http://arkansasgravestones.org/view.php?id=11164http://arkansasgravestones.org/view.php?id=11164
This stone looks as if it had been put up much later than the time when these people lived there, but I have not been able to establish who put it up or when.
Jesse Lankford and Winifred Saunders married on 12 February 1823 in Maury County, Tennessee. They were in Calhoun County in 1860, but I can't find them in earler censuses.
1860 Census in Calhoune County, Arkansas (Post Office Thomas Store):
Jesse Lankford 58 m farmer born North Carolina
Winifred 48 f born North Carolina
George 20 m farmer born Mississippi
The census clearly gives Winifred’s age as 48, but to have married in 1823 she must have been quite a bit older in 1860.
That this is the right Lankford family is established by a letter written 19 February 1867 by Augustus Redman, a nephew of Winifred Saunders Lankford. He says “Aunt Winny Lankford lives near Hopewells (poorly legible, presumably Hopeville) Post Office, Calhoune Co., Ark. Dr. John H. Saunders & his brother Dr. Sam live near Holly Springs, Ark. All of Aunt Winny's children are dead but Ann Sanders, her husband also.” (John and Sam Saunders were Winnie’s half-brothers.)
I would be grateful if anyone could tell me about who put up this tombstone and when. Is there a nearby company that makes tombstones and has a long enough history to know about this?
Walter Turner