My Genealogy Hound

John Perry Lankford, a resident of Section 25, Buffalo Township, Newton Co., Mo., took up a homestead claim of eighty acres, where he now resides, in 1866, and has resided here ever since. It was raw prairie land at that time, and he has since made all the improvements, converting it into a very desirable place. He purchased forty acres of land from the railroad company, and now has 120 acres, ninety-five of which are under cultivation. His attention is particularly given to grain raising, but he is also engaged in the rearing of live stock, principally horses and cattle. He was formerly interested somewhat, in the rearing of sheep, but has discontinued it. Mr. Lankford was married in Newton County, Mo., October, 1860, to Miss Nancy Thompson, a native of Newton County, and the daughter of Alexander Thompson, one of the old settlers of that county. To Mr. and Mrs. Lankford were born twelve children: Elizabeth (wife of George Reynolds), Alexander Franklin, Minerva (wife of Robert Moon), Thomas, Martha J., Sarah Ann, Clara P., William Leander, John Henry, James Norman, Nancy and Elmer. Mr. Lankford is a self-made man in every sense of the word, his capital, when starting, consisting of a poor team and a few dollars in money. He is a Republican in his political principles, and is a member of the Christian Church, being an elder in the same of the Hottel Springs congregation.