Ancestor Sketch – John Willie Langford

Raidt Project
Raidt-Langford Line
By Don Taylor

When John Willie Langford was born on 3 January 1893 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, his father, John, was 32 and his mother, Della, was 24. He married Marie G Hawley on 20 July 1918, in Hennepin County, Minnesota. They had three children during their marriage. He died on 12 May 1978 in his hometown at the age of 85 and was buried there.

John William [sic] Langford has Family Search profile GX4G-FCJ. He appears in 12 Ancestry Public Trees and my Raidt Project.

Raidt Project – Ancestor #RP-06

List of Grandparents

• • Grandfather: 06 – John Willie Langford (1893-1978)
  • 1^st Great-grandfather: 12 – John Henry Langford (1860-1944)

Birth

John’s birthdate is different depending on where you look. Minnesota Births and Christenings, The Minnesota Death Index, and the Social Security Death Index all indicate his birthdate was 2 January 1893. However, both his WW1 and WW2 Draft Cards show his birthdate was 3 January. Because John presumably filled out his draft cards and signed them, I prefer the 3 January birthdate.

Some researchers indicate his middle name was William. However, all the documents I have found showing his middle name, including his WW1 Draft Card, indicate his middle name was Willie. As such, I use Willie as his middle name.

John was the middle (fourth) child of seven children born to John Henry and Della M (Jordan) Langford.

Eight months after his birth, the Great Minneapolis fire of 1893 erupted, burning more than 23 square blocks of the city. When the fire reached the sawmills and millions of feet of lumber at 7^th avenue, flames reached hundreds of feet into the air as stoked by gale-force winds.

Children of John Henry and Della M (Jordan) Langford (John’s Siblings)

Childhood

The Minnesota Census of 1895 found John’s family living at 3144 Blaisdale, Minneapolis.

Minneasota School for the Blind – Noyes Hall 2013 – (Via Wikimedia)

By 1900 the family had located to Waverly, Wright County, Minnesota. Waverly is a farming community about 40 miles west of Minneapolis. In 1904, John moved to Faribault, Minnesota, and attended the School for the Deaf. His family moved back to Minneapolis and lived at Findley Place (3100 block of Blaisdale). That provided the opportunity for John to take transportation from the school to Minneapolis on Friday afternoons and then return to the School on Sundays. He attended the school for 12 years. The School was harsh. Once John and four other boys were disciplined for leaving the school without permission by being sent into a pig pen. On another occasion, he was made to spend the night in a room with only a hard chair all night. These events resulted in the Director, Dr. J. N. Tate, being investigated.

Military Service

The physical description of John was medium build, grey eyes, and dark brown hair. John was deaf since the age of 2½, so he didn’t serve in the military.

Marriage

John married Marie G Hawley on 20 July 1918 in Hennepin County, Minnesota. They had three children:

Adulthood

The 1920 Census found John supporting his family as a typesetter. The young family lived at 2526 Emerson Ave. So.

Betty (née Langford) & Tom Costello – 1977

Elizabeth “Bette” Marie Langford was born on 2 October 1923, while the family lived at 1209 Monroe ave NE. I remember “Aunt Bette” and her husband, Tom, visiting us while I was stationed in Hawaii. Nice folks.

Their third child, Eleanor Della Langford, was born on 10 April 1925. The Langford Family was still living on Monroe St.

By the 1930 Census, John had purchased a home at 4119 Zane Ave North in Robbinsdale, Minnesota.

John W Langford (From Mpls. Star-Tribune, 12 Mar 1937)

John was involved with the Minnesota Association for the Blind. In 1932 he was elected a Directory for the Association for a three-year term. He would eventually become the 1^st Vice President of the Association in 1963.

The depression must have been difficult for John & Marie. By 1933, they were renting a home at 3224 Hennepin Ave. By 1934 they were living at 3500 1^st Ave. South. They again moved to 3419 2^nd Ave South by 1935. Luckily, they could live there for many years, into the 1950s. They moved to an apartment at 3151 Aldrich Ave South before 1960 and moved again in 1969.

Death/Burial.

John died on 12 May 1978 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery with his wife, who preceded him in death the year before.

Events by Location

John Willie Langford was born, married, lived, and died in Minnesota.

• • Minnesota, Hennepin, Minneapolis       Birth, 1895, (Home) 1905-1978, Death
  • Minnesota, Rice, Fairbault                      School – 1905-1915
  • Minnesota, Wright, Waverly                  1900
    

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Sources

• “United States Census, 1900,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9QC-NF6 : accessed 14 September 2022), John Langford, Montrose & Waverly villages, Wright, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 234, sheet 9B, family 172, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,798.
• “United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2GZ-LXP : accessed 14 September 2022), John H Langford, Minneapolis Ward 8, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 153, sheet 7A, family 151, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 704; FHL microfilm 1,374,717.
• 1910 Census (NARA), Family Search, John W Langford – Faribault, Rice, MN – Line 52. Ancestry – Year: 1910; Census Place: Faribault Ward 1, Rice, Minnesota; Roll: T624_721; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0112; FHL microfilm: 1374734.
• 1915-02-11, Page 2 – Committee Sifts School Charges -(John W Langford). Minneapolis Journal (Minneapolis, Minnesota) · Thu, Feb 11, 1915, · Page 2 – Committee Sifts School Charges., Minneapolis Journal, MN (https://Newspapers.com).
• 1915-02-20, Page 7 – Head of School for Deaf Defends Self (John W Langford). https://www.newspapers.com/image/810726033., Minneapolis Journal, MN (https://Newspapers.com).
• 1920 Census (NARA), Family Search, John W Langford. “United States Census, 1920”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWYL-HXV : 2 February 2021), John W Langford, 1920.
• 1923-10-02, Page 8 – Births [Elizabeth Marie Langford]., Minneapolis Star, MN (https://newspapers.com).
• 1930 Census (NARA), Family Search, 1930 – Henry [John W] Langford – Robbinsdale, MN
• 1932-07-31, Page 7 – Gordon Allen Heads State Deaf Society (John W Langford). https://www.newspapers.com/image/811640302., Minneapolis Journal, MN (https://Newspapers.com).
• 1933-04-07, Page 5 – Bicycles Stolen From Porch, Two Boys Heartbroken – John & Bernard Langford. https://www.newspapers.com/image/187343613., Minneapolis Star, MN (https://newspapers.com).
• 1940 Census (NARA), Family Search, John Langford. 1940 Census – Minneapolis, MN – ED 89-145, Sheet 6B Lines 52 through 56. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSK7-VS5.
• 1950 Census, Com, 1950 – John W Langford. United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: 3852; Sheet Number: 16; Enumeration District: 89-841. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/94300404:62308.
• 1951-05-28, Page 23 – Costello-Langford Vows Exchanged (Elizabeth Marie Langford). https://www.newspapers.com/image/187701093., Minneapolis Star, MN (https://newspapers.com).
• Find a Grave, Internet, John W. Langford (Memorial 95096835). Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95096835/john-w-langford: accessed 14 September 2022), memorial page for John W. Langford (2 Jan 1893–12 May 1978), Find a Grave Memorial ID 95096835, citing Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA; Maintained by Robert Sullivan (contributor 47188471). https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/95096835/john-w-langford.
• Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Internet, 1937-03-12 – Testifies by Signs – John W. Langford.
• Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Internet, 1951-03-25 – Bette Marie Langford (Engaged to Thomas Austin Costello). https://www.newspapers.com/image/183625269.
• Minnesota Births and Christenings, 1840-1980, Family Search, John Willie Langford – 2 Jan 1893 (No image)
• Minnesota Official Marriage System (https://moms.mn.gov/, ), MN.GOV, John W Langford – Marie Hawley – 02140289. https://moms.mn.gov/.
• Minnesota State Census, 1895, Family Search, J H Langford [John Henry Langford]. “Minnesota State Census, 1895,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ6T-RYC: 22 February 2021), J H Langford, Minneapolis city, Ward 08, Hennepin, Minnesota; citing p. 82, line 23, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 565,781.
• Minnesota State Census, 1905, Family Search, John [W] Langford – Fairbault. “Minnesota State Census, 1905,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SPQL-GSK: 18 February 2021), John Langford, Faribault, Ward Number: 01, Rice, Minnesota; citing p. 396, line 121, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 928,812.
• Minnesota State Census, 1905, Family Search, John H Langford – Minneapolis. “Minnesota State Census, 1905,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP3S-G6F: 18 February 2021), John H Langford, Minneapolis, Ward Number: 08, Hennepin, Minnesota; citing p. 429, line 138, State Library and Records Service, St.Paul; FHL microfilm 928,786.
• Minnesota, Death Index, 1908-2017 (St. Paul, Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Health), Com, John W Langford (1893-1978) (No image). https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/30390137?h=d332ea.
• S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.Com, Minneapolis, Minnesota – 1928 – Langford – Page 829.
• S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.Com, Minneapolis, Minnesota – 1934 – Langford – Page 726. Accessed 16 Sep 2022.
• S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.Com, Minneapolis, Minnesota – 1944 – Langford – Page 680. Accessed 16 Sep 2022.
• S., City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.Com, Minneapolis, Minnesota – 1960 – Langford – Page 829. Accessed 16 Sep 2022.
• S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, Ancestry.Com, John W. Langford – 27 Apr 1942. National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) For the State of Minnesota; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 600.
• United States Social Security Death Index, Family Search, John Langford (1893-1978) (No Image). “United States Social Security Death Index,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J1GG-Z23: 10 January 2021), John Langford, May 1978; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Family Search, John Willie Langford. “United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918”, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K87L-91D : 24 December 2021), John Willie Langford, 1917-1918.