Langford, William S.

Submitted by Brian S. Lankford

Below is a document I wrote for William S. Langford's service in the Civil War. He was in Company I, 53rd Indiana Volunteers Infantry. Please note the spelling of the last name changes with the different generations from Lankford to Langford to myself being Lankford again.

William S. Langford was born in Spencer County, Indiana about 1826, the son of James and Jane Lankford. James Lankford is considered the first white man to live in a cave on the present-day site of Rockport, Indiana. William S. Langford mustered into Company I, 53rd Indiana Volunteers Infantry on October 30, 1861 as a Captain. His Compiled Military Service Record states that he was 35 years old, dark complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair.

On October 5, 1862, Captain Langford was wounded at the Battle of Hatchie River, Tennessee by the concussion of a shell. He made a full recovery.

On July 14, 1864, Captain Langford resigned from Company I, 53rd Indiana Volunteers Infantry and was honorably discharged. The reason for his resignation was that his wife, Susan Angelina (Bates) Langford died on January 10, 1864 and left five small children to care for.

Captain Langford left Boonville, Indiana and moved to the Shaker community of South Union, Kentucky on September 5, 1865. He took four of his five children with him. After the children were grown, he left South Union and moved to Grenada, Mississippi.

He died in Grenada, Mississippi on January 15, 1884 and his body was brought back to Boonville, Indiana on January 23, 1884 and was buried in the Old Boonville Cemetery next to his wife.