I don’t have many older photos of bearded ancestors. I have photos of two of my great grandfathers with their beard and mustache. Both my great grandfathers were enslaved. They lived to see their freedom.
The photo on the left is of my Great Grandfather, Robert Louis Lankford / Lankfard (1852 – 1919). He was my mother’s grandfather. Robert was the father of 12.
The photo on the right is of my Great Grandfather, Private Isaac BLAKER also known as Isaac BLAKEY (1845 – 1917). He was my father’s grandfather. Isaac was the father of 20.
In the photo, Robert has a fuzzy half beard with sideburns and some hair under the center area under his lower lip. I have another photo of Robert with sideburns and a mustache. I noticed in all the photos of Robert, he was well dressed in a three piece suit.
I hope of Isaac is not as clear. It appears that he was dress in a coat. I have a younger photo of Isaac with his second wife, Rachel who was my Grandpa John, step mother. Isaac was clean shaven, wearing a suit and had a hat on.
Another unique thing about my great grandfathers, both had a left leg injury. Robert was due to a fall that caused his death in November of 1919. Isaac’s injury was due to a bayonet wound during his server in the Civil War in the Spring of 1864. I’m working on that blog: Isaac Blakey’s Civil War Wound
Thanks for reading.
Bearded
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley
Week 45: Bearded via Genealogy Cafe on facebook.
Did you know that some men celebrate “No Shave November” (or, as some call it, “Novembeard”)? This would be a great time to write about the bearded or mustachioed people on the family tree. Feel free to share your link, stories, and photos in the comments
