The Lamkin Family


A recent find at a local antique store brought home a beautiful cabinet card produced by J. B. Lee & Co. of Anthony, KS.

​The front of the card captures a trio at the turn of the 20th century: a young woman in a white ensemble, a sharp dressed man with a classic handlebar mustache, and a second woman in a dark silk dress.

​Thanks to a faint, penciled inscription left on the back of the card, we don't have to wonder who they were. The script reads:

​"Linda & husband"

"Della to Lillar"

​By pairing these names with historical records from Harper County, KS, a  snapshot of the Lamkin family comes to life.

​The people in the portrait are Melinda "Linda" Lamkin (born 1878) and her new husband, Charles A. Warner. Local records show the couple married right there in Anthony on December 23, 1903.

​Given the timing and their attire, this portrait was almost certainly taken during their wedding week. Standing proudly alongside them is Linda's older sister, Della Lamkin (born 1874).

So, what became of the people in the frame after they walked out of the J. B. Lee studio?

  • ​Linda & Charles: Following their wedding, the newlyweds crossed the state line into Alfalfa County, OK. Charles ran a retail grocery store, and together they raised a family. Linda lived a full life, passing away in December 1947.
  • ​Della (The sister on the right): Della never married. She worked as a dressmaker and later as a retail merchant in a dry goods store. She remained a pillar of the Anthony, KS community her entire life, caring for her aging mother until her own passing in October 1941.
  • ​Lillar: The youngest sister, Lilla "Lillar" Lamkin (born 1881), isn't in the photo but she is the reason it survived. Della kept this copy of the wedding portrait for years before eventually passing it down to her little sister, writing "Della to Lillar" on the cardboard back. Lillar later married a grain elevator manager named Guye Broadstone and moved to OK. She passed away in October 1974. 
It's exciting to hold a photo like this and trace its journey through a family. This photo was a token of sisterly love. Della preserved the memory of Linda's big day, and by passing it to Lillar, ensured that the Lamkin girls would be remembered more than a century later.

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