Gaylord Thomas Lightfoot ^{1 2 3 4 5 6}

   Another name for Gaylord was "Gail" Lightfoot.⁶

  General Notes:

Gaylord started stating his age about 5 years older than he really was beginning around 1930 when he was over 50 years old. The 1930 and 1940 US Census data seems to indicate a birth year of about 1882 instead of the expected 1877. Even his World War II Draft Registration Card which he filled out in 1942 at age 65, stated that his birth year was 1882.

However, it can be proven that his actual birth year was 1877 based on the 1880 US Census in which he first appears at 3 years of age. If his birth year were actually 1882, then he would never have appeared in the 1880 US Census. In addition, the birth records from Richland County, Ohio support the 1877 birth year as does his first marriage record to Mae Clifford.

The only weak argument about his birth record is that it shows an un-named male Lightfoot. This gets further complicated by the fact that apparently his brother, Otto Ray, also overstated his age and his gravestone shows 1877 instead of the expected 1875.

And finally, he could not have been born in 1882, because on 23 Jun 1881 his mother was remarried to Jacob Wallace following the death of James Lightfoot sometime between 1877 and 1880.
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  Birth Notes:

Name: Lightfoot
Event Type: Christening
Event Place: Richland, Ohio, United States
Event Place (Original): Richland, Ohio, United States
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: American
Race: White
Birth Date: 13 Mar 1877
Birthplace: Mansfield
Father's Name: James Lightfoot
Mother's Name: Amanda Yoka
Reference ID: Vol 1 p505
Record Number: 15584583

Citing this Record
"Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6T1-VF4 : 19 January 2020), Amanda Yoka in entry for Lightfoot, .
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  Death Notes:

Name: Gaylord T Lightfoot
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 19 Jul 1951
Event Place: Freeport, Barry, Michigan, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 69
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 13 Mar 1882
Birthplace: Ohio
Father's Name: James Lightfoot
Mother's Name: Mary Yoha

Citing this Record
"Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF45-F9B : 12 December 2014), Gaylord T Lightfoot, 19 Jul 1951; citing Freeport, Barry, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,973,175.
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  Noted events in his life were:

• Birth Image: 13 March 1877, in Mansfield, OH.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Mifflin Township, Richland County, OH on 8 June 1880. ³

1880 US Census
Page 107D, District 209, Family 89, Roll 1061
Mifflin Township, Richland County, Ohio
Gaylord Lightfoot..Son..3..OH

(Living with widowed mother.)
.

• He has alternate birth date of 13 March 1882 and a birth location of Ohio.

^{2 4 5 8}

• His occupation in 1908 was a Bartender in Freeport, MI. ¹

• He resided in Freeport, MI in 1908.
¹

• He resided at National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers from 1927 to 1928 in Milwaukee, WI.
⁹

• He appeared on the 1930 US Census in Castleton Township, Barry, MI on April 1930. ⁴

1930 US Census
Sheet 5B, District 7, Family 143, Roll 974
Castleton Township, Barry County, Michigan
Leroy M. Barnum..Head..68..MI
Lucy Barnum..Wife..55..NY
Dale D. Barnum..Son..20..MI
Gaylord T. Lightfoot..Boarder..47..OH..Single

(Gaylord was separated from his wife and boarding with the Barnum family. He listed his marital status as "single".

NOTE - If his birth date was 13 Mar 1877, then his age should have been 53 instead of 47.
.

• He appeared on the 1940 US Census in Freeport, MI on April 1940. ²

1940 US Census
Sheet 3B, District 8-14, Family 75, Roll 1726
Freeport, Barry County, Michigan
Home owned, value $1300
Residence in 1935: Same Place
Gaylord T. Lightfoot..Head..58..Ohio..8th grade..Foreman, Lumber Company

(Living with 2nd wife and stepson.)

NOTE - If his birth date was 13 Mar 1877, then his age should have been 63 instead of 58.
.

• Gaylord Thomas Lightfoot registered for WW II Draft: 1942, Freeport, MI.

⁸ Name: Gaylord F Lightfoot
Birth Date: 13 Mar 1882

NOTE - On this card, Gaylord gave his middle initial as "F" instead of "T". In addition, he gave his birth year as 1882 instead of 1877. He was 65 years old at the time.
.

• He was buried after 19 July 1951 in the Freeport Cemetery in Freeport, MI.

The birth year given on the gravestone is 1882 which is incorrect because Gaylord's name appeared in the 1880 census at age 3. His correct birth year should be 1877.

Find A Grave Memorial #20340933
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. ⁶

Gaylord married Mae Crawford, daughter of John Crawford and Janette Cain, on 27 August 1908 in Hastings, MI.¹ (Mae Crawford was born in 1875 in Michigan ^{1 10} and died after 1 April 1930.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: 27 August 1908, in Hastings, MI. ¹

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Gaylord T. Lightfoot
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 27 Aug 1908
Event Place: Hastings, Barry, Michigan
Gender: Male
Age: 31y
Birth Date: 1877
Birthplace: Ohio
Marriage Date: 27 Aug 1908
Marriage Place: Hastings, Barry, Michigan
Father's Name: James Lightfoot
Mother's Name: Mary A. Yoha
Spouse's Name: Mae Crawford Backus
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 33y
Spouse's Birth Date: 1875
Spouse's Birthplace: Michigan
Spouse's Father's Name: John Crawford
Spouse's Mother's Name: Nettie Cain
Source Reference: v 1 p 79 rn 123

Citing this Record
"Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3V4-B3T : 9 November 2020), Gaylord T. Lightfoot and Mae Crawford Backus, 27 Aug 1908; citing Marriage, Hastings, Barry, Michigan, , Citing Secretary of State, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 4209120.
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Mae Crawford was listed in the marriage register under both her maiden name of Crawford and her previously married name of Backus. Her marriage to Gaylord Lightfoot was her second marriage.
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Neither Gaylord or Mae are found in the 1910 or the 1920 US Census records. In the 1930 US Census both show up in separate households claiming that they were either single or widowed. Gaylord was a boarder with the Barnum household in Castleton, Michigan while Mae appears in the Dryer household in Castleton with her mother and her married daughter, Lenah.
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Gaylord and Mae must have broken up before 1927 because at that time, Gaylord moved into the Disabled Soldier's Home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he moved in and out at least twice. By 1930, he was boarding with another family back in Barry County, Michigan. Either Mae died or they were divorced by 1940 because Gaylord is found in the 1940 census married to Pearl May McGregor.
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Gaylord next married Pearl May McGregor, daughter of William Henry McGregor and Katherine May Saddler, after 1930.² (Pearl May McGregor was born on 24 July 1903 in Allegan County, MI,^{2 11} died on 9 May 1982 in Hastings, MI ¹¹ and was buried after 9 May 1982 in Freeport, MI ¹¹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Freeport, MI on April 1940. ¹²

Sheet 3B, Family 75, District 8-14, Roll 1726
Freeport, Barry County, Michigan
home owned, value $1300
Residence in 1935: Same Place
Gaylord T. Lightfoot...Head..58..OH..8th grade..Foreman, Lumber Company
Pearl M. Lightfoot...Wife..36..MI..12th grade..Postmaster
Carl G. Helming...SSon..13..MI..7th grade
Lillian Bleame...Lodgr..18..MI..12th grade..Clerk, Post Office
.

  Marriage Notes:

Gaylord T. Lightfoot married Pearl May McGregor sometime between 1930 and 1940. She was previously married to Gilbert George Helmling. Gaylord and Pearl had no children together, but Gaylord helped raise Pearl's 2nd son, Gilbert Carl Helmling, the son of Gilbert George Helmling and Pearl May McGregor. His name was changed to Daniel Carl Lightfoot when Gaylord adopted him.
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