# Women of distinction/Chapter 39

CHAPTER XXXIX.
MRS. SUSIE ISABELLA LANKFORD SHORTER.
This very modest lady is the daughter and oldest child of Clarissa and Whitten S. Lankford, and was born at Terra Haute, Indiana, on the 4th day of January, 1859.
When she was fourteen years old, attending Wilberforce University, her mother died, leaving the care of
MRS. SUSIE ISABELLA LANKFORD SHORTER.
a father and five children to Susie, as housekeeper. However, her father soon married, and she went as teacher to Rockville, Ind., where she labored with encouraging success for two years, and thence to Richmond, Ind., where she taught another year with satisfaction, as is evidenced by the fact that at this place she was married.
​Ringwood’s Afro-American Journal of Fashion gives the following very amusing account of Mrs. Shorter in March number, 1892:
Soon after the death of her mother the family moved to Baltimore, Md., where her father was pastor of Bethel A. M. E. Church. A little incident occurred which no doubt helped shape her future course. One evening near sunset a minister called to see her father; he had every look of a traveler—dusty, weary, hungry, almost forlorn. However, he was soon made presentable, and in the meantime Susie had spread a refreshing meal. He enjoyed it very much, he said when he had finished, and pronounced the biscuit excellent (he had managed to consume eleven, though they were not very large). The young housekeeper was delighted that her father's guest, a stranger to her, had been made so welcome.
The minister was a Professor of Theology, and resided with his family near Xenia, O. Chief among his friends there was a bachelor professor, to whom, as soon as they had welcomed each other, he related the little incident in Bethel Parsonage, and recommended at once the little girl who could make such good biscuit as a suitable companion for a wife. Soon after this the second marriage of her father took place, and what with a new wife and fashionable hired girl it was plainly seen that Susie was not needed; so she was allowed to return to Wilberforce, where, in spite of herself, she must come in contact daily with this bachelor professor, and he taught her all about the verb "love" and "to be" loved. They were married in 1878 by this same professor and minister who had enjoyed her hospitality so long ago. Dr. T. H. Jackson, assisted by Dr. B. F. Lee. It was many years afterward e'er Susie knew anything of this revelation, when the Doctor mentioned it in her presence, in general conversation with Professor Priolean and wife, at their residence. Early in life she was inclined to write. She wrote a poem on the death of her mother, at the age of fourteen years, which was highly complimented. For many years she wrote occasional papers for the Christian Recorder, and is at present the contributor to the "News Column " of the same. She is possessed of a missionary spirit, and aids willingly any enterprise that has for its object the bettering of humanity.
She is a real "doer," and not merely a hearer and talker. She is a very modest creature, and therefore much of the writing that has dropped from her pen has never reached public print.