William was the son of Edward Jordan (1720-1791) and Elizabeth Washington (1720-1794). He is my fourth great-grandfather. My DNA results indicate that I’m a “strong” member of his Ancestry.com DNA circle.

William served as a corporal in the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons, Virginia Cavalry, in the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Wilson Creek Primitive Baptist Church in Triune, Tennessee.

Birth

William was born October 5, 1748, in Lunenberg, VA.

Marriage

In 1769, William married Sarah Sallie Wood, the daughter of Stephen Wood & Ann Johnson. She was born on August 1, 1753, in Halifax, Virginia. She died September 1843 in Triune, Williamson County, Tennessee.

Children

William and Sallie had 12 children.

1. Archer Jordan, born on August 29, 1770. He married Elizabeth Walker on September 18, 1795. He died on September 15, 1835, in Triune, Williamson, Tennessee. Elizabeth, the daughter of Thomas Walker, was born on January 13, 1774, and died on July 10, 1832. Both are buried in the Old Jordan Cemetery, Old Possum Trot Road, in Williamson County, Tennessee.
2. Benjamin Jordan, born 1772. He married Elizabeth Johnston. They were married on November 5, 1800, in Tennessee. He died at Double Bridges, Tennessee.
3. John Jordan, born on 22 Dec 1773. He married Sarah Ingram on January 27, 1800. He died 1804. Sarah was born on July 2, 1779, and died on October 14, 1845, and is buried in McCuistion Cemetery, Bedford County, Tennessee. The McCuistion family cemetery was on the T. T. Green farm which was owned in 1845 by her second husband, Benjamin McCuistion. There is some evidence that Sarah was the daughter of John and Susanna Ingram of Williamson County, TN, formerly from Lunenburg County, VA. They had two children. First, Nancy Jordan, born December 12, 1802, (or December 13, 1801) and died September 21, 1883, in Ray County, MO; married Thomas McCuistion on February 21, 1816, in NC. Second child was Susan Gates Jordan, born November 19, 1803; died January 19, 1822, in Bedford County, TN; married Lancelot Chunn III of Bedford County, TN, on October 17, 1820.
4. Mary Jordan, born on 30 Nov 1775. She married Thomas Walker on September 27, 1796. She died Bef. 1822. Nickname was Polly.
5. Burton Jordan, born on May 10, 1777. He died on 10 June 10, 1868. Benton, Berton, or Burton. Married Ellen Dean.
6. Annie Jordan, born on February 28, 1779. She died on June 23, 1843.
7. Thomas Jordan, born on December 9, 1780. He married Sophia Hyde in 1805 and later Nancy Peay. He died on May 27, 1855.
8. Stephen Jordan, born on February 11, 1783. He married first Elizabeth Anne Dean, second, Margaret H. Blanche, and third, Mary Carothers on September 8, 1846. He died on December 14, 1849.
9. George Jordan, born on June 12, 1785. He married Sally Puckett on December 12, 1815.
10. Johnson Jordan, born on February 12, 1786. He married Rachel Hill on December 28, 1808. He died on March 28, 1874.
11. Martha “Patsy” Jordan, born on April 8, 1790. She married Stephen Johnson on December 15, 1806.
12. William Jordan, born on April 3, 1792, in Virginia. He married first Medy Boyd on 06 Sep 1810 in Williamson, Tennessee, and second, Elizabeth Boyd. Residence 1820 in Gibson, Tennessee (Moved to Gibson County, TN, around 1820). He died Sep 1863 in Gibson, Tennessee. William continues my direct line of Jordans.

Military

Served as a corporal in the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons, Virginia Cavalry, Revolutionary War.

Residence

1780

William Jordan appears on a personal property tax list for Albemarle County, 1780.

Household Remarks:
10 Apr 1782, District No. 6: free males above 21: 1; slaves: 0; “No Nett[?] Cattle”: 0; “No Horses mares Colts & Mules”: 0; “No wheels for Riding Carriags”: 0; “No. Billiard Tables”: 0; “No Ordinary L

Source: Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782 [Virginia State Library]; Call Number: FHL Film 2024443; Page Number: 32; Family Number: 16; Ancestry.com.

1790

William Jordan appears on a personal property tax list for the town of St. Anne’s Parish, Albemarle County, 1790.

Household Remarks:
“Dates Receiving lists from Individls”: May 6; “No. of white males abo. 16”: 1; “No. of Negroes Abo. 16”: 0; “No. of Negroes Between 12 & 16”: 0; “No. of Horses”: 0; “Chariot Wheels”: 0; “Pheaton Whee

Source:
Personal Property Tax List, 1789, Book A [Virginia State Library]; Call Number: FHL Film 2024443; Page Number: 10; Family Number: 16 | Ancestry.com. U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011 | Original data: Census Publishing. State Census Records. West Jordan, Utah: Census Publishing, 2003-2009.

Mid 1790’s

After the war William left Lunenburg County, Virginia, for Tennessee. His family traveled through Kentucky in 1796 and arrived in Tennessee after 1797. All of his children made the trip with him. They first settled at Fort Nashborough and then went on to Triune, Williamson County.

“Notable early settlers of the Triune area include several whose homes still stand. William Jordan moved to the county in 1796 and his descendants constructed the Newton Jordan House on the site of his earlier log home.” Source: Historic Resources of Williamson County (Partial Inventory of Historic and Architectural Properties)

1805

William appears in the 1805 Williamson County, Tennessee, Early Tax Records as freeman with four slaves.

1820

William appeared in the 1820 United States Federal Census for Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee. The enumeration date was August 7, 1820. Household composition was as follows: Free White Persons – Males – 45 and over: 1 | Free White Persons – Females – 45 and over: 1 | Slaves – Males – Under 14: 4 | Slaves – Males – 14 thru 25: 2 | Slaves – Males – 26 thru 44: 1 | Slaves – Females – 14 thru 25: 1 | Slaves – Females – 26 thru 44: 1 | Number of Persons – Engaged in Agriculture: 4 | Free White Persons – Over 25: 2 | Total Free White Persons: 2 | Total Slaves: 9 | Total All Persons – White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 11

Death

William died July 22, 1822, in Williamson, TN.

Will

Following is the transcript of William Jordan’s will:

William Jordan last will and Testament – October session 1822.

In the name of God, Amen, I William Jordan, Sr., of Williamson County and State of Tennessee being sick and weak in body but of sound mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body think it prudent to make some disposition of my worldly estate, do constitute, ordain and appoint this instrument of writing to be my last Will and Testament in manner and form following, viz.,

Item. I will that after my just debts are paid that my beloved wife Sally Jordan be and remain in possession of the houses and land that we now live on during her natural life. I also lend to my beloved wife during her natural life three head of horses, viz., Dimont and her colt and a young sorrel horse name Cuff with all my house hold and kitchen furniture, plantation tools, plow geer and one yoke of steers and cart, twelve head of cattle of that kind that she may think proper to make choice of, also I lend my wife my stock of hogs and sheep and one side saddle and one cirb bridle during her natural life.

Item. My will is that at my death that the money I have on hand and that I have out at interest be collected together and be equally divided by my Executors between my beloved wife and my children so that my grand children that my son John Jordan and my daughter Polley Walker left when they deceased draw one equal share each to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever.

Item. My will is that at the death of my beloved wife that my Executors hereafter named be authorised to sell and convey in fee simple my land together with the lent property above named or so much as shall remain at the death of my beloved wife to the highest bidder and the money arising from the same to be equally divided between my children and grandchildren as I have above directed my money to be divided.

I do hereby constitute my beloved sons Thomas Jordan, Stephen Jordan and William Jordan, Jr., Executors to this my last Will and Testament and they to be exempt from giving bond and security as the law requires, are hereby vested with full power and authority to carry the true intent and meaning of this my Will into effect, should any dispute take place between my legatees, my said executors are hereby vested with full power and authority to settle or decide between them whose decision shall be final, hereby revoking all other wills by me made. As witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of July 1822.
In the presence of us, Archer Jordan, Johnson Jordan.
William Jordan – his mark – (seal)

The State of Tennessee, Williamson County Court October term 1822. The last Will and Testament of William Jordan, Sr., deceas’d is produced in open Court for probate and the execution thereof proven thus Archer Jordan and Johnson Jordan subscribing witnesses thereto being sworn say they became such in the presence and at the request of the testator, that they believe he was in his proper mind at the time he executed said will, and that he acknowledged the execution of the same in their presence, ordered said will be recorded, whereupon Wm. Jordan Jr., one of the executors therein mentioned came into open Court and was duly qualified as executor and received letters testamentary. Thomas Hardeman, Clerk

Here are the images of William Jordan’s will from FamilySearch.org:

Commentary on Will from A Treasury of Kith and Kin

WILLIAM JORDAN’S WILL

William Jordan’s will, dated July 20,1822, was presented for probate in the October, 1822 Williamson County Court. His sons, Archer and Johnson being the witnesses to the will, stated that they believed their father “was in his proper mind at the time he executed said will. The will provided for sons, Thomas, Stephen and William (Jr.) to be the executors, but only William was qualified as executor at this term of court.

William Jordan’s will provided as follows: “that my beloved wife, Sally Jordan be and remain in possession of the house(s) and land that we now live on during her natural life” the following:

3 head of horses; viz. Dismont and her colt & Cuff, all household & kitchen furniture; plantation tools and gears, one yoak of steers; twelve head of cattle of her choice, entire stock of hogs & sheep; one side sadle and bridle.

“My will is that at my death that the money I have in hand and that I have out at interest be collected together and be equally divided by my executors between my beloved wife and my children so that my grandchildren, that my son John Jordan and my daughter Polly Walker left when they deceased draw one equal share each to be equally divided between them and their heirs forever.”

The will further provided that at Sally Jordan’s death, everything be sold and the proceeds divided equally between his children and grandchildren as mentioned above.

Sally (Wood) Jordan’s death followed the next year in 1823. An inventory of William Jordan’s estate shows that the pioneer influence was still strong in 1822. Along with his personal property was listed a “stone jugg, walnut cubbord, earthn and pewter plates, gun and shot puch, horn tumblers, candle molds, gimlet, yoak of steers, drawknife, flax wheel and loom.”

It seems remarkable that ten of William Jordan’s twelve children were still living at his death – only John and Polly having died. William Jordan (Sr.) was 74 years old at his death. The records show the death dates of six of his children – their average age at death was 69 years. The Jordans were a reasonably hardy family for those times.

The Jordans were related through intermarriage with many of the leading pioneer families of Middle Tennessee. In this immediate section (Triune-Eagleville) were the Webbs, Scales, McCords, Pettus, Woods, Lesters, Ransoms, Bellafants, Hydes, Williams and numerous others. (From A Treasury of Kith and Kin by Wilma Vaughan Chunn, 1979)

Burial

Old Jordan Cemetery, Triune, Williamson County, Tennessee

Note posted on the “Old Jordan Cemetery” page at FindAGrave.com:

Cemetery notes and/or description:
Transcription for the Old Jordan Cemetery was recorded by Mr. Walter Jordan and son Lee Jordan, and is available in Burials, Volume I, published by the Williamson County Historical Society, 1973. Also available from that organization are two additional volumes, including corrections and addenda.

The cemetery is on private property southeast of Triune, TN. It dates from the 1832 burial of Elizabeth Walker Jordan, wife of Archer Jordan.

William Jordan, a Revolutionary War soldier, and wife Sally Wood moved with their family from Virginia to what is now Triune, Williamson County, TN, and settled on part of the land grant of Major John Nelson. After William’s death in 1822, son Archer Jordan bought the Jordan home place at the estate sale. William Jordan’s brick house burned in the 1830’s, and descendants Newton and Mary Jordan built a new one about 1840. The cemetery is located to the west of that house.

Inventory

Sources

• Wilma Vaughan Chunn, A Treasury of Kith and Kin, 1979, Shelbyville, TN
  
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