James Jordan of Elbert Co. & Hart Co., GA

Since you may be curious, here is are some of my personal notes on James Jordan, husband of Rosanna Terrell:

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James JORDAN "of Pickens Creek"

==========Basic Info==========

Birth: bef 1775 in Georgia (See Note 1 below.)

Marriage: Rosanne TERRELL. Bef 1801 in Elbert Co, Georgia (age 26). (See Note 2 below.)

Death: aft 1850 (age 75) (Last year in census.)

Possible Children:
John JORDAN of Shoal Creek & Hartwell (abt 1806-)
William Augustus JORDAN (bet 1812 and 1814-1849)
James "Jim" JORDAN of Hartwell (CSA) (abt 1814-bet 1860 and 1870)
Margaret "Peggy" JORDAN of Hartwell (bet 1814 and 1823-)
Vicey JORDAN (abt 1820-)
Fountain JORDAN of Hartwell (abt 1824-aft 1860)
(See Note 3 below.)

Possible parents: River & Jane Jordan, Absalom & Mary Jordan. (See Note 4 below.)

Resided: Lived on Pickens Creek near Savannah River as early as 1801 on land originally granted his father-in-law, Jeremiah Terrell. He seems to have stayed in the same area until after 1830, then moved to the Shoal Creek community in Franklin (later Hart) County by 1838. He was last found in that area in 1850. He may have died soon after.


==========Census References==========

Note: The ages given for James & his family in the census over the years can be very different. See Note 5 for a longer explaination of the census listings.

1820 (age 45)
Was head of his household in Elbert Co, Ga

Line No:2/34, (printed)Page No: 179

White males:
2 males under 10 (James Jr, William)
1 male 10-16 (John)
1 male 45 & over (James Sr)

White females:
1 female under 10 (Margaret?)
1 female 45 & over (Rosana)

2 persons in agriculture. No free colored persons.

Slaves:
1 female under 14
1 female 14-26

Neighbors: DANIELS, TAYLOR, RILEY, SADLER, ? PATTERSON, HARPER, GAINES, HALEY, COUCH

Near Samuel Patterson, Rich. Harper, near John Hailey & other Haileys, John Taylor


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1830 (age 55)
Was head of his household in Elbert Co

p 125, James Jordan

White males:
1 age 10-15 (James Jr?)
2 age 20-20 (John, William)
1 age 40-50 (James Sr)

White females:
1 age 5-10
1 age 10-15
2 age 20-30 (Vicy?, Margaret?)
1 age 40-50 (wife Rosana)
1 age 70-80 (Louisa Terrell?)

slaves:
1 female under 10
1 female 24-36


Note: Because the James Jordan who married Obedience White had died, and because his neighbors were people living in the Pickens Creek area, it is evident that this was the James who married Roseanne Terrell. Also, the slave woman and her daughter appear to be the same as in the 1820 census for that James.

Note: The two females aged 20-30 do not seem to have part of the family in 1820. Possibly they are sisters, or other relations who no longer had a home. (Daughters of John Jordan?) Or possibly those daughters were living in another household in 1820. Otherwise, everything seems to fit.

Note: If the younger Fountain were his son, there should be a boy under 10 in the home, which there is not.

Neighbors:
Abner Strickland (or Stinchcomb?), Russell Teasley, John Gully (3 doors down)

Note: Russell Teasley, age 50, was next door to Fountain Jordan in 1860 census of Hart.

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1840 (age 65)
Was head of his household in Franklin Co

Schedule of the whole number of persons within the division
allotted to Thomas King by the Marshall of the 214th District (or Territory) of Georgia

Page 298

1 male age 60-69 (James Sr.)
1 male age 20-29 (Fountain?)

1 female age 60-69 (wife)
2 female age 20-29 (Vicey, Margaret)
1 female over age 100

No slaves

2 in agriculture

Note: All of the individuals here seem to match the 1830 census listing, but their ages are all off by as much as 10 years. There was not James Jordan to be found in Elbert Co in 1840; so this is likely the correct person.

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1850 (age 75)
Possibly was head of his household in Franklin Co

1251-1251
Jordan, James Sr, 60, M, farmer, $300 (real estate), Ga
", Rosay, 65, F, Ga
", Vicey, 30, F, Ga
", Margaret, 27, F, Ga
Hagan, James, 8, M, Ga

Note: Next door in home 1250-1250 was Fountain Jordan.

Note: Ages of James & Rosanne are far far off. Could this be a different couple?

==========Deeds & Tax Listings==========

28 Jan 1797 (age 22)
Possibly witnessed a deed along

Farmer, p 8

Elbert Co Deed Book K

p.3428 Jan. 1797, William Cook & Peggy, his wife, to Archer Skinner, all of Elbert Co., for L4, 5 shillings, Lot No. 10 at the Court House, part of 50 acres sold to us by Commissioners of the town of Elberton, 5 June 1792, part of 950 acres granted Baker, 9 Apr. 1792, in fee simple. (signed) William Cook, Margarota Cook. Wit: Rn. Lindsay, James Jordan, Joel mabry. Regd. 19 Jul 1806.

Note: It is not at all clear that this is the same James Jordan. However, if it was, it is obvious that he was well into adulthood, and therefore born before 1776 (assuming he was 21 at the time he was witness). This James was the oldest of the three in Elbert and seems to be the most likely to have been old enough to witness in 1797.

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1801 (age 26)
Paid tax on 100 acres on Pickens Creek

Alexander's District

100 acres from Terrell on Pickens Creek, adj. David Franklin

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1807 (age 32)
Possibly drew land in the lottery in Elbert Co.

ELBERT, JORDAN, JAMES, ROEBUCK'S18524W
ELBERT, JORDAN, JOHN,ROEBUCK'S28W

Won land in Wilkinson County, Ga

Note: May have been one of the two other James Jordans.

Note: In same district was John Jordan, the man who m Rachel. He also won land in Wilkinson Co.

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26 May 1809 (age 34)
Named as owner of adjacent land on Pickens Creek

Farmer, p 227

Elbert Co Deed Book P

p. 3426 may 1809, George Roebuck & Elizabeth, his wife, to John Hulme, all of Elbert Co., for $380, on a branch of Pickings Creek, in Wilkes Co. when surveyed, now in Elbert Co., being part of tract granted to Edward Walthall & deeded from him to Enoch Gulley to sd. Roebuck, 169 acres, adj. James Jordan, line now in dispute between sd. Robuck & William Haley, Tavener Head, William Pruet, & others, in fee simple. (signed) George Roebuck, Elizabeth Roebuck,Wit: John Daniel, Tavenah Head, Adam Gaar, J.P.Rec. 17 Feb. 1814.

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6 Feb 1810 (age 35)
Named as owner of adj. land on Pickens Creek

Farmer, p. 107

Elbert Co Deed Book M. Pages 111, 112.

p. 1116 Feb. 1810, Jeremiah Terrell of Elbert Co., Ga., to David Franklin of Morgan Co., Ga., for $10, in Elbert Co. on Pickens Creek, 5 acres, adj. James Jordan, on & up creek, all other sides by sd. Franklin, in fee simple. (signed) Jeremiah Terrell. Wit: John Franklin, William Prewit, John Carrell, J.P. Rec. 7 Feb. 1810.

and...

p. 112 6 Feb 1810, David Franklin of Morgan Co., Ga., to William Haley of Elbert Co., Ga., for $200, in Elbert Co. on Pickens Creek, 104 acres, adj. Hulin, James Jordan, on & up creek, Jeremiah Terrell, J. Davis, sd. Haley, in fee simple. (sighned) David Franklin. Test: John Franklin, William Prewit, John Carrell, J.P. Rec. 7 Feb. 1810.

Note: The 1820 census listing for the "other" James mentions a neighbor Haley, and the second deed here is to a Haley.

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1812 (age 37)
Received 55 acres on Pickens Creek from J. Terrell

Deed book AA, page 263

Information from microfilmed index only. Deed not yet transcribed.

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1816 (age 41)
Paid tax on 67 acres on Pickens Creek

1816 Elbert Co Tax Digest, Underwood Dist.

James Jordan, 1 negro, 67 ac on Pickens Creek
originally granted to (or purchased from) J. Terrell

Note: Next entry is for Jeremiah Terrell
(250 ac on Pickens, orig granted to himself, adj. Wm. Haley)

Fountain Jordan also found in district, no John Jordan

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1816 (age 41)
Paid tax on one unnamed slave

(See tax digest info above)

Note: This was probably the woman who appeared with him in the 1820 census with a young daughter. See Note 6 for a longer discussion of James's slaves.

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1820 (age 45)
Bought 13 acres on Pickens Creek

Elbert Co Deed Book AA, p 264


Information from microfilmed index only. Deed not yet transcribed.

Note: Bought from Wm. Pruett who was listed as a neighbor of James Jordan & J. Terrell in 1810 deed

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1820 (age 45)
Bought 50 acres on Savannah River

Elbert Co Deed Book AA, p 264

Information from microfilmed index only. Deed not yet transcribed.

Bought from John. W. Terrell, son of William & grandson of Jeremiah Terrell

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5 Oct 1829 (age 54)
Named as owner of adjacent property

Elbert Co Deed Book V

p.119Elbert Co.:5 Oct 1829, James Hinton to Georgre W. Heard, a negro girtl named Ann & tract on Savannah River, adj. John Ballis, Peter Alexander, James Jordan, & Alfred Hammond, 263 acres where sd. Hinton lives...

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1838 (age 63)
Represented by son James in tax digest

p 267

Franklin Co, Ga tax digest, 1838

James Jordan, Jr. and for James Jordan, Sr. and for John Jordan and for Lewis Carter.

Note: The phrase "and for" meant he paid for himself "and for" the next named person.

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30 May 1843 (age 68)
Gave land on Shoal Creek to grandsons

From Franklin Co deed...

Gave land to his grandsons James A. Jordan, son of John Jordan, and to William Jordan, son of James Jordan. Signed 30 May 1843. Recorded in 1845. Land was on Shoal Fork of Lightwood Log Creek.

Note: I do not have a complete transcriptions of this deed.


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-----------------NOTES-------------------
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NOTE 1:

His birth year is based on his 1820 census information. Also, his children's ages are based on the same source.

He was over 45 in 1820 (born bef 1775), but 40-50 in 1830 (born 1780-1790). In 1840 he may have been 60-69 (born 1770-1780). Posibly he was 60 in 1850 (born 1790). Overall, the ages are not *too* far apart, making him born around 1780.

He was a property owner in 1801, which implies that he was of legal age. That would put his date of birth at 1780 or before. Also, he may have witnessed a deed in 1797, which should put his birthdate at before 1776.



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NOTE 2:

Jeremiah Terrell left land in his 1811 will to grandson John Jordan, eldest son of James Jordan. Clearly, one of Terrell's daughters had married a James Jordan (a fact which is made even more clear from the fact that a James lived on land originally granted to Terrell). The John Jordan who married Rachel was far too old to be Terrell's grandson; so he can be safely eliminated from consideration. The wives of the other two James Jordans were known (Obedience White & Tabitha Murrah); so they can be safely eliminated. That leaves only one James Jordan who could have married Terrell's daughter.

The question seems to be NOT which man married Terrell's daughter, but which daughter did he marry. In the 1811 will, there seems to be just one daughter (Polly) who was not yet married, and there were only two whose husbands are unclear (Louisa & Rosanne).

Which is it? Well, in the 1850 census of Franklin Co, there is a James Jordan with a woman in his home about the same age. Her name was "Rosay." Also, that James's grandson named a daughter Rose A Jordan. It seems most likely to me that the unknown wife was Roseanne Terrell.




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NOTE 3:

From his gift of land to his grandsons, two of James's sons are known: James A Jordan & John Jordan. John was also named in grandfather Jeremiah Terrell's will as the eldest son.

From later census info (specifically 1850), there seem to have been daughters Vicey & Margaret. And there also seems to have been a younger son Fountain living next door. His age suggests that he was one of the youngest children in the family (or possibly a grandson?).

The son William Augustus Jordan listed above is placed in this family for "research purposes." I have no *direct* evidence of his being James's son, however another researcher placed the following online query:

Jordan & Jones Families
Author: Jane Evans
Date: 10 Jun 2001 12:00 PM
In Reply to: Jordan genealogyby:Mary Ann Jordan

Looking for information about William Augustus Jordan and Martha
Drucilla Jones who lived in Franklin County- c1814 to around 1839,
1840, or 1841. Their son, William Terrell Jordan was born in Franklin
County in 1837. They moved to Alabama and then to Texas. Any
additional information would be geat. Thanks.

From other information about William A Jordan I've found online, he would seem to fit perfectly in among the older sons in the family. Also, it was believed by his descendants that he was from the Hartwell area, which is very near the Shoal Creek community where James & Roseanne lived. Finally, the name of his son, William Terrell Jordan, seems to point very clearly to a Terrell family connection, and his mother would have been a Terrell if he were James & Roseanne's son.

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NOTE 4:

James's parents are not clear, but only two couples were old enough: River & Jane Jordan and Absalom & Mary Jordan. It would seem to me that James was a brother of Fountain & John Jordan, and since both men named a daughter "Jane," River & Jane Jordan are good candidates as the parents. On the other hand, there is nothing eliminating Absalom & Mary Walton Jordan, and if he were their son, he would have married his first cousin, Rosanne Terrell. (Her mother was Louisa Walton Terrell).


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NOTE 5:

The four possible census listings for James seem to be consistent in the make up of the family group, but vary quite widely in the ages of the individuals.


In 1820, James was over 45 (born bef 1775), but in 1830 he was 40-50(born 1780-1790). In 1840 (in Franklin Co) he may have been 60-69 (born 1770-1780), which is consistent with the 1820 census, but off from 1830. Still, from the presence of the slave woman & her daughter, as well as the neighbors, the 1820 & 1830 listings are for the same person. And the presence of the older woman in the home in 1830 & 1840 make it clear that those two listings were for the same family. Thus, despite the inconsistencies, the 1820 & 1830 Elbert and 1840 Franklin listings are probably for the same James.

Problematically, in 1850 (in Franklin Co), James was described as 60 years old (born 1790), which is far off from any of the other listings, however, he had a James Haggins/Hagum/Hagan in his home. In 1840, the next door neighbor was a (probable) widow, Lucinda Haggins. Also, Fountain Jordan was living next door to James in 1850, and in 1840 there was a young man living in the home with James who was the right age to be Fountain. So it seems like there is *some* evidence that the 1840 James & 1850 James were the same man.

Just to muddy the waters a little though, there was a James Jordan in Madison Co whose census info matches the James in Franklin, but who is not present in Madison during the years when James was present in Franklin. This could mean that there were two James Jordans in Franklin and that one of them moved from Madison Co. This gets complicated however, and I prefer the simple explaination--at least until shown more evidence.

And just for your information...

All Jordans in Franklin in 1840

JORDANATLANTIC OFRANKLIN310
JORDENJAMES JRFRANKLIN299
JORDANJAMES SRFRANKLIN298
JORDANJOHNFRANKLIN298
JORDANRADFORDFRANKLIN301
JORDANVINCENT