Person:Byron Jordan (1)

In a letter from Byron to E.B. Jordan dated 20 May 1912, from Orion, IL, he mentions packing Elmer's & Lester's grave and mowed that of Lippincots and Mother Blackfan and that he and "Ma" drove out to the Blackfans, so this is his 2nd wife Mary Breckenridge, née Pitney.

BIOGRAPHY: According to the Muster & Descriptive Roll [a copy is in Jeremy H. Jordan's posession] of Co. C, 102nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, listed as from Coal Valley Twp. [that portion later becoming Rural Twp. in 1871], Rock Island Co., Byron Jordan joined and enrolled on 5 Aug 1862 at Galesburg, IL, mustered in on 2 Sep 1862 at Knoxville, IL as Sergeant, age 20, 5"-10" tall, black hair, blue eyes, dark complexion, single, occupation - farmer. He was promoted to 1st Sergeant, then to 2nd Lieut. Byron is the g-Grandfather [GGF] of Jeremy Jordan. Promoted to Full 2nd Lieutenant on 8 Apr 1863. Mustered Out from Company C, 102nd Infantry Regiment Illinois on 6 Jun 1865 at Washington, DC.

Listed as Byron Jordan in 1850 Fed. Census for T15N, R1W, Mercer Co., IL, enumerated on 4 Oct 1850, age 8, b. IL. Listed as Byron Jordan in 1860 Fed. Census for Coal Valley Twp., Rock Island Co., IL, enumerated on 9 Aug 1860, age 18, b. IL, assisting on farm. Listed as Byron Jordan in 1870 Fed. Census for Western Twp, [P.O. is Orion], Henry Co., IL, ., enumerated on 12 Aug 1870, age 28, Farmer + wife & Rolland, the eldest son. Note: This census image also listed a 17 year old domestic servant + a 26 year old farm laborer in the same residence. Listed in the 1880 Fed. Census for Rural Twp, Rock Iskand Co., IL, enumerated on 10 Jun 1880, age 38, Farmer along with his wife Mary Anna Jordan & sons Rolland & Elmer. Listed as Byron Jordan in 1900 Fed. Census for Rural Twp., Rock Island Co., IL, Dist. 124, enumerated on 6 Jun 1900, age 57, b. Jun 1842, IL, Farmer, married 32 years, w/wife + son Erwin + 1 lodger, father b. ME, mother b. OH. Listed as Byron Jordan in 1910 Fed. Census for Orion, Henry Co., IL, Dist. 141, enumerated on 12 April 1910 age 68, Head of house, own income, widowed, w/son Erwin + housekeeper & border, living on Washington St.

The following information is taken from the indicated pages of "The Past and Present of Rock Island County, Illinois. 1877", with minor editing.

Page 253: 102nd I.V.I., Company C. Second Lieutenant Byron Jordan, as Sergeant, Aug. 5, 1862. Promoted First Sergeant, then Second Lieutenant, April 8, 1863. Mustered out June 6, 1865.

Page 419: Biographical Directory of Rock Island County: Rural Township: JORDAN BYRON, Farmer; Sec. 36; P. O. Orion; born in Mercer Co., June 11, 1842; came to this Co. in 1856; Republican; Methodist; owns 229 acres of land, valued at $14,800; son of Capt. J. A. and Rachel (Metzler) Jordan; in Co. C. Ill. 102nd vol. Inf., under Capt. Frank Shedd; at Galatin, TN, was appointed Second Lieut; was at the battles of Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek and Atlanta, thence to the sea with Gen. Sherman; mustered into service Sept. 2, 1862, at Knoxville, and honorably discharged at Chicage, June 14, 1865; name of wife was Mary Ann Blackfan, daughter of William and Elizabeth K. Blackfan, of Orion, Henry Co.; William Blackfan was son of Samuel, the son of Edward, the son of Crispin, the son of William, who with his mother, Rebecca, emigrated to Pennsylvania about the year 1718, settling on lands granted her by the sons of William Penn; she was wife of Edward, who died about the year 1690 in England; Mary Anna was born Oct. 22, 1841; married Nov. 17, 1867; have three children, Rolland B., born May 20, 1870; Elmer H., July 22, 1872; Samuel L., July 26, 1875. Jeremy Jordan’s Grandfather Erwin Byron Jordan is not mentioned, since he was born in 1884.

Byron was a Visiting Member of Heding College at Abingdon, Knox Co., IL, and was a Member of the Edgar Trego Post, #394, G.A.R. According to "The Orion Times" of 3 Jul 1902, Byron attended a prohibition convention in Peoria that week.

Jordan_Mem._I.D.: 1538

Family_Jordan_No.: 5847

BURIAL: Western Cem. The following appeared in the June 6, 1919 'Reynolds Press': "Byron Jordan, 77 years of age and a veteran of the Civil War, died on Tuesday at his home in Orion. For many years he had been active in Anti Saloon League circles and the Methodist church. Surviving are his widow, who is the mother of Mrs. C.H. Wayne, two brothers, two sons and two grandchildren". It is rather interesting that no Jordan family members are listed in that obit.

According to a ltr. rec'd 23 Mar 2001 from Ron Parker of Coal Valley, R.I. Co., IL, he visited gravesite in March, 2001 where there is an 8' monument with about 14 names on 4 sides. Blackfan plot adjacent w/Elmer H. Jordan's grave and nearby is a Trego plot. This is confirmed via Jeremy Jordan’s visit there on 25 Sep 2002.

1.  
   p. 219.

   Press of David Clapp & Son, Boston, 1882 - A reprinting by the New England History Press, 1982
   
   Book
   
   The Jordan Memorial - Family Records of the Rev. Robert Jordan
   
   Editor: Compiled by Tristram Frost Jordan

2.  
   p. 760.

   Penobscot Press, 2001, ISBN 0-89725-441-4
   
   Book
   
   The Family Jordan
   
   Editor: Roland Gene Jordan, compiled by Adelbert Jean “Andy” Annonson

3. ↑ Western Twp. Cem.