Jonathan Jordan was born circa 1789 probably in Greenbrier County, (West) Virginia, and died after 1850 possibly in Illinois. He married Rachel McCray in Cabell County, (West) Virginia in 1811. Rachel was born circa 1790 and died after 1850. Jonathan and Rachel moved their family to Sangamon County, Illinois, between September 1826 (when he sold his home in Cabell to Thomas Maupin) and February 1827 (he was not included in the 1827 Cabell PPT list).[1]

Evidence that Jonathan Jordan is the son of James and Sarah Jordan

  1. 🌳 The 1809 Cabell County Personal Property Tax (PPT) lists James Jordan‘s household as including 2 white males 16 and over. In 1810, James loses one and Jonathan Jordan appears on the PPT for the first time.
  2. 🌳 In March 1813, Jonathan received 150 acres of land on the Mud River from James Jordan Senior. This transfer was one of four gifts comprising most of the land James Senior had taken possession of when he first moved to Kanawha County. At least two of the recipients (Andrew and Jonathan), and perhaps all four (including James Jr. and John), were already living in their own homes on this land. These 1813 transfers probably indicate that James, who was getting on in years, was either beginning to pass his worldly goods on to his sons or was formally transferring ownership of land that he had already given them years before. Either way, these transactions provide solid evidence that all four recipients—James Jordan Jr., John Jordan, Andrew Jordan and Jonathan Jordan—were James Jordan’s sons.

Land Records

  •  March 21, 1813 – Jonathan Jordan buys for $1 from James Jordan Senr 150 acres in Cabell County on Mud River above an adjoining survey of John Morris Senr and where Jonathan Jordan was living.
  •  September 13, 1826 – Jonathan Jorden and wife Rachel sell for $500 to Thos. Maupin 150 acres in Cabell County on Mud River where Jonathan Jordan was living.

Censuses in which Jonathan Jordan appeared

  • 1820 Cabell County, Virginia – Jonathan Jordan
    2 white males under 10
    1 white male 26-45 (Jonathan Jordan)
    2 white females under 10 (possibly Sarah Jordan and ?)
    2 white females 26-45 (probably Rachel McCray Jordan)
    1 engaged in agriculture
  • 1830 Sangamon County, Illinois – Jonathan Jordon
    2 white males 15-20
    1 white male 30-40 (Jonathan Jordan)
    1 white female under 5 (possibly Mary Jordan)
    2 white females 5-10 (possibly Sarah Jordan and ?)
    3 white females 10-15
    3 white females 15-20
    1 white female 30-40 (probably Rachel McCray Jordan)
  • 1840 Sangamon County, Illinois – Jonathan Jurden
    1 white male 5-10 (possibly Andrew Jordan)
    1 white male 50-60 (Jonathan Jordan)
    1 white female 5-10 (possibly Ann Jordan)
    2 white females 10-15 (possibly Mary Jordan and ?)
    2 white females 15-20 (possibly Sarah Jordan and ?)
    1 white female 40-50 (probably Rachel McCray Jordan)
    1 engaged in agriculture
  • 1850 Sangamon County, Illinois – Jonathan Jurdon, household 1417, family 1417
    Jonathan Jurdon, age 61, male, farmer, born in Virginia; cannot read & write
    Rachel Jurdon, age 60, female, born in Illinois, cannot read & write
    Mary Jurdon, age 21, female, born in Illinois
    Andrew Jurdon, age 18, farmer, born in Illinois
    Ann Jurdon, age 15, female, born in Illinois

Personal Property Tax Lists in which Jonathan Jordan appeared

Children of Jonathan Jordan and Rachel McCray [2]

1. Sarah Jordan was born circa 1820 in Virginia and died in 1847 in Chatham, Sangamon County, Illinois.  She married Berryman Henwood on March 11, 1842 in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois. Berryman was born on July 11, 1821, in Cabell County, (West) Virginia. Sarah is possibly found the the censuses of 1820-CabellVA, 1830-SangamonIL and 1840-SangamonIL in the household of Jonathan Jordan/Jordon/Jurden.

2. Mary Jordan was born circa 1829 in Illinois. Mary is found in the census of 1850-SangamonIL. She is also possibly in the censuses of 1830-SangamonIL and 1840-SangamonIL in the household of Jonathan Jordon/Jurden.

3. Andrew Jordan was born circa 1832 in Illinois. Andrew is found in the census of 1850-SangamonIL. He is also possibly in the census of 1840-SangamonIL in the household of Jonathan Jurden.

4. Ann Jordan was born circa 1835 in Illinois. Ann is found in the census of 1850-SangamonIL.

Sources

1 Year and location of birth taken from the 1850 census for both Jonathan and Rachel. Year and location of marriage from Cabell County Marriage Records.
2 Children’s names and details taken from the 1850 census, except for Sarah, who was provided in 2007 by Helen Cook, a descendant of Jonathan and Rachel Jordan through their daughter Sarah.