Christopher Columbus Jordan was born in Randolph County, Alabama on December 28, 1842, the seventh of the twelve children born to Christopher Edward "Kit" Jordan and his first wife, Mary Ann Knowles.  The Jordan family had only recently arrived in Randolph County having migrated there from Tennessee, probably Bradley County, after 1841.  Christopher Columbus Jordan died March 12, 1916 at Tina, Arkansas, now Concord Post Office.  He was buried at the Mt. Zion Cemetery  located a few miles south of  Concord, Arkansas in Northeastern Cleburne County.

The early life of Christopher Columbus Jordan was not different from that of other children who were born and reared on the Alabama frontier.  Randolph, Clay, Talledega  and seven other Counties  were created in 1832 after the Creek Cession and skirmishes with the Indians continued until late 1836 when the Federal government relocated the Indians to Oklahoma.  But the toils and difficulties of the frontier amounted to more than those dished out by the Indians.  There were few schools or churches and the challenges to actual survival were many.  The predominate occupation was farming and Christopher's father was engaged in the profession and the children were busy with chores around the farm.  The little schooling that was available had to be sandwiched around the planting and harvesting seasons.  Nevertheless, he acquired the rudimentary skills that were then necessary for success.

Although Christopher Columbus was born in Randolph County, he did not reside in the County for many years.  By 1850, his father had moved to Chambers County, the next County south of Randolph, and Christopher C. was listed on the Census as a seven year old.  His grandparents, William and Delilah Jordan, had moved to Randolph County in the early 1840's, more than likely at or near the time that Christopher Edward Jordan had arrived from Tennessee.  William Jordan died in 1848 and Christopher C., then about six years of age, would have been old enough to remember him, at least dimly.  It is conceivable that Christopher Edward Jordan lived in Randolph until after his father's death and then relocated to Chambers before the 1850 Census.  Delilah Jordan was still living in Randolph County when the 1850 Census was taken.  She was a resident in the household of Samuel Nunis and his wife, Sarah Jordan.

By 1858, Christopher Columbus Jordan had moved with his parents to Tallapoosa County, Alabama where his father had acquired land in Township 23N 24E.  The tract of land lies a few miles, less than 20, from the Chambers County line.  The time in Tallapoosa was short because by 1860, the Christopher Edward Jordan family had moved a few miles west and north into what was then Talladega County.  Christopher and his brother, John T. , ages 19 and 17, respectively, were the oldest of the eight children still at home.  It was , no doubt, from this home site that Christopher Columbus Jordan left the family cocoon to enlist in the Confederate Army a few months after hostilities began. 

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Alabama was one of the early states to secede from the Union and anti Union sentiment ran high along the Alabama-Georgia frontier.  Why that feeling was so intense was complicated.  Most of the farmers owned no slaves.  Yet they rebelled at the notion of a central government telling anyone how to conduct themselves.  The Jordans were no exception.  Christopher Columbus joined Hilliard's Legion in 1862 with a commitment to three years or the duration of the War.  Along with his own enlistment, there were those of his brothers, John T. and Dennis Rivers, and his father.  Thus the Jordan family contributed four men to the cause of Southern Independence.  Christopher, his father and brothers, were engaged in a number of conflicts during late 1862 and 1863 but in late 1863, the Legion was organized into regular units and the men assigned to different units and regiments.  Christopher was assigned to the 59th Alabama Infantry and there he served for the remainder of the war.  He wrote in 1912 about his assignment, "After about two years service, the Legion was put into Regiments and I was put in the 59th Alabama under General Gracy (sic), our Captain at this time was John Henry Porter.  After the Battle at Chickamauga there was (sic) only about 10 answered to roll call out of 50 in our Company.  Our flag had 85 minnie (sic) ball shots through it and two corners shot off."

In 1912, Christopher Columbus Jordan completed a Biographical Memorandum for the State of Arkansas.  In that document, he briefly sketched his service record and listed the battles in which he was a combatant.  He reported that he was engaged in the battles of Chickamauga and Knoxville in Tennessee and The Battle of Drewry's Bluff on the James River in Virginia and at the Battle of Petersburg, Virginia.  Moreover, he wrote that he "was taken sick in the ditches at Petersburg and carried to a hospital at Richmond, VA."
 
 

The following description of the 59th Alabama was taken from the Alabama Archives:

This regiment was formed by the consolidation of the Second and Fourth battalions of Hilliard's Legion. The Legion was organized at Montgomery June 25, 1862, and consisted of five battalions one of which was mounted, and being detached in a short time thereafter, became part of the Tenth Confederate regiment. The Second battalion, six companies was commanded by Lieut. Colonel Bolling Hall, Jr. of Autauga, and Major W. Stubblefield of Coosa; the Fourth battalion was commanded by Major John D. McLennan of Barbour. The legion proceeded to east Tennessee, nearly 3000 strong, under its commander, Col. Hilliard of Montgomery. Proceeding to Cumberland Gap, it was part of the force that besieged that position. In October the legion was a part of the force that occupied Kentucky, a fatiguing march.   It passed the winter and summer following in east Tennessee during which time Col. Jack Thorington of Montgomery (of the first battalion) succeeded Col. Hilliard, and in April 1863 it was attached to Gen. Gracie's brigade. The legion was in the great battle of Chickamauga, and left more than half its number on the bloody field, and the flag of the Second battalion was perforated by 81 balls. Moving into east Tennessee, Col. Thorington having resigned, the legion was divided into the Fifty-ninth and Sixtieth Alabama regiments, and Twenty-third battalion, at Charleston, Nov. 25, 1863. The Fifty-ninth was at the investment of Knoxville, and the fights at Dandridge and Beene's Station, with some casualties, especially at the latter. In April 1864the regiment reached Richmond, and shortly after took part in the battle of Drewry's Bluff and the fight with Sheridan, losing largely in casualties in the former. From June till the March following, the Fifty-ninth was in the trenches of Petersburg, or in the numerous fierce conflicts at the dank and rear of the army, losing a number at Hatcher's Run and White-oaks Road. As part of Gordon's corps, Bushrod Johnston's division, the regiment was engaged at Appomattox, and there surrendered.

The 59th Alabama Infantry was among those units who surrendered at Appomattox Court House and Christopher Columbus Jordan would surely have been with them if he had been released from the Richmond Hospital.

After the Civil War, Christopher Columbus returned to Clay County, Alabama and there he married Elizabeth Caroline Callaway, in 1867.  Unfortunately, the Clay County Court House burned in 1875 and the records from the County's establishment in 1866 to 1875 were lost.  Elizabeth Caroline Callaway was the fifth known child of James Anderson Callaway and his wife Naomi.  Christopher Columbus Jordan and his wife, Elizabeth Caroline Callaway were the parents of the following children; spouses are listed where known::

Descendants of Christopher Columbus Jordan

In February 1870, something unusual happened.  The family departed from east central Alabama and relocated in Quitman, Texas and there they were enumerated August 2, 1870 on the 1870 Census for Wood County, Texas.  Why leave Alabama and travel west such a long distance?  Did they have relatives already there or was this the exuberance of youth?  We may never know but the speculation surrounding the trip is interesting.

With two small children, one just a month over 2 and one barely two months old,  Christopher Columbus and Elizabeth Callaway Jordan, then aged 28 and 21,  respectively,  traveled in a wagon from Clay County to Mobile and there they took a freighter across the Gulf of Mexico to the port at Galveston.  From Galveston they traveled north to Quitman, Texas and established a farm in time for the 1870 planting season.  The distance from Clay County to Mobile is approximately 250 miles, the distance from Mobile to Galveston is approximately 500 miles and the distance from Galveston to Quitman is approximately 300 miles.  These mileages assume current roads which surely did not exist when the Jordans made this trek west.

Accompanying the Jordans were other families, more than likely relatives.  Christopher's sister, Emily Jordan who had married Wesley Roselle Webb and her family, and Elizabeth's parents, James and Naomi Callaway, either traveled with Christopher and Elizabeth or joined them soon after their arrival.

John, Margaret, Larcus, and Dora were born in Wood County, Texas.  John and Margaret died while still small children but Larcus and Dora survived to adulthood.  Christopher and Elizabeth were hard working farmers and by 1879, their family had grown to the four surviving children, James, Andrew, Larcus, and Dora.

Then an odd thing occurred.  They moved from Quitman, Texas to the Ozark Foothills to what was then Independence County, Arkansas but later became part of Cleburne County when that County was established in 1883.  Christopher and Elizabeth were 37 and 30 years of age, respectively.  Why they left Texas to come to the mountains of Arkansas remains a mystery.  Perhaps it was to obtain land because that was the motivating force for most of the pioneer's moves.  Nevertheless, they came, along with the Webbs.  Elizabeth's sister, Margaret Jane Callaway,  who had married Josiah Galloway,  came from Alabama and the three families settled in close proximity to each other.  The Webbs settled near the Chimney Bluffs and the Galloways settled at Prim.  The Webbs stayed in Arkansas for more than ten years but they eventually return to Texas.  The Galloways lived out their days on the farm they had settled and they were buried in the Everett Cemetery at Prim, Arkansas.

During the decade that followed Christopher and Elizabeth's arrival in Arkansas, six additional children were added to their family.  N. Felix was born two years after their coming but he died when he was not quite ten years of age.  After Felix, came Leanna, Naomi, Charles Elonzo, Elizabeth, who died after living only one day, and Grady Monroe, born in 1890.  And so, of the twelve children born to Christopher and Elizabeth, eight would survive to adulthood and establish families of their own.

In 1904, Christopher Columbus Jordan petitioned Tina Lodge #577 for membership and in 1905 he received the degrees that made him a Master Mason.  In 1907, he was the chaplain of the Lodge, and later he served as Treasurer.  The minutes of the Lodge for 1916 show  an entry, "Burial of Brother C. C. Jordan".

Christopher and Elizabeth were active in the affairs of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church located about two miles south of the Jordan farm.  The Stony Point Baptist Church located less than a mile from the Jordan farm was organized in the early 1900's and James Christopher, the oldest child,  was an early Sunday School Superintendent there.  The local Post Office was Tina but that Post Office was abandoned in the early 1900's.

Mary Ann Knowles, Christopher's mother, died in 1878 in Alabama and his father was remarried in December 1879 to Amelia Caroline Blackstock.  Probably in 1890, his father and his step-mother came to live with Elizabeth and him.  His father was then about 80 years of age.  They remained in the Jordan home until Christopher Edward's death in November 1895.  He was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery.  Amelia Caroline Blackstock Jordan left soon afterward and went to live with her adult children in Texas.

Elizabeth Caroline Callaway Jordan died February 10, 1914 and was buried in the Mt. Zion Cemetery.  She was 65.  Christopher Columbus Jordan did not remarry and he died March 12, 1916 at the age of 73.  Christopher was buried alongside his beloved Elizabeth.  Their life was filled with adventure,  a devastating Civil War, the hardships of life on the frontier, the loss of four children, and the perils of farming.  But through it all they left a lasting imprint on the lives of their surviving children and to hundreds of their descendants.  The examples they set have been a light for their descendants and this page is respectfully dedicated to their memories and in honor of their contributions.

 1   James Christopher Jordan b: March 14, 1868 in Talladega Co., AL  d: August 15, 1950 in Independence Co., AR-Desha
..  +Mary A. "Mollie" Brown b: April 1870 m: 1889
. 2   Minnie B. Jordan b: May 1890 in Cleburne Co., AR
.....  +Brady M. Green b: November 1882 in Cleburne Co., AR m: Bef. 1908 in Cleburne Co.,AR   c: January 09, 1920
..... 3   Earsel Green b: 1908 in Cleburne Co., AR  d: 1928 in Faulkner Co., AR-Mt. Pleasant
..... 3   Eunice Jewel Green b: 1910 in Cleburne Co., AR
..... 3   Virgil Green b: 1912 in Cleburne Co., AR
..... 3   Doyle Green b: 1914 in Cleburne Co., AR
..... 3   Verl Green b: 1916 in Cleburne Co., AR
..... 3   Jimmy Green b: 1918 in Cleburne Co., AR
. 2   Eula M. Jordan b: November 1891 in Cleburne Co., AR
. 2   Leroy Jordan b: July 1893 in Cleburne Co., AR
. 2   Merle Jordan b: April 1895 in Cleburne Co., AR
.....  +Vollie Alexander
..... 3   Jimmie A. Alexander b: February 27, 1930 in Cleburne Co., AR  d: February 28, 1930 in Cleburne Co., AR-Mt. Zi
. 2   Clyde Jordan b: September 1898
.....  +Dess Massey
. 2   Elan Jordan b: 1900 in AR
. 2   Onus Jordan b: 1905
. 2   Verna Jordan b: 1913

His first wife was Della Peel and when she died, he married her sister, Lurina.  In 1900, he was living with his parents after having lost his wife.   Lurina's died in 1922, and he was remarried to Harriett Collard Reed, a widow with several children whose husband had been killed in a tornado.  Harriett died in 1936 and for many years, his sister, Naomi, and her small children lived with him.  Still later, he married Vincie Edwards.  Family stories relate that Andrew wrote to Vincie, invited her to come to Concord to visit him, and after a very brief courtship, they were married.

 1   [1] Cyrus Andrew Jordan b: December 01, 1868 in Talladega Co., AL  d: January 03, 1946 in Cleburne Co., AR-Concord
..  +Della Peel
  *2nd Wife of [1] Cyrus Andrew Jordan:
..  +Lurina E. Peel b: May 06, 1882 m: Bef. 1920 d: February 13, 1922 in Cleburne Co., AR-Mt. Zion
  *3rd Wife of [1] Cyrus Andrew Jordan:
..  +Harriet Collard Reed b: December 04, 1879 in Arkansas m: Aft. 1922 d: May 15, 1936 in Cleburne Co., AR-Mt. Zion
  *4th Wife of [1] Cyrus Andrew Jordan:
..  +Vincie Edwards  m: Aft. 1940 

 1   Dora Emily Caroline (Eveline) Jordan b: June 02, 1879 in Wood Co., TX-Quitman  d: August 23, 1958 in Champaign Co., IL-Champ-Mt.Olive
..  +William Christopher Bullard b: September 07, 1871 in Independence Co., AR-Starnes Sprgs m: December 13, 1896 in Cleburne Co., AR-Almond d: December 27, 1937 in White Co., AR-Judsonia-Providence
. 2   Ernest Bullard
.....  +Edna LNU
. 2   Eva Bullard
.....  +Evert Barber
. 2   Louise Bullard
.....  +Clyde Bell
. 2   [1] Ethel Mae Bullard b: January 27, 1897 in Independence Co., AR-Batesville  d: August 02, 1986 in Van Buren Co., AR-Evergreen, Judsonia, AR
.....  +David Palmer Truax b: August 16, 1895 in Wayne Co., IL-Cisne m: December 12, 1915 in Indep or White Co., AR d: September 09, 1920 in White Co., AR-Judsonia-Evergreen
.  *2nd Husband of [1] Ethel Mae Bullard:
.....  +Ernest Elmer Rollins b: April 24, 1896 in Nashville, TN m: September 1921 in White Co., AR-Judsonia d: March 14, 1972 in Cleburne Co.,AR-Higden McLaney Cemetery
.  *3rd Husband of [1] Ethel Mae Bullard:
.....  +Gus Kellarhs  m: 1942 in Question the date
.  *4th Husband of [1] Ethel Mae Bullard:
.....  +Lowe Spaugh b: September 22, 1896 m: July 21, 1967 in Champaign Co., IL-Rantoul d: March 1978
. 2   Gertrude Bullard b: October 17, 1900 in Independence Co.,AR-Floral  d: April 08, 1971 in Van Buren Co.,MI-Waterviolet
.....  +John Albert Brumley b: October 22, 1896 in White Co.,AR-Sulphur Rock m: May 28, 1916 in White Co.,AR-Judsonia d: April 07, 1973 in Van Buren Co.,MI-Hartford
. 2   Flora Bullard b: June 05, 1902 in Pooleville, TX  d: July 27, 1989 in Battle Creek, MI-FloralLand
.....  +Clarence Williams
. 2   John Bullard b: November 25, 1908 in White Co., AR-Judsonia  d: February 02, 1983 in Seminole Co., FL-Orlanda-Glenhaven
.....  +Maymie Floyd
. 2   Opal Bullard b: November 01, 1917 in White Co., AR-Judsonia
.....  +Foster Carroll

 1   Leanna Jordan b: July 1883 in Cleburne Co., AR-Almond  d: March 22, 1922 in Nardin, OK
..  +Henry Brock

 1   Grady Monroe Jordan b: January 19, 1890 in Cleburne Co., AR-Almond  d: November 21, 1975 in Oklahoma Co., OK-Oklahoma City
..  +Mayme Mary Melvina Dela Elvina Long b: September 18, 1893 in Independence Co., AR-Jamestown m: September 24, 1911 in Cleburne Co., AR-Almond d: February 27, 1983 in Oklahoma Co., Ok-Oklahoma City
. 2   Ermel Francis Jordan b: August 26, 1913 in Utica, OK
.....  +Nova Mae Neiman b: August 24, 1920 in Poinsett Co., AR-Lepanto m: September 19, 1940 in Independence Co., AR-Batesville d: in Oklahoma Co., OK-Oklahoma City
. 2   Medrith Jordan b: March 09, 1916 in Cleburne Co., AR  d: July 06, 1918 in Cleburne Co., AR-Concor
. 2   [1] Carmen Cromorta (Jim) Jordan b: September 11, 1918 in Cleburne Co., AR-Almond
.....  +Treva Mae Wolford b: March 25, 1919 in Texas Co., MO-Houston m: September 21, 1938 in Sharp Co., AR-Cave City
.  *2nd Wife of [1] Carmen Cromorta (Jim) Jordan:
.....  +Mary Louise Branch b: June 29, 1920 in McLennan Co., TX-Waco m: January 29, 1949 in Mobile Co., AL-Mobile
. 2   Glendal Clive Jordan b: April 04, 1921 in Grant Co., OK-Lamont
.....  +Nancy Jean Barry b: February 03, 1923 in Yell Co., AR-Plainview m: April 09, 1944 in White Co., AR-Searcy

Was there anything about this family that made them special or different.  Perhaps not.  They lived and work in places and under conditions not unlike that of millions of others.  But one thing made them unique to me.  They were my ancestors and I am proud to be their descendant.