James L Jordan
Biographical Sketches
Soldiers Album
James Jordan, of Marion, Wis., is a citizen of the United States by adoption and a veteran of the Civil War. He is a member of the G.A.R. Post No 79 (I. Ramsdell) and is respected as a man and has an honorable record as a soldier. He was born Nov 6 1838, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland and came to America in 1863. He landed at Quebec, Canada and went thence direct to the State of New York. His first act of importance in the New World was his enlistment Dec 21, 1863, as a private in I Company, 14th New York Heavy Artillery for three years or during the war, at Rochester. He received honorable discharge at Rochester Sept 5 1865, after the war. He was in several battles of the Wilderness and passed through the two days of fighting in that engagement, which cost so much and accomplished so little, without being injured. Four days later he was in the fight at Spotsylvania Court House, and June 3rd risked the fate of war again at the battle of Cold Harbor. June 17th he was also engaged in the siege of Petersburg and his regiment continued in that vicinity and engaged in the frequent skirmishing in which so many soldiers suffered loss of life and limb.
He received permanent injury to his sight and hearing March 25, 1865, by the bursting of a small shell in close proximity to his head. His left eye is sightless and he is totally deaf in his left ear. He returned to his home a wrecked and broken man, destined never to be well again, as he continues to suffer from the disabilities of chronic diarrhea and rheumatism.
In the land of his nativity he was brought up a farmer and followed that occupation principally, with one exception, when he passed a few months in Scotland as a puddler in an iron mine. After the war he went to Canada, where he married Mary Jane, daughter of W. T. and Jane Rogers. In 1870 he removed to Wisconsin where he has resided since. His family includes seven children - four sons and three daughters - James Henry, Jane Rebecca, Joseph Benjamin, William John, Walter Augustus, Flora Christina and Annie Laura. Victoria Ella is not living. The mother is a woman of Estimable character and is in every sense, a help mate for her invalid husband.
Commemorative Biographical Record
James Jordan. The Emerald Isle has furnished to America many men who are numbered among her best citizens, and in this class is included the gentleman whose name introduces this article.
He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, November 6, 1838 and is the son of Joseph and Jane (Spratt) Jordan, whose family numbered eight children, James being the eldest; the others were Fannie, wife of R. Riddler, of England; William, deceased; Joseph of Ireland; John, who makes his home in England, Joseph, deceased and two that died in infancy. The grandparents, Joseph and Betsy (Worthington) Jordan, were of English descent, and the former was an extensive farmer and very wealthy man, but becoming interested in fast horses he lost all of his property in that way.
James Jordan received a very meager educational privileges, and at the early age of ten years had to begin to earn his own living. He worked at farm labor through the day and thus was employed until 1863, when he determined to try his fortune beyond the Atlantic and sailed for Quebec. His immediate object of emigration, however was his great desire to aid the United states in the war which was then in progress. after two months spent in the city of Ottawa, Canada, he went to New York and enlisted December 21, 1863 in Company I, 14th New York Heavy Artillery, was mustered into the United States service at Rochester, and sent to Staten Island, where he remained until the spring of 1864. The command was then ordered South, and he participated in the seven-days battle of the Wilderness. He was later in the engagements at Spotsylvania, May 12 that year; Cold Harbor, Va., on the first three days of June; the battles of Petersburg, Va., on the 17th of June and the 30th of July; Weldon Railroad, August 19; and Pegram Farm, September 30. Not long after the troops went into winter quarters, there remaining until the spring of 1865. In the last year of the war, Mr. Jordan was with his command at the battle of Fort Haskel, March 25, 1865; Fort Stedman, March 31, 1865; and entered Petersburg on the 3rd of April 1865. At Fort Haskel he was wounded by the bursting of the shell, which caused the loss of the sight of his left eye and destroyed the hearing of his left ear. He also contracted disease from which he has never fully recovered, and the government now grants him a pension as a slight compensation for the injuries sustained. He was discharged September 5, 1865 in Rochester. He then engaged in farm work for two years in Canada, whence he removed to Berlin, Wis., where he was employed in a hotel for nine months, resuming agriculture pursuits on the expiration of that period. He was sick in Canada two years, Ere leaving that country he had wedded May 10, 1868, Mary Jane Rogers, daughter of W. T. and Jane Rogers, who were of English descent.
In the fall of 1869, Mr. Jordan brought his wife to Waupaca county, and purchased eighty acres of land in Section 16, Dupont township, a part of his present farm. He had to cut his own roads through, for this section of the country was still in its primitive condition, the work of civilization being scarcely begun. The land was covered with heavy timber and he had to clear away the trees ere he could build his 18 X 12 feet log cabin. Soon he had a small clearing, and some potatoes and corn planted. In the lumber woods he was employed through the winter, while during most of the summer he engaged in harvesting, being obliged to leave his wife and babies alone in their forest home. He had hard work to get along at first, and eight years passed before he was able to purchase a team, so usually had to walk to market, carrying his provisions home on his back from Clintonville or New London, the latter place being twenty-six miles distant. To his first purchase he added eighty acres - forty being in Section 18, forty in Section 23 - and eighty acres in Section 7, one of which tracts, however, he mortgaged to pay for his team. The cultivation and improvement of his place is all due him, and only hard and persistent labor has accomplished the splendid results.
Mrs. Jordan died Feb 22 1889, leaving seven children: James H of Chicago; Jane Rebecca of New London, Wis.; Joseph B of Tomahawk, Wis.; William John who died March 27 1895; Walter A. at home; Flora C of Poy Sippi, Wis.; and Laura. Mr. Jordan was again married October 19, 1894, on this occasion to Mary E, daughter of Calvin L and Minta (Mitchell) Latta, natives of North Carolina, the father a carpenter by trade. Mrs., Latta died eighteen years ago, but Mr. Latta is living in Illinois, at the advanced age of 85 years. They had a family of 10 children, namely; Mrs. Jordan, John M, Dr William James, Josephine. Jerome, Mattie, Alice, Noveline and Gertrude (both deceased), and Belle Zora. Mr. Jordan has always been a stalwart supporter of the Republican party and its principles, and has served as township assessor. Socially he is connected with the Grand Army Post of Marian. Wis. The deeds of the battle have been the theme of story and song for earliest ages, and we would add our tribute of praises to that already written/ Especially would we honor him who crossed the Atlantic that he might defend the principles of liberty in which he believed, braving danger and death for the cause of right.
Marion Advertiser
20 Jul 1917
Reminiscences of Old Times
By D. A. Ramsdell
James Jurdon was born in Ireland. I have no date of his coming, must have landed in N. Y. was a Civil War veteran. In December 1863 enlisted in New York in the 14 N. Y. Heavy artillery was discharged the 7th of Sept. 1865. He came to Dupont in an early day, settled on Sec. 16, was a member of I. Ramsdell Post joining May 30th 1884. How well I remember Jimmie Jurdon and his wife, the most affectionate couple, you could imagine it was dear and dearest on all occasions. I judge Mrs. Jurdon was a hard working woman and that Jimmie was always ailing. There were several children, sons and daughters the last I knew of them. A son Walter was a resident of Chicago and a daughter married residing in New London.
Mr. and Mrs. Jurdon are both in the life beyond. Mr. Jurdon passed away at the home of his daughter in New London several years ago, Mrs. Jurdon before they left the farm. They are both buried in the Marion Cemetery, his daughter had her father's remains brought and placed beside the wife and mother.
Marion Advertiser
21 April 1905
James Jourdan
Tomorrow James Jourdan, a former resident and old soldier, will be interred at Marion Cemetery, he having died at the Veteran's Home Thursday morning. The funeral services will be held at the M.E. church at 10 o'clock A.M. Saturday. Rev Pipher will preach the sermon and D.A. Ramsdell will conduct the services.
James L Jordan
Enlisted as Pvt 14 NY Inf Co I on 1 Dec 1862 in New York
Mustered out as Pvt 14 NY Inf Co I on 26 Apr 1865 at Rochester, NY
Time Served
Parents Joseph and Jane (Spratt)
Born 6 Nov 1838 Omagh, County of Tyrone, Ireland
Died 20 Apr 1905 Milwaukee Veteran's Home
Buried Greenleaf, Marion
Spouse Mary Jane Rogers married 10 May 1868
Spouse Mary E Latta married 19 Oct 1894
Children James, Jane, Joseph, William, Walter, Flora and Laura
Pension
