John D. Jordan (1818-bef. 1880) and
Jane F. Mayo (1833-aft. 1900)

1. JOHN D. JORDAN was born in Georgia in 1818[1] and died in Texas Bet. 1871 - 1880[2]. He married JANE F. MAYO February 03, 1848 in Washington County, Georgia[3,4,5], daughter of Benjamin Mayo and Alaphen Watkins. She was born 1833 in Georgia, and died after 1900 in Texas.[6]

After starting married life together in Washington County, Georgia, John and Jane moved to Limestone County, Texas, living near the extended family of the Mannings and Mayos who were establishing farms in Texas.  They appear in the 1850 census, dwelling #36, John age 32, Jane F. age 18, and son Dodridge, age 1. They must have stopped for a short time  in Alabama on the way to Texas from Georgia, as Dodridge was born in Alabama. A James Jordan,  age 25, is living in dwelling # 35 in the house of Reuben Manning. Jane's father, Benjamin Mayo  (Reuben Manning's first cousin), lived in dwelling #34.[7]

In 1860 John Jordan's family was enumerated in Freestone County (which was formed as a new county from parts of Limestone County in 1850), dwelling #190, family #193. The family  of John D. and Jane F. Jordan now included children  J.M.D [Dodridge], age 10, Wm. B., age 8, Thos. J., age 6, Martha C., 4, John M., 2, and Amanda E., 5 months. The G.L. Jordan family lived nearby, in dwelling #188, with G.L. Jordan 25, Elvira 24, Mary 11 mos.[8]

By 1870, John and Jane are enumerated in Fairfield, Freestone County, Texas, dwelling #229, John D. 53, Jane F. 40, Dodridge M. 20, William B. 18, Thomas J. 15, Martha A. 14, John M. 12, Ella 10, Amelia 8, Fannie 1. Gideon Jordan is in Dwelling #33.[9]

John Jordan died before 1880. Jane remained in Freestone County, Texas, and Jane reports that she is widowed. She is residing in dwelling #195 with her children Thos. J 26, John M. 22, Ella 20, Mollie 18, Ruben 8 and Mattie Denton, her daughter, already a widow, with a son John B. Denton 7.[10]

Children of John Jordan and Jane Mayo are:

  1. J.M. Dodridge Jordan, b. 1850 in Alabama[11,12]
  2. William B Jordan, b. 1852 in Texas[13,14]
  3. Thomas J Jordan, b. 1854 in Texas[15,16,17]
  4. Martha C Jordan, b. 1856 in Texas[18,19,20]; married (1) ______ Denton[21], died Bef. 1880 (2) C.C. Chancellor[22] Aft. 1880.
  5. John M Jordan, born 1858 in Texas[23,24,25,26]
  6. Amanda Ella Jordan, born 1860 in Texas[27,28,29]; m. in Freestone, County, Texas, 29 May, 1883, James W. Alderman, Sr.[30,31]
  7. Mollie Ida2 Jordan[32], b. in Cotton Gin, Freestone County Texas, 10 February, 1862[33,34,35,36]; d. in Downing, Comanche County, Texas, 2 January, 1928[37,38]; m. Jacob Reece Jenkins[39] in Cotton Gin, Freestone County, Texas, 21 December, 1882,[40,41,42]; born in Greenville, Greenville County, S.C., 25 January, 1855 [43,44]; d. in De Leon, Comanche County, Texas, 20 June, 1933[45].
  8. Fannie Jordan, b. in Freestone County, Texas, about 1869, d. before 1880[46]
  9. Rueben Jordan, b. 1872 in Texas[47].
  1. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 390.
  2. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County[Because the last child, Ruben, was born in 1872, and wife Jane was a widow in 1880 Census, John D. probably died between 1871 and 1880.].
  3. Jordan Dodd, Georgia Marriages to 1850, Provo UT: Ancestry.com 1997 (database online).
  4. 1850 Texas Census, Limestone County, p. 358
  5. History of Freestone County, (1978), [From a volunteer lookup in the History of Freestone County, "In an entry for the James W. Alderman, Sr. family it states that James W. was married in 1883 to Ella Jordan, daughter of John D. and Jane F. Mayo Jordan. There are still some Aldermans living in Freestone County."].
  6. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 390.
  7. 1850 Texas Census, Limestone County, p. 358. Jane is not frequently listed among the known children of Benjamin and Alaphen Mayo, but I believe this is because she was already married and out of the home by the 1850 census. Prior to 1850, only the numbers of people in the household and age ranges were recorded. In the 1840 Washington County, Georgia Census, the household includes the children named in the 1850 census, and a female the right age to be an oldest daughter, Jane;  the record included 1 Free White Male 0-5 [Parker]; 2 Free White Males 5-10 [William and Benjamin]; 1 Free White Male 30-40 [Benjamin]; 1 Free White Female 0-5 [Caroline], 1 Free White Female  5-10 [Jane?], 1 Free White Female  20-30 [Alaphen].
  8. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  9. 1870 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 50
  10. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 552, [Jane reports she is 49 in 1880, but she reported she was 27 in 1860.]
  11. Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928, [Survived by brother D.M. Jordan.In 1850 census, the one year old son is named Dodridge. In 1860, a son J.M.D. is 10. I conclude that this is J.M. Dodridge Jordan. CHS]7.1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  12. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  13. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  14. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  15. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 552
  16. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  17. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County, [Martha C., age 4.]
  18. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928, [Survived by sister Mrs. C.C. Chancellor. There were three sisters on the census, Mollie married Jacob Jenkins, Amanda Ella married James Alderman, so Martha is probably Mrs. C.C. Chancellor, unless there is a second marriage for Ella.].
  19. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County
  20. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County
  21. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928
  22. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County.
  23. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928, [Survived by brother J.M. Jordan. Same as John M. in 1860 and 1880 Census.]
  24. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 390, [The age was not clear, either one or two, probably two, because there was a five month old sister.].
  25. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County, [John M. reports age 22, so born in 1858.].
  26. 1860 Texas Census, Freestone County, [Amanda E., age five months.]
  27. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County, [Ella is 20 in 1880, conclude that Amanda E. is Amanda Ella.].
  28. History of Freestone County, (1978), [From a volunteer lookup in the History of Freestone County, "In an entry for the James W. Alderman, Sr. family it states that James W. was married in 1883 to Ella Jordan, daughter of John D. and Jane F. Mayo Jordan."].
  29. History of Freestone County, (1978).
  30. Freestone County Marriages, Book III, p. 104, [This was from a volunteer lookup by Catherine Simmons, US GenWeb, Freestone County.].
  31. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes," Selections Privately Published and Distributed at Family Reunion, 1987.
  32. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes
  33. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928.
  34. Jacob Reece and Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Family Bible, Freestone County, Texas, Feb. 10, 1862
  35. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County, p. 552, [Mollie, age 18.].
  36. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes," Selections Privately Published and Distributed at Family Reunion, 1987.
  37. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928, Died at home on the farm near Downing.
  38. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes," Selections Privately Published and Distributed at Family Reunion, 1987.
  39. "Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Obituary," De Leon Free Press, January 1928.
  40. Jacob Reece and Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Family Bible
  41. Jacob Reece Jenkins and Mollie Ida Jordan Marriage License, (Vol 3, page 86, Freestone County Texas Marriages)
  42. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes," Selections Privately Published and Distributed at Family Reunion, 1987.
  43. Jacob Reece and Mollie Ida Jordan Jenkins Family Bible
  44. James Rector Holdridge, "Holdridge Family Stories and Research Notes," Selections Privately Published and Distributed at Family Reunion, 1987.
  45. Amelia Cleland Gilreath, The Jenkins of Northern Neck and Old 96, (Privately Published 1988), p. 52, Died 20 June , 1933.
  46. 46. 1870 Texas Census, Freestone County [Fannie, age 1]
  47. 1880 Texas Census, Freestone County [Ruben Jordan, age 8.]