William A. Jordan
Born on September 12, 1836, in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Willam A. Jordan was the son of Mason and Margaret Jordan.1 William grew up in Pennsylvania, working as a laborer in Carlisle throughout his adolesence. In 1860, he married Harriet A Keath at Bethel Church in Mechanicsburg, PA.2 The "1860 United States Federal Census for William Jordan" shows a 23-year old laborer, named "William Jordan", who was living in East Ward, Carlisle, Pennsylvania with his wife, Harriet, and son, Charles.3 On February 17, 1864, Williams enlisted in Company A of the 32nd United States Colored Regiment, and rose to the rank of "First Sergeant".4 During the course of his service, he was injured at "Drays Deck" (as clear as the letter shows) in South Carolina.5 According to the "Jordan, William (29). [Textual Records] Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 31st through 35th" in Fold3, William was reduced in rank from an unknown cause but promoted to "first sergeant" on November 13, 1864.6 In an engagment with Confederate Troops, he became deaf in one of his ears, which continued to grow worse after its onset.6 Jordan finished out his military service in South Carolina, being discharged at Hilton Head on August 22nd, 1865.7 Jordan returned home to Carlisle, where he had his first and only son, Samuel, who was born on December 5th, 1865.8 After the war, he was the captain of the "Cumberland Guards of the National Guard of Pennsylvania".9 Currently, there is no online portrait or archived document of William as a captain. Jordan was well known in the community, with The Sentinel reporting that he was "kind and had a large circle of friends."10 Jordan died on January 19th, 1907 from pneumonia, and was buried at Union Cemetery in Carlisle.11 His wife, one son (Samuel A. Jordan) and two brothers (John A. Jordan and Joseph N. Jordan) survived.12 His burial record in the "Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-1999 Record for William A Jordan" states that his cemetery was in Franklin St, Carlisle; his grave was located in "Section B, Number 117", and his headstone was "marble".13 There are no images of William A. Jordan, but there is an image of his gravestone - titled Online Photograph of Tombstone of William A Jordan.14
1. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
2. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
3. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
4. John Green (1890) Affidavit.
5. Jordan, William (29). [Textual Records] Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 31st through 35th,
6. John Green (1890) Affidavit.
7. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
8. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
9. U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan, 2012.
10. "The Death Record." The Sentinel, 6.
11. Pennsylvania, Burial Cards, 1777-2012 for William A. Jordan, 2010.
12. "The Death Record." The Sentinel, 6.
13. Pennsylvania, Burial Cards, 1777-2012 for William A. Jordan, 2010.
14. Online Photograph of Tombstone of William A Jordan, July 5, 2014.
Bibliography:
Clay Evans (1898) Circular for Bureau of Pensions, n.d. National Archives and Records Administration.
"Deaths: Mr. William A. Jordan." Carlisle Evening Herald, January 21, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/270378383/?terms=william%2Ba.%2Bjordan.
"1860 United States Federal Census for William Jordan." Ancestry.com. Pg. 18. NARA: Washington, D.C., 2009. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/7667/4288995.
"1880 United States Federal Census for William Jordan." Ancestry.com. Pg. 248C. NARA: Washington, D.C., 2010. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/6742/4244330.
"1890 Veterans Schedules for William A Jordan." Ancestry.com. NARA: Washington, D.C., 2005. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/8667/PAM123.
Family Tree Climber. Online Photograph of Tombstone of William A Jordan, July 5, 2014. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130697324/william-a_-jordan/photo.
John Green (1890) Affidavit, n.d. National Archives and Records Administration.
Jordan, William (29). [Textual Records] Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served With the United States Colored Troops: Infantry Organizations, 31st through 35th, Record Group 94, National Archives at Washington, D.C. (ARC identifier 46316577) at www.archives.gov May 28. https://www.fold3.com/image/260435583.
Pennsylvania, Burial Cards, 1777-2012 for William A. Jordan. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: PA, 2010. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/1967/31501.
Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1967 for William A. Jordan. Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission: PA, 2014. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/5169/41381.
The Death Record." The Sentinel, January 21, 1907. https://www.newspapers.com/image/344494698/?terms=william%2Ba.%2Bjordan.
U.S. Civil War Draft Registration Records, 1863-1865 for William Jordan. Ancestry.com. NARA: Washington, D.C., 2010. ancestrylibrary.com/interactive/1666/32178.
U.S. Find A Grave Index, 1600s to Current for William A. Jordan. Ancestry.com. Find A Grave: USA, 2012. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/130697324.