James Jordan (b. circa
1847 - d. 1904)
MSA SC 3520-9370
USCT Soldier, Kent County, Maryland
Biography:
James Jordan was born in Kent County, Maryland around 1847. 1 The informant for his death record was Mary Jordan who stated that James was born in Howard County, Maryland. 2 However, in his pension record, it shows that he was born Kent County. 3 His father's name was Norris Jordan, according to the death record. 4 The name James Jordan was not listed in the bounty rolls, but according to a pension document he was "transferred to Navy in April 1864 under name of James Gordan"5. James Gordan was listed in the bounty rolls and does not show him having a slave owner. 6 His life eventually led to him joining the United States Colored Troops as he fought to abolish slavery.
James Jordan enlisted as a private in Company G of the 30th regiment on February 29, 1864. 7 Soon after, on April 11, 1864, he was transferred to the navy serving as a Landsman aboard the U.S. Navy U.S.S. New Hampshire. 8 He was transferred on April 23, 1864 at Baltimore, Maryland and served for two years and eleven months. 9 It was not until April 15, 1866 at a New York Navy yard aboard the U.S.S. Vermont that he was honorably discharged. 10 A reason for his transfer may have been that he suffered from exposure, contracted rheumatism, had a heart and kidney disease, and vertigo in March of 1864 while in the line of duty. 11 He also suffered from an injury to his right hand with the loss of his ring finger and metacarpal bone that occurred during the war. 12 It was the next month in April that he was transferred to the Navy.
After the war, he moved to
Baltimore, Maryland where
he resided at several locations including , 1620 North Vincent
Street 13, 1643 North Vincent
Street14, and 1403 Parrish Alley15. As of 1891, he was earning a
$12
per month pension rate for his services during the war. 16 James
Jordan
married Jane Cephus (or Corpus) on June 12, 1894 at 1632 Vincent
Street,
Baltimore, Maryland by Reverend Phillip Johnson. 17 His death
record
identifies June 19, 190418 as his date of death, but his pension file
indicates
June 18, 190419. Regardless, James Jordan passed away in 1904
after
accomplishing a great deal throughout his life. His residence
at
the time of his death was 1620 North Vincent Street. 20 He was
buried
at Mount Auburn Cemetery on June 20, 1904. 21
3. Special Collections (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) James Jordan, 84.
4. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record) James Jordan.
5. Special Collections (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) James Jordan, 20.
8. Wilmer, L. Allison , J. H. Jarrett, and Geo. W. F. Vernon. History and Roster of Maryland Volunteers, War of 1861-65. Vol. 2 (Baltimore, MD: Guggenheimer, Weil & Co., 1899), 25
9. Special Collections (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) James Jordan, 79.
10. Ibid., 68.
11. Ibid., 86.
12. Ibid., 49.
13. Ibid., 4.
15. Ibid., 5.
16. Ibid., 49.
18. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record) James Jordan.
19. Special Collections (U.S. Colored Troops Pension File Collection) James Jordan, 45.
20. BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record) James Jordan.
21. Ibid.
Researched and Written by Tanner Sparks, 2012.
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![BALTIMORE CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS (Death Record), James Jordan, Date: 04/1904-08/1904, Reel: CR 48126, [MSA CM1132-83].](../jordan_death_record.jpg){kind=link}