James Gordon
Early settler
Notes:
• There is documented evidence that a James Gordon (Gordan) was in the Madison County area by 1810 and could have been present earlier in an undocumented manner. - Record
• There is a James Gordon listed as a corporal in the War of 1812. This is simply a list of names with no further identifying information. So, the connection to this James Gordon is not certain. - ALGenWeb
• There are several James Gordons found in Ancestry.com during this period. The earliest records in Madison County do not require information about birth place and date. And early on, they simply listed number of people in the households without listing names of wives and children. He may have been married more than once. - Editor's note
• Occupation listed as "Blacksmith" in the Census of 1850. - Census 1850a
• James Cordon (b.1792) had a father also named James Gordon. He was born in 1760 and might have been married to a women named Elizabeth. He might have also come to Madison County. - Ancestry.com
• It is impressive to see how evidence accumulates and interesting to see how a careful researcher speculates but is slow to assert facts. Here is one of two such examples:
"Mary Elizabeth Gordon's father seems to be a James S. Gordon. He was listed as a witness in a deed book. The date was listed July 5, 1812 Madison County, Alabama.
There was a Charles Gordon, ex-mayor of Athens, Alabama whose obituary states that he was born August 8, 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama to James Gordon and Elizabeth.
James Gordon was also listed in a deed book dated October 18, 1815 Madison County, Alabama. This was a deed of gift. In it he gives Nancy Childress a cow, bed and furniture, one pot & one cotton wheel; he gives Polly Fletcher a cow, bed & furniture; he gives daughter Betsy Gordon 2 mares, cattle, furniture, etc. (relationship to Nancy & Polly not given). Proven 11-12-1815 and date recorded 11-15-1815. Witnesses were Jolly West and Alfort (?) Moore.
Again, James Gordon and Elizabeth R. are listed in a deed book dated May 15, 1818 Madison County, Alabama. They were granted a loan in the amount of $4480. The book had them as James & Elizabeth R. Gordon of Manchester, Virginia. They put up as security 160.9 acres in Alabama Territory plus 6 negro slaves and their increase.
I am convinced that our Mary Elizabeth Gordon is the Betsy Gordon mentioned in the deed book. Her first son, Elijah H. Wray, was born 1824. I am guessing that she married about 1822 to James Bennett Wray.
Polly and Nancy were most likely Betsy's older sisters. Probably there were others.
Her brothers seem to have been Hugh Gordon, born 1788 in SC; James Gordon, born 1792 in SC, and Charles Gordon, born August 9, 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama (probably others).
Betsy was born in KY about 1804. The family seems to have originated in Manchester, Va, moved to Chester County, SC, then after 1800 moved to Kentucky (where Betsy was born) and then into Huntsville, Alabama by 1811.
I found James Gordon living in Limestone County, Alabama on the 1819-1820 census of Limestone County---1 male over 21, 2 males under 21, 1 female over 21, 2 females under 21.
Phyllis, how is your research on Clara Elizabeth Wray Grantland coming along? Have you established that her name was Cassandra C. Wray. Maybe her name was Cassandra Clara Elizabeth Wray. I have thought that the reason Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray left her daughter, Clara Wray Grantland, land in her will was because she lived with Clara during her final years. This is just my speculation. Elderly parents often lived with their youngest son or daughter during this time in history. I am convinced that your Clara was Cassandra C. Wray. Have you researched to see what name was used on her marriage license? What about census records? Cassandra C. was the name used in 1860. Her age was listed as 10. There was a male named Henry, age 8. James Bennett Wray must have died between 1852 and 1860.
Phyllis, do you think I have enough evidence to conclude that James S. Gordon and Elizabeth R. as parents of Mary Elizabeth Gordon? I have thought about including them in my online family tree." - Rootsweb
• It is impressive to see how evidence accumulates and interesting to see how a careful researcher speculates but is slow to assert facts. Here is one of two such examples:
"Have you done any research on Mary Elizabeth Gordon? I now believe that her parents were James and Elizabeth R. Gordon of Manchester, Virginia. I find them in Huntsville, Alabama around 1811.
It appears that they had a son named James, Jr., born 1792 in SC who raised his family in Madison Co., Alabama. He married Sarah 'Sally' Townsend on 08 Dec 1819 in Madison Co., AL.
There is also Hugh Gordon who was born abt. 1788 who was living in Madison Co., Alabama and actually was a neighbor to James Bennett Wray during the census of 1840 in Limestone Co., Alabama. I believe that Hugh was James Bennett Wray's brother-in-law.
Also, I found an obituary of Charles Gordon who was an ex-mayor of Athens, Alabama. It stated that he was born in 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama to James and Elizabeth Gordon of Virginia.
Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray was born abt. 1804 in Kentucky.
It appears that James and Elizabeth were born in Virginia, lived in Chester Co., SC at the time of the 1790 & 1800 censuses, then somewhere in Kentucky by 1804,and then in Huntsville, Alabama by 1811. I have not found them on any 1810 census. The 1809 census of Madison Co., Alabama did not have a James Gordon listed.
I found where James and Elizabeth (Va) left a record in Huntsville, Alabama stating that they had a young daughter named 'Betsy'. They willed her some cattle and furniture. Two other females were mentioned named Nancy Childress and Polly Fletcher, but no relationship to them was given. I believe they were probably Betsy's older sisters.
Betsy must have been our Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray. Seems reasonable that she may have married in Huntsville, Alabama. Wonder if we could investigate by going to the Huntsville Library and searching marriage records.
We know that James Bennett Wray's father, Elijah, left a will in Huntsville, Alabama. Elijah died 1822. James & Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray named their first son Elijah and he was born 1824 (married Lucy Hester Thompson, I think).
I found also a biography of Dr. James Gordon who was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1818 to Hugh Gordon, the same Hugh Gordon who was a neighbor to James Bennett Wray in 1840. Hugh Gordon moved to Northern Mississippi (between 1840-1850), his son studied medicine in Tennessee and Arkansas. He practiced medicine in his final years in Illinois." - Rootsweb
Related Links:
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record
| Born: | c1792, South Carolina |
| Died: | c1866, Madison County, Alabama |
Notes:
• There is documented evidence that a James Gordon (Gordan) was in the Madison County area by 1810 and could have been present earlier in an undocumented manner. - Record
• There is a James Gordon listed as a corporal in the War of 1812. This is simply a list of names with no further identifying information. So, the connection to this James Gordon is not certain. - ALGenWeb
• There are several James Gordons found in Ancestry.com during this period. The earliest records in Madison County do not require information about birth place and date. And early on, they simply listed number of people in the households without listing names of wives and children. He may have been married more than once. - Editor's note
• Occupation listed as "Blacksmith" in the Census of 1850. - Census 1850a
• James Cordon (b.1792) had a father also named James Gordon. He was born in 1760 and might have been married to a women named Elizabeth. He might have also come to Madison County. - Ancestry.com
• It is impressive to see how evidence accumulates and interesting to see how a careful researcher speculates but is slow to assert facts. Here is one of two such examples:
"Mary Elizabeth Gordon's father seems to be a James S. Gordon. He was listed as a witness in a deed book. The date was listed July 5, 1812 Madison County, Alabama.
There was a Charles Gordon, ex-mayor of Athens, Alabama whose obituary states that he was born August 8, 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama to James Gordon and Elizabeth.
James Gordon was also listed in a deed book dated October 18, 1815 Madison County, Alabama. This was a deed of gift. In it he gives Nancy Childress a cow, bed and furniture, one pot & one cotton wheel; he gives Polly Fletcher a cow, bed & furniture; he gives daughter Betsy Gordon 2 mares, cattle, furniture, etc. (relationship to Nancy & Polly not given). Proven 11-12-1815 and date recorded 11-15-1815. Witnesses were Jolly West and Alfort (?) Moore.
Again, James Gordon and Elizabeth R. are listed in a deed book dated May 15, 1818 Madison County, Alabama. They were granted a loan in the amount of $4480. The book had them as James & Elizabeth R. Gordon of Manchester, Virginia. They put up as security 160.9 acres in Alabama Territory plus 6 negro slaves and their increase.
I am convinced that our Mary Elizabeth Gordon is the Betsy Gordon mentioned in the deed book. Her first son, Elijah H. Wray, was born 1824. I am guessing that she married about 1822 to James Bennett Wray.
Polly and Nancy were most likely Betsy's older sisters. Probably there were others.
Her brothers seem to have been Hugh Gordon, born 1788 in SC; James Gordon, born 1792 in SC, and Charles Gordon, born August 9, 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama (probably others).
Betsy was born in KY about 1804. The family seems to have originated in Manchester, Va, moved to Chester County, SC, then after 1800 moved to Kentucky (where Betsy was born) and then into Huntsville, Alabama by 1811.
I found James Gordon living in Limestone County, Alabama on the 1819-1820 census of Limestone County---1 male over 21, 2 males under 21, 1 female over 21, 2 females under 21.
Phyllis, how is your research on Clara Elizabeth Wray Grantland coming along? Have you established that her name was Cassandra C. Wray. Maybe her name was Cassandra Clara Elizabeth Wray. I have thought that the reason Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray left her daughter, Clara Wray Grantland, land in her will was because she lived with Clara during her final years. This is just my speculation. Elderly parents often lived with their youngest son or daughter during this time in history. I am convinced that your Clara was Cassandra C. Wray. Have you researched to see what name was used on her marriage license? What about census records? Cassandra C. was the name used in 1860. Her age was listed as 10. There was a male named Henry, age 8. James Bennett Wray must have died between 1852 and 1860.
Phyllis, do you think I have enough evidence to conclude that James S. Gordon and Elizabeth R. as parents of Mary Elizabeth Gordon? I have thought about including them in my online family tree." - Rootsweb
• It is impressive to see how evidence accumulates and interesting to see how a careful researcher speculates but is slow to assert facts. Here is one of two such examples:
"Have you done any research on Mary Elizabeth Gordon? I now believe that her parents were James and Elizabeth R. Gordon of Manchester, Virginia. I find them in Huntsville, Alabama around 1811.
It appears that they had a son named James, Jr., born 1792 in SC who raised his family in Madison Co., Alabama. He married Sarah 'Sally' Townsend on 08 Dec 1819 in Madison Co., AL.
There is also Hugh Gordon who was born abt. 1788 who was living in Madison Co., Alabama and actually was a neighbor to James Bennett Wray during the census of 1840 in Limestone Co., Alabama. I believe that Hugh was James Bennett Wray's brother-in-law.
Also, I found an obituary of Charles Gordon who was an ex-mayor of Athens, Alabama. It stated that he was born in 1811 in Huntsville, Alabama to James and Elizabeth Gordon of Virginia.
Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray was born abt. 1804 in Kentucky.
It appears that James and Elizabeth were born in Virginia, lived in Chester Co., SC at the time of the 1790 & 1800 censuses, then somewhere in Kentucky by 1804,and then in Huntsville, Alabama by 1811. I have not found them on any 1810 census. The 1809 census of Madison Co., Alabama did not have a James Gordon listed.
I found where James and Elizabeth (Va) left a record in Huntsville, Alabama stating that they had a young daughter named 'Betsy'. They willed her some cattle and furniture. Two other females were mentioned named Nancy Childress and Polly Fletcher, but no relationship to them was given. I believe they were probably Betsy's older sisters.
Betsy must have been our Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray. Seems reasonable that she may have married in Huntsville, Alabama. Wonder if we could investigate by going to the Huntsville Library and searching marriage records.
We know that James Bennett Wray's father, Elijah, left a will in Huntsville, Alabama. Elijah died 1822. James & Mary Elizabeth Gordon Wray named their first son Elijah and he was born 1824 (married Lucy Hester Thompson, I think).
I found also a biography of Dr. James Gordon who was born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1818 to Hugh Gordon, the same Hugh Gordon who was a neighbor to James Bennett Wray in 1840. Hugh Gordon moved to Northern Mississippi (between 1840-1850), his son studied medicine in Tennessee and Arkansas. He practiced medicine in his final years in Illinois." - Rootsweb
Related Links:
• ALGenWeb - Madison County, War of 1812 from North Alabama (Originally found at http://www.algw.org/madison/1812sol.htm.)
• Ancestry.com - Page owned by diannbowen1946 and can be viewed only with an Ancestry.com paid subscription. (Originally found at http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/46155605/person/6487729356.)
• Census 1850a - Madison County, Alabama
• Census 1850b - Second page of the 1850 Census where it lists his age and birth place (South Carolina).
• Record - A Dream Come True: The Story of Madison County and Incidentially of Alabama and the United States, Volume II, by James Record, 1978, page 523.
• Rootsweb - Notes from Owens-Grantland and Allied Families of Morgan County from Troy Bramlett.
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• Record