Richard Jordan was born between 1610 and 1625, probably in England but conceivably in Virginia.  He was certainly in Virginia by 1655 for there he married Elizabeth Reynolds and from that union descends the thousands of Jordan's who are the subjects of this page.  Like many other men and women who came to the New World to build a new life, Richard Jordan (I),  endured the hardships and deprivations of the early English settlers in Virginia.  Life was hard and very often quite short, danger was a constant companion, and education and health care were unknown.  Despite the hardships and trying times,  he and Elizabeth survived to produce at least two children whose descendants moved often in search of new land and a better life.  Jordans first migrated to the Carolinas, then Georgia and Alabama and further across the South.  The westward expansion beckoned and the availability of  new land was a powerful attraction.  Surely there must also  have been a sense of adventure and excitement that played a role in their willingness to strike out for unknown places with little expectation of returning.  They and many others followed migration patterns that pushed the frontier ever westward.  Now, there are Jordan "cousins" in every State of the United States.

Four generations of Jordans would have lived in the New World before those in the fifth generation decided that independence from the British was not only necessary and essential to their survival and they proved their mettle by fighting to achieve it..  William Jordan, the fifth generation from Richard, I and by then living in North Carolina,  was a soldier in the American Revolution and like thousands of others, he fought for independence from the British while trying to keep his family alive.  He served for a few months in each of his several "hitches" but, like his compatriots, he served well  and ,together,  they won a stunning victory that launched the noble experiment that he and his descendants called "self government"..

Little did he know or appreciate that within the lifetime of his children, the fledgling new Nation would be drowning in a fierce Civil War.  His sons and grandsons fought for the cause of Southern Independence under the colors of  Hillard's Legion, and the 37th and 59th Alabama Infantry.  The effect of that great struggle on the lives of the Jordans who participated and the women and children who manned the farms and cared for the necessities of life cannot be calculated.  But it was enormous!

Following the Civil War, the Jordan passion for moving westward was rekindled and even intensified.   Soon there were Jordans in Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, and far beyond.  Today,  the descendants of Richard Jordan and Elizabeth Reynolds stretch from coast to coast and around the globe.  Surely, they would be pleased!

We built this page not only as a memorial to Richard and Elizabeth but to all who are  proud to carry the Jordan name and heritage.  Because the search for ancestors can never be completed, this page, too, will be permanently under construction.  Accordingly, we invite suggestions and comments and we especially invite Jordan kinfolk to contact us.