Martha Elizabeth (DePew) Jordan (1849 - 1918)

Born 7 Jun 1849 in Hancock, Tennessee

Ancestors

Wife of Riley Enoch Jordan — married 1868 in Hancock, Tennessee [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 27 Feb 1918 at age 68 in Rockcastle, Kentucky

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Biography

Martha "Bettie" Elizabeth Depew was born on June 7, 1849^[1] (Tombstone says June 7, 1851), in Hawkins County, Tennessee.^[2] She was the 3rd child and daughter of "Bettie" Mary Elizabeth Mills, age 20, and John Wilson Depew, age 28^[3].

The 1860 Census shows her as 11 years old living with her family in Mills, Hancock, Tennessee, Post Office: War Creek.^[4] Her father was listed as a farmer, her mother was keeping house, and there were 8 children in the family. It is important to note that her father, John Wilson DePew was also a well educated man and a music teacher in the little town of Flat Gap (now called Treadway), Hancock, Tennessee. Flat Gap was located close to Sneedville and War Creek in that north-eastern corner of Tennessee boardering on the Kentucky line in the Appalachian Mountains. Flat Gap was known for Copper and Zinc mining.

In the 1870 Census, Martha's nickname Bettie was recorded, and she is shown as married to Riley Jordan.^[5] No marriage record has been located; date of marriage estimated prior to birth of first child, William Houston Jordan in 1868.

Riley and Bettie Jordan had 10 children:^[6]

1. William Houston Jordan 1868–1944
2. Thomas Jordan 1871–1900
3. Simon "Sim" Jordan 1875–
4. Eliza Belle Jordan 1877–1954
5. Marvel Jordan 1880–
6. Lee Jordan 1884–1955
7. James B Jordan 1884–1927
8. Dora Ellen Jordan 1888–1941
9. John Henry "Fred" Jordan 1890–1952
10. "Ott" Arthur Hayes Jordan 1896–1962

In the 1880 Census cited above, their last name is spelled Jerden and they are now living in Rockcastle, Kentucky. Riley and Betty moved from Hancock, Tennessee after the Civil War. While in Rockcastle the Jordans had many close friends and family. Riley Jordan and family moved to Texas twice with the Dooley family from Rockcastle, but they came back to Kentucky after a few years on both occasions. They would decide that they didn’t like it, then come back. One old mule of the Jordan’s made the trip to Texas twice. -- This story courtesy of Michell Flood, Ott's great granddaughter.

In the winter of 1918, Bettie came down with pneumonia. She passed away on Feb. 27, 1918 in Jonetta, Rockcastle, Kentucky at the age of 68.^[7] Her husband Riley continued to live on the farm until his death in 1926. They were buried side by side in the Jordan Cemetery in Wildie, Rockcastle, Kentucky.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953 Repository: Ancestry.com Kentucky. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records – Microfilm (1852-1910). Microfilm rolls #994027-994058. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort
2. ↑ 1850 United States Federal Census Year: 1850; Census Place: Subdivision 32, Hancock, Tennessee; Roll: M432_881; Page: 8; Image: 309. Repository: Ancestry.com
3. ↑ Maternal DNA confirmed: 157 centimorgans shared across 8 DNA segmemts Bettie's great granddaughter Ancestry member glboerner and Ancestry member stanwigley01 (2nd cousin 1xr)
4. ↑ 1860 United States Federal Census Census Place: Mills, Hancock, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1252; Page: 513; Image: 637; Family History Library Film: 805252 Repository: Ancestry.com
5. ↑ 1870 United States Federal Census Birth date abt 1851 Birth place Tennessee Residence date 1870 Residence place District 23, Davidson, Tennessee, United States Repository Ancestry.com
6. ↑ 1880 United States Federal Census Census Place Rockcastle, Kentucky Roll: 440; Family History Film 1254440 Page 356D Enumeration District: 095 Repository Ancestry.com
7. ↑ Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1953 Birth date: 1849 Birth place: Hancock, Tennessee Death date: 27 Feb 1918 Death place: Rockcastle, Kentucky Residence date: Residence place: Kentucky
8. ↑ U.S., Find A Grave http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6935095&ref=acom

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Grace McChesney for starting this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Grace and others.