Thomas JORDAN
Biography

Thomas Jordan married Margaret Brashare who was one of the first known converts to the Society of Friends in the Virginia colony. She became a Quakeress in 1658 when she was only sixteen years old. Soon after their marriage in 1660, her husband, Thomas, also converted to the faith.

Hinshaw's Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy notes, "Thomas Jordan was probably the most influential Quaker in lower Virginia being a man of position and substance."

In 1661, he was held, as he writes, "in six weeks imprisonment for being taken at a meeting at my own house and released by the King's proclamation." In the same year, Thomas Jordan also "suffered" the following abuses for his Quaker beliefs: ". . . for being taken at a meeting at Robert Lawrence's and bound over to the court of Nansemond for refusing to swear according to their wills and against the commands of Christ, was sent up to Jamestown a prisoner for upwards of ten months. Presently John Blake took away my three servants and left my wife in a distressed condition with a young child at her breast . . . which servant was kept nine weeks and released by order of the Governor. There was taken by John Blake, sheriff of Nansemond, two feather beds, two feather bolsters, and furniture which together with other goods amounted to 3,907 lbs. tobacco and also a serving man who had three years to serve. There was taken by Thomas Godwin, sheriff, ten head of cattle amounting to 5,507 lbs." This testimonial was signed, "Thomas Jordan, Chuckatuck, 1st month, 1661."

Thomas and Margaret Jordan had ten sons:

Thomas (1/ 6/ 1660 - )
married Elizabeth Burgh.

John (6/ 17/ 1663 - )
married Margaret Burgh.

James (11/ 23/ 1665- )
married Elizabeth Ratcliff.

Robert (7/ 11/ 1668 - )
married Mary Belson.

Richard (6/ 6/ 1670 - )
married Rebecca Ratcliff.

Joseph, (7/ 8/ 1672 - )
married Ann ___.

Benjamin (born 7/ 18/ 1674 - )
married ?.

Matthew (11/ 1/ 1676 - )
married Dorothy Newby Bufkin.

Samuel (2/ 15/ 1679 - )
married Elizabeth Fleming.

The actual grave site of Thomas Jordan can not be found as Quakers of that era were buried in unmarked graves or with field stones engraved with simple initials. He is listed in the Chuckatuck cenotaph as his death was entered into the Minutes of the Monthly Meeting there.

From Hinshaw's EAQG, Vol. VI, Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting, page 31

1699, 10, 8.

Thomas Joedan of Chuckatuck in Nansemond Co. in Virginia was b in ye yr 1634 and in ye yr 1660 hee received ye truth & abode faithfull in it & in constant unity with ye faithfull friends thereof & stood in opposition against all wrong & desatefull spirits having suffered ye spoiling of his goods & ye imprisonment of his body for ye truth sake & continued in ye truth unto ye end of his dayes is ye
beleefe of us his dear w & ch above written Heedeparted this life ye eight day of ye tenth mo on ye sixth of ye weeke about ye second hour of ye afternoon & was bur ye twelfe day of ye said mo on ye third of ye week in ye yr 1699.

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