Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-18
RELICS OF CONTINENTAL TIMES,
Quaint Documents Owned by
Mr.. Franklin Jordan.
How Col. Tri tram Jordan Was Ap-
pointed to the Colonial Militia.
Rare Souvenir OF the kedoubtabIs John
Paul Jon-s-A Passport by Presi-
dent Thomas Jeffersan-A
Venerable Log BOOK.


transplanted, as it were, from the hust-
ling present to the times that tried
mems souls.
Such an experience was the fortune
Of HERALD reporter one day last week,
when he dropped into the Office of Mr..
Franklin Jordan, an attorney in the
Fulton block on New High street, near
Franklin.
Mr.. Jordan's ancestors took promi-
nent part in the revolutionary war, his
grandfather, Tristram Jordan, being one
of the patriots who helped to make the
break with the mother country effectual.
To the right of the door upon entering
his office ia framed commission. given
to this grandfather in 1776, shortly BE-
fore the cuimination of the stirring
events which led to Bunker Hill.
At that time the governor of the
Massachusetts bay colony had heep dead
short time, and the government WAS
in the hands of the crown council who
regulated affairs ad interim. The com
mission is curious old document, and
the men who signed it bring out names
which afterwards were known very
widely A copy OF the paper WAS taken
and will be of interest. 1t was as fol-
lows:
Colony of the Massachusetts By. The major
part of the councii OF the Nessachus it's Bay
IL New England to Tristram Jordan, Etq,
Getting:
You beihg appointed colonel of the tt ird
| regiment of II ilitia in the county of York
| BY virtue OF the power vested in US, we do
| by these presents proposing srecial trust and
confidence in nr loyalty, coursge and good
are therefor. carefully and diligently to di~-
| charge the dut of a col MI in Leading, order
ing and exercising said regiment in arms,
both inferior officers and soldiers; and
disci pline: and they are hereby
ded to obey he1 colonel and
| and Instructions as You shall from tim to time
receive fl ON the major part of the council or
your VI erior fficers
Gwen uuder our hands and the seal of the
said colony, the l4ih day of Februa y, in the
| 16 year of Of the reign OF his m,iesty King
Byt e command of the major part of the
council.
Perez Morton, B. Gre nleaf. W spoorer.
| Jed dish F ster, Edward Taylor, B. lincoln
| afterwards Ge eral inco NJ, Michael Farley,
!. Palmer, Moses Gill: 8 Holton. Gabr Fisher,
| John Tay lor and b. White.
| 1t was not long after this that Colonel
| Jordan was with the rebels at Bunker
L1lli duO udu PI iCO bCt uPOH hCoNs
| together with several of the memb mbers of
the council who signed his commission
Living upon q table in Mr. Jordan's
Office was one of the twelve bronze cop
les of the gold medal awarded to John
Paul Jones by the Continental congress.
1t is superb piece OF work, and was ex-
ecuted in Paris. The occasion was the
capture of the Scraps in l779, by that
debonair privateersman off the coaet of
scotland. The medal shows upon one
side magnificent representation OF the
battle, with the ships Bonhomie
Richard and Seraapis in the foreground
The lines after this lapse of time are as
clean cut as when first engraved, and
the work is superb. Upon the diverse
side is bust of the gallant captain, his
! hair tied in queue in the quaint
| faehion of those old days.
In addition to the gold medal there
were IL bronze copies struck off and dis
tributed among officers OF the navy, and
| Captain Ichabod Jordan of the revolu-
tionary navy, Mr.. Jordan's ancestor,
was one of the lucky ones. This rare
and interesting souvenir has remained
| in the family ever since, and Mr.. Jordan
shows it with pardonable pride.
Among other interesting souvenirs OF
| the paet which hang upon the walle Of
his Office is safe conduct or passport,
given under the signature of President
Thomas Jefferson to Mr.. Jordan's great
grandfather, to land in different ports
OF Europe with hie ship. The passport
is in half a dozen different languages,
and the verbiage is something astonish-
ing in these days of the com monplace
The potentates and princes of the pow
ers of the continent are referred to in
terms that are magni6cently grandilo.
quent, and when Captain Jordan had
this weighty document in his possession
he must have felt sense of security
from the language alone.
Among other old things he has is
log book of Capt Ebenezer Gray, which
is a whole history in itself. 1t chroni:.
cles the events of several voyages. and
begins in the year 1867. 1t is curious
medley of mariners charts and daily
record of latitude and longitude along
| the Atlantic coast, and scraps OF poetry.
| One can see the captain seated in his
little cabin jotting down the events OF
his voyages, his thoughts and conJec
lures. On one page ie quaint old song,
which halts somewhat as to feet, but
has some interest ae showing the line OF
| DumHu 6cutiuleub III VuObC Oiu u0y5s AAO
words are as follows:
| A SONG. NH
| o when was young man I took delight In
owe:
Ny mind fxt upon maid which Did Uncon-
| thoueht she had been my own true Love,
which eau ed me to SIT and say.
| o now I find she hath changed her mind
| To quite contrary way.
went unto Love one Dav, these words to her
O we have Love catch other this Long and
Many Day;
| So now am come 10 Let you now that Married
We mu bee.
| 80 Let us see how we can agree and APPOINT the
Wedding Day.
o Stay, o STAY, Young man we think You are
In hast;
never aw young man so spend his time in
The tim has been you might have had Your
Opportunity,
| But now say you shall have nay
Some other you may try.
| 90 home and tell your Mother Dear in Love
YOU have been crost.
Had you gone the riRht way TO woo, my Love
you neer had Lost
| Had you gone the right way 10 WOO, my Love
you'd shurely won
| All In the 8 ring you'd cropt my wing,
30 I'd ne'er have flown.