The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-27
GORDON: 1925

GORDON: 1925
This distinguished family, both In Eng
land and America, Is one connected with
the most Important historic events Of
both countries which lends ! a charm
and interest such as should be preserved
by MI OF its many descendants.
beginning In England, the Gordons
u TSarls OF Aberdeen, and the Gor1ons,
Dukes Of Gordon, derived from n com.
mon prog entor--the carls preserving
througl.male descent. the dukes spring-
& Ing from an her-female OF the senior
llne-Ellzabethf Gordon There are re-
1 corded seven distinct branches OF Gor-
dons. each bearing on their several es-l
x cutcheons the boar's head showing the
Same family connection throughout which
Il Is traced through to- this country.
The earliest OF the family known In
England was that az Sir Richard de Cor
don, descendant Of the ducai house of
Gordon. He was the first OF the illus
trious race on record. who granted to
some monks nj lielso some land ut Cor,
don, near the cemetery, with a right OF
paHturnge In IL Huntly, strathen, A. y.
: 1l5O. Ills crest was boar's head.
The next brancl, was that Of Sir Rob
4 ert Gordon, OF Gordonstown. 1875. Ha
II held tho high office OF Chamberlain
inverness His crest was a stag at gaze,
with thrne boars heads on a shield. The
next branch was Sir John Gordon
twelfth lord of Lochlnvar, created nv
Charles +, Yiscount. 1853. Els arms also
bear three boars' heads.
The fourth branch Of Gordon IL hat
I or Duff Gordon, being 5lhe k1ighthood {
James Dun, descending on his nephew,
William Gordon, lie becoming Sill William
u Dun-Gordon. ITO, his arms being quar-
-tcrly nrst and fourth OF which bears the
II three boars' heads for. Gordon;t the rest
offshield for Dun f,f
Tho NTH branch WINS that OF Gordon-
Cumming, being the alliance OF Sir AL1 'dcS
ovick Gordon, OF g rdonstown, who mar
9irlcd Lucy, daughter OF Robert Cumming,
& aSdescendant of the family OF Cumming,
sprlugiug from tins ancient house OF
II Confines, In France Their arms ure
dated ira. quarterly. the first quarter
bearing the bears heads
Tho sixth branch was a Inter creation.
being that OF Sir James Wllloughby Cor
5don 1876, as the Gordons OF Moorplace
Kent county, England His arms are also
quarterly, ono OF which has the three
4 boars' heads, IS
Thus we sec that the line Is easily
traced blythe boars' heads. This aGordons
OF America are doubtless descended
through Sir Robert Gordon. of Gordons-
ItP
arms which head this article lear tho
marks moro closely OF his. The first OF
I. the family TO come to Virginia was Co.'s
81 onel James g ordon, who settled IN Lall-
caster county some time previous to IT'S.
He was born in England III TIA, being
about twenty years Of age when ne
reached tile colony, ulid at once took
a an active part Iii tho Revolution, being
e placed In command Of one Of the VIZ
ginia regiment which was present at
the surrender OF the British at York.
town Colonel James also had a young
4, er brother, John Gordon, who came oyer.
later and settled iii Alddlesex county.
Tho vile of Coonel James Gordon was, a
+ Miss Mary Harrison. of the celebrated
g Harrison family OF Surry, The wife Of
his brother John was Miss Lucy Church,
hill. The descendants Of both families
,nuved to and settled In Albemarle early
in tho nineteenth cchsury. One Of tGo
sons OF Colonel James Gordon, William
T. Gordon, settled near where the toWn
OF Gordonsyllle is now located when
was numod tor him, being on some OF his
lands One of the daughters or Cnlonel
James married the Rev. Mr.. Waddill, the
celebrated blind preacher, who by his
I marriage obtained a portion, Of the
II Gordon tract, where lie settled, and be-
& sides preaching, taught school, under,
whom young Thomas Jefferson, Monroe,
Il Madison and other celebrities obtained
tholr initial instructions
William r. Gordon became quite pron'-
tnent as a lawyer, entered tie State l.es-
is,alure early, and represented the state
5 Iii the Congress of lS2S to 1883, ana WINE
In Congress was the originator Or the
.,lb-treasury system, Ills title OF ''een-
eral'' was given him In 1890 as brlgadler-
general OF the Third BRIGADE OF NlrRlllla
Militia, and In 1870 was made major,
general Of the Second Division. Genera!
I, Gordon WIS famous as speaker al,u
lumorlst, with fund OF anecdotes; ne
was always most congenial companion.
He always dressed plainly even WINS.
I ii, Congress wearing a suit Of homespun
made on his farm, to comport WIN the
dress Of his Southern congressional.
brethren In opposition to the passage OF
tha tariff law of 1927. (See &ieads his,
torlc Homes, Southwest Mountains OF
yirgjn!a,) General Gordon hurried EliZ-
nhoth, daughter Of Colonel Reuben Lind
say il Scotchlnan OF notorlety ana lurse
wealth, BY their marriage were Ten
children namely, first, James II, mar
Iied, first, Miss Bealo: second. MISS N1h-
stun: no issue.
81. Reuben L., married Miss Heale, SIS
Ter of above leaving four daugh ters. i''d
Z two sons, Reuben l., and AleSanaef !,
al, William r., Jrr marrisd MISS MoF7
ris, by whom three daughlers ana tWo,
sons, William It. and James Norris
4th George L., now dead, married MISS
Daniel. OF North Carolina; no left TWO
u - Z. Z . 80