COL. WILLIAM B. JORDAN. This gentleman is one of the leading farmers of Independence Township, Baxter County, Arkansas, and has followed this calling from his earliest boyhood, having been initiated into its mysteries by his father. He was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, in 1808, to Baxter Jordan, who was born in the same county in 1777 and died in 1823, having followed the calling of a merchant and farmer. His marriage resulted in the birth of two children, William B., and Thomas, who died in Alabama.
The subject of this sketch was educated in his native county and an adjoining county, and upon attaining his twentieth year he began farming. In 1835 he left the State of his birth and went to Greene County, Ala., where he gave his attention to planting and milling, carrying on the latter occupation very extensively. He remained there until the war closed, during which time he lost property to the value of about $40,000. He afterward came to Arkansas and located in Marion county, but now in Baxter County, which was then covered with primeval forest, and this county he has helped to clear and develop. His estate comprises 1,000 acres of as fine land as there is in the county, and he has 400 acres under cultivation. Unlike many who started out in life with some capital, he did not squander it, but put it to the best use he could, and being a careful business man he has become wealthy, and now deserves to rest from the burden and heat of the day. Since his residence in this county he has served as justice of the peace, an office he also held in Alabama for many years. While in that State he commanded a regiment of militia, having held all the lower offices of rank. In 1829 he was married to Miss Phaup, who died after having borne him two children: Mrs. Sarah Rose, who lives in Greene County, Ala., and one that died there leaving four children. In 1839 he wedded Miss Martha Gammil of Greene County, Ala., who bore him three sons and two daughters, one of whom is the wife of Hon. C. A. Eatman. Col. Jordan is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and politically is a Democrat.
His grandfather served in the Colonial Army during the Revolution, was an officer and bore the name of Edward Jordan. The maternal grandfather, John Pettus was also a soldier in that war, and was in the battle of Guilford Court House, N. C. The Jordans originally came from England, and down to the present day have been honorable, useful and law-abiding citizens.