Spartanburg County, South Carolina - Chapter 24: Hon. James Jorden, 1900

Chapter 24: Hon. James Jorden

In the early liistory of Spartanburg county no one figured more prominently than James Jorden, who was among the first settlers on the Tygers. On his paternal side it is said that he was Scotch, and on his maternal side Irish. He was doubtless well nurtured and trained by his parents, receiving the best education that could be obtained at his day and time. His birthplace was probably in the State of Pennsylvania, as most of the Scotch-Irish settlers on the Tygers came from that country.

In the annals of the documentary history of the important events which occurred within the territory embraced in the original county of Spartanburg, which we gather in fragments here and there, the first record we find of any public service rendered by James Jorden was when he was commissary of old F'ort Prince during the year 1776. As an evidence of this fact, his old record book, w^hile serving in this capacity, was found eightytwo years afterwards, and copies of entries made therein are at present to be found in Spartan files under date of October 7th, 1858.

The book referred to is described as being two by four inches in size, much mutilated, and containing about thirty or forty pages. From the appearance of the copies made from the original entries, a splendid system of bookkeeping is displayed, well worthy of modern imitation.

very near the old historic Blackstock road. It was built by the early settlers, says Draper, about twelve years before the beginning of the Revolution, as a defence against the outbreak and massacres of the Indians on the borders during the war between France and Great Britain, some particulars of which we have given in another volume.* It was called from the Princes, who lived near by. Among the earliest settlers living in the vicinity of Fort Prince were the families Vernons, Jordens, Timmons, Reas or Rays, Millers, Dodds, Collins, Lawrences, Bishops, Goodletts, Jamisons, and others. These came to this section before the Revolution, and some of their descendants still hover around the home of their ancestors.

It was during the Indian outrages of 1776, instigated by Indian emissaries or agents, an account of which we have published elsewhere, f that the early settlers in the vicinities of Fort Prince, Poole's Fort near Wofford's Iron Works (now Glendale), Nicholl's Fort at "Narrow Pass" near the residence of the late Captain David Anderson, Blockliouse near Landrum, Thickety and other forts gathered and erected forts to defend themselves from an impending danger. During these trying ordeals it was necessary that a proper person be selected to purchase supjDlies for the maintenance of these people, and the person selected for this responsible duty at Fort Prince was James Jorden.

At the period when the entries referred to were made, James Jorden was an old bachelor, and lived at the house of Robert Goodlett, about one mile from the fort, which was sufficiently near for him to attend to his duties as commissarv of the fort.

Some time during or after the Revolution James Jorden married to Mrs. Margaret Miller, whose name appears in the old commissary book. In another volume* we have given an account of the killing of Mr. John IVIiller, which occurred during the Indian outrages of 1776, at or near Barry's Bridge. The writer is in possession of a MS. letter from Mr. Lawrence D. Miller, Jacksonville, Ala., under date of July 7th, 1890, which states that at the time this murder took place, Mrs. Margaret Miller, wife of John Miller (to whom James Jorden afterwards married), and her son Samuel were, with other neighbors, in Fort Nicholls for protection, which was about one mile distant. The son Samuel referred to was known in late years as Sheriff Sam Miller, whose name and character are well known to many of the older citizens of Spartanburg county.

It would appear from the letter of Mr. Miller referred to and the old account book of James Jorden, that Mrs. Margaret Miller was the inmate, at different times, of the two forts during the years 1776-77. It was some time during these years that James Jorden, then an old bachelor, became enamored by her charms and made her the wife of his bosom. By this union three children were born, viz. : Elizabeth, John and Margaret. The latter became the wife of James Vernon, son of Alexander, whose name also appears in the MS. accounts of James Jorden.

We are unable at this time to state fully the part that James Jorden took in the great Revolutionary struggle for independence, but can say without fear of contradiction that it was a prominent one, and that he greatly aided in the work of disenthrallment from British tyranny. It may be truly said of him that he was a prom- inent and distinguished man for his day and generation, not only for his advocacy of letters, but as an administrator of law, having received the commission of judge of the first courts held in Spartanburg county, as shown elsewhere. He was also a member from Spartanburg county of the first Constitutional Convention of South Carolina held after the close of the Revolution ; and he, with the entire delegation from his county, voted for a form of government that pertained more to a monarchy than a republic, the latter being an experiment rather than a reality. But, despite the immaturity of public opinion which prevailed at that time, he, in this, as in all other public acts of his life, consulted not the public sentiment of his day, but boldly and independently pursued the leadings of his own judgment.

As shown elsewhere, James Jorden was a representative to the State Legislature from 1788 to '90, and senator from the same county from 1800 to '02. His death occurred in 1802.

During the time that he was a membei of the Legislature of South Carolina, owing to his high appreciation of the advantages of education, he voted for the first appropriation for the establishment of the South Carolina College.

It has been said of him, that, despite the many virtues that shone resplendent in his private character, the Hon. James Jorden was not influential alone from private worth, but in his day stood preeminently forth as an orator. He was not only remarkable for his flow of language, but also for the chasteness of his style, the development of his argumentative power, and the earnestness, grace and elegance of his manner. Such is the testimony handed down by those who heard him in debate as well as on the rostrum.

Jorden, but we would fix it not far from 1725. His wife, Margaret, whose first husband, John Miller, was killed by the Tories, as already stated, was born April ist, 1740. Her son Samuel Miller (Sheriff Sam), by first husband, was born June nth, 1768. The children of James and Margaret Jorden, being three, were born following dates : Elizabeth, September 8th, 1778 ; John, July nth, 1780 ; and Margaret (wife of James Vernon), October 13th, 1782.

The Vernon Family

Among the early settlers on the Tygers in the present county of Spartanburg was Alexander Vernon, from whom has sprung a long and respectable line of posterit}'. He was born in Scotland January 24th, 1732, and emigrated to America when about twenty-one years of age, finally, in 1755, settling on North Tyger River at the present homestead residence of James J. Vernon. It was during this year (1755) that this section of country was thrown open to settlement by virtue of the treaty of Governor Glen with the Cherokee Indians. His wife was Margaret Chesnee, born also in Scotland. He brought with him evidences of high respectability and Christian character, both for himself and wife. On the 29th of May, 1755, he obtained a letter from the minister (Sam Brown) of his church in the parish of Tarry town, stating that he had lived in said parish "from his infancy in an innocent and inoffensive manner in all respects" ; that he had "ever been free of any public scandal or church censure," and was " justly entitled to the privileges of any Christian society or congregation where Providence" should "order his lot," the samebeingsigned not only by his minister, but by Will Hannah and other elders. Another letter of a similar character, dated May 17th, 1760, was obtained for his wife Margaret Chesnee, and one for his brother James Vernon. The tradition in the family is, that five years after he left his native parish in Scotland he returned and married Margaret Chesnee. His old family Bible is yet in a state of preservation, being in the hands of the family of Judge T. O. P. Vernon. He died at the age of 55 years, and his remains were interred in the cemetery at Nazareth Church. His will was recorded at Ninety-six C. H.

Alexander and Margaret (Chesnee) Vernon had children as follows : John Vernon, born 1758; Nancy Vernon, born 1761, married ]\Iichael Miller; Margaret Vernon, born 1763, married David Jorden ; James Vernon, born 1765, married Margaret, daughter of James Jorden ; Mary Vernon, born 1767, married John Crawford.

Michael and Nancy (Vernon) Miller had children as follows: John V. Miller, born 1761 ; Margaret (Peggy) Miller, born 1786, married John Montgomery (see Montgomery family) ; Mary (Polly) Miller, born 1788, married James M. Anderson ("Tyger Jim," see Anderson family) ; Hannah Miller, born 1793, married Theron Earle (see Earle family); Elizabeth (Betsy) Miller, born 1791, married David Dantzler ; Henry Miller, born 1795; James V. Miller, born 1797, married Mariah Hannon ; Alexander Miller, born 1800, married Silvina Whetstone; Clarinda Miller, born 1803, married David Whetstone; and Catharine (Katy) Miller, born 1806, married Willis Benson.

The children of James and Margaret (Jorden) Vernon were as follows : Alexander Vernon, born 1799, married Ann Gray; Nancy Vernon, born 1802; Mary (Polly) Vernon, born 1804, married John Bomar, Jr. (see Bomar family); Jas. J. Vernon, born 1806, married Anii Oeland (see sketch); John G. Vernon, born 1808, married Miss Gault ; Elizabeth (Betsy) Vernon, born 1810, married first Isaac Snoddy (see Snoddy family), and second Rich- ard Ballenger; x'Vndrew J. Vernon, first, born 1815; Andrew J. Vernon, second, born 1816, married Georgiana Moore; Thomas O. P. Vernon, born 1818, married Harriet Bomar (see sketch of Judge T. O. P. Vernon)'; and Henry Franklin Vernon, born 1822, married Letitia Blackwell.

Alexander Miller, son of Michael and Silvina (Whetstone) Miller, had children as follows : William Henry Miller, James M. Miller, Andrew B. Miller, Nancy and Mary Jane Miller.

David and Clarinda (Miller) W'hetstone had children as follows : Asbiiry Whetstone, Jas. A. Whetstone, Michael W' hetstone (married Charity Lites), Dantzler Whetstone, Nancy W. Whetstone (married Dr. Samuel INIeans), Mary Whetstone (married L. Weeks), Elizabeth and Laura Whetstone.

John and Polly (Vernon) Bomar had children as follows : Elizabeth (Betty), married Dr. R. E. Cleveland (see sketch); Margaret, married Major Thos. H. Bomar; Louesa, married Major John Earle Bomar (see sketch).

David and Betsey (Miller) Dantzler had children as follows : Barbary, married Major John Stroble ; Louis, married Eliza Shuler ; Cedie, married John Poole ; Margaret, married Rev. Andrew Pedan ; and Mary, married Henry Rush.

James and Mariah (Hannon) Miller had children as follows : Caroline, Elizabeth, Catharine Jane, Eliza, James, Michael and Henrietta Miller (now Mrs. Colonel Witt of Arkansas).

Isaac and Betsey (Vernon) Snoddy had children as follows : Margaret, married Dr. John C. Oeland (see sketch of Dr. J. C. Oeland), and James Snoddy. By mar- son of James and Margaret (Jorden) Vernon, was born -on North Tyger at the old homestead of his father (now the residence of his son, Mr. James J. Vernon) near Welford, S. C, March 2d, 1807, and died in Spartanburg, C, vSeptember i8th, 1864, aged fifty-seven years.

English education and s o m e fitness in the classics, Dr. Vernon began the study of medicine at the age of seventeen in the office of Dr. Robert M. Young, then a prominent physician in the town of Spartanburg, and graduated at the University o f Pennsylvania i n 1828.

Returning home from Philadelphia he practiced med- "icine at his father's homestead (which subsequently became his property) for two years, and then removed to Spartanburg, where he built up an extensive practice and earned an enviable reputation in medicine, being a noted diagnostician. He had a wide scope of labor which reached to neighboring towns into North Carolina, a distance from Spartanburg upwards of over thirty miles. During his professional life he had a number of young men in his office preparing for a medical course, and among them we would mention the names of Dr. Booker, Dr. R. E. Cleveland, Dr. John Anderson, Dr. O. G. Chapman (Texas), and Dr. John C. Oeland.

Dr. Vernon married to Miss Ann Eliza Oeland Janu- .ary 25th, 1844, danghter of John and Catharine Oeland, who resided at Forest Hill (on Fair Forest) in Spartanburg District, S. C. By this marriage two sons and three daughters were born, viz. : J. J. Vernon, Dr. John O. Vernon, Mary, Hattie and Lizzie. After his marriage Dr. Vernon returned to his plantation on North Tyger, where he resided and continued in the practice of his profession until within a few years prior to the outbreak of the civil war, when he removed to Spartanburg, where he resided until the day of his death.

In personal appearance he was tall, well-proportioned, and always had a cheerful face ; he was always kind and genial in disposition and administered not only as a physician, but as a neighbor to the wants and comforts of others. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church, and a generous contributor to all of its objects.

He was elected by the people of Spartanburg District to the Convention of South Carolina in 1852, and served during the session of that body which met in Columbia. His colleagues were Rev. J. G. Landrum, Colonel James Farrow, Colonel R. C. Poole, Dr. John Winsmith and Dr. Peter M. Wallace.

His remains lie buried in the cemetery of Nazareth Church. Let his memory be preserved as a man who made the world better by his having lived in it.

Judge Thomas O. P. Vernon

Among the native born sons of the " Old Iron District ' ' who have figured in a past day in her history, none are deserving of more special notice than Judge T. O. P. Vernon, the subject of this sketch.

place of his father, which was settled by__his grandfather Alexander Vernon, and which still remains in the Xernon family. Here he was principally bronght np, and when about nineteen years of age he entered the University of Georgia (Athens), from which institution he was graduated. Returning home he read law, was admitted to the bar, and his brilliant talents were soon recognized by the people of his native county. He was specially distinguished for his eloquence as an orator,

He had not been long at the bar before the legislature elected him commissioner in equity for Spartanburg District, and he was also for many years associate editor of the Carolina Spartan^ and in this capacity always wielded his pen for whatever he considered the best interests of his country. As already stated, he excelled in brilliant oratory, and " every celebration of the battle of Cowpens, every Fourth of July celebration, every public reception of distinguished visitors, in fact, every occasion calling for the orator or ready speaker within reach, claimed his name as the most prominent on the list." In 1858 he was forced out against his will as a candidate for Congress, and although unsuccessful in the congressional district, he carried his native district by an overwhelming majority. He served as judge of the inferior (district) court in Spartanburg,, soon after the civil war, under the reconstruction measures devised under the administration of President Johnson. Afterwards he was elected judge of the circuit court, and during the time that he served as such won the approval and admiration of his countrymen, which should always be remembered and preserved in the pages of history.

" It was in the fall of 1870, the day after the election in Laurens, where, during the sitting of his (Judge Vernon's) court, the celebrated Laurens riot, the first serious revolt in the State against radical oppression, broke out and involved the surrounding countr3^ Regardless of the presentment of the grand jury, prepared under the direction of the court, a command of six hundred troops under General Corbin, were sent to Laurens to arrest some of her best citizens, who were carried to Columbia and imprisoned.

" After several weeks imprisonment, with the constant threat of lynching or assassination hanging over them, and after many ineffectual efforts on the part of their counsel to secure bail from other judges, and a direct refusal to allow them to be brought to Spartanburg to appear before Judge Vernon, he determined to go to Columbia to hear their cases. Finding it impossible by bribe or threats to influence his action, the legislature, then in session, determined to impeach him before he could act. The prisoners were in the court-room and the judge in his seat hearing argument on the writ of habeas corpus when the messenger from the House rushed in and handed the judge the resolutions of impeachment, thinking that would suspend further actions. It was then that his true nature asserted itself, as he threw aside the resolutions with the indignant remark that it did not prevent him from exercising the functions of his office, and that he would proceed with the cases and release the gentlemen on bond and allow them to return to their homes. He knew that this step would cost him his position, but, to use the phrase of a distinguished spectator, 'he died with the great writ of habeas corpus

It is needless to say that while this bold and decided action of Judge Vernon, which required continuous sitting on the bench thirty-six hours, did cost him his official head, yet time soon vindicated his action, and the political prosecutions against the prisoners released were dropped or }ioI-prossed.

Judge Vernon, in retiring from the bench, was highly complimented by a formal address from the members of the Abbeville bar and by the press over the entire State. He died in the 57tli year of his age. Appropriate resolutions were passed upon his death in 1877 by the Spartanburg bar.

Judge Vernon, as already stated, married Miss Harriet, daughter of Elisha Bomar, Esq., and sister of Major John Earle Bomar, a congenial and devoted wife, who survived him for some ten or fifteen years. By this marriage the following children were born : John E. Vernon, Paul B. Vernon, Frank P. Vernon, Thomas W. Vernon, James Edward Vernon and Misses Ellen L. ani Lillie E. Vernon.