Revised 4/15/2017. Copyright @2017; The following Documentary Timeline has been compiled and created by Paul Rhetts. It may be copied for research purposes; but it may not be reproduced for inclusion in any printed or electronic distribution of any kind without the express written permission of the author. Any requests to use this information should be sent to Paul Rhetts, LPDPress@q.com.


Howard GORDON (1789-1861) m. (1) Polly Woodward ( ), (2) Mary SHIELDS (1801-1883)
s/o unknown
1-d/o Bartlett Woodward (sheriff of Estill Co, KY 1814-1816) and Priscilla Donnelly
2-d/o John Shields and Hannah McClurg

[Farmer and Huckster (sells produce in local markets or door to door)]

23 Feb 1789 Howard Gordon born in Virginia

1790 Federal Census??

nd Polly Woodward born in Estill Co, KY

1800 Federal Census??

28 Jan 1801 Mary Polly Shields born in Knox, Tennessee

abt 1810 Howard Gordon moved to Estill County, KY

20 Sep 1813 Howard Gordon married Polly Woodward at Estill, KY [1813 Sep 20 Marriage Certificate in Estill, KY (doc) (US Marriages Transcription-doc)

1815 Son Alfred Gordon born in Estill, KY; Alfred GORDON was listed in Bartlett WOODWARD’s Will dated 1821  Monroe Co, IN

aft 1816 Polly Woodward’s parents moved from Estill, KY to Monroe, IN

1817 Dau Ruth (listed in at least one census as Ruah) Gordon born at Estill, KY; married Luke Bowman 1 Apr 1852 at Washintgon, IN (b. 1827, TN); died in Clay, IL

1817-1820 Polly Woodward died

5 Dec 1816 Dau Sarah Sally Shields born at Washington, IN; married Morris Thomas DENNY on 19 Feb 1846, Monroe, IN; dau of Mary Shields (out of wedlock?); adopted by Howard Gordon in abt 1820

abt 1818 Howard Gordon moved to Washington County, IN [History of Washington County, 1884 — Chapter III-Settlement of Monroe Township: The first settlers of what is now Monroe Township were Thomas Denny, Dempray Rice, Jacob Hattabaugh and William Logan, who came in 1819. Adam Houch, Jacob Zink, Michael Ring and George Hattabaugh settled the next year. At the close of the war of 1812, the settlement went on more rapidly. From 1814 to 1818 came Kenneth Blake, Matthew Robinson, James Williams, James and Woolman Winslow, Joseph Goodson, John Early, Benjamin Hamilton, Anthony Blackford, Charles Duncan, Larkin Nicholson, Garret Jameison, William Nicholson, Stephen Akers, Charles Carter, George and Levi Rinker, Abram Rue, John and William Bowman, Henry Crittenden, Adam Bowers, Howard Gordon, Bartlett Woodward, Michael Downing, Thomas May, Milo Payne and James Rowland, the first teacher in the township. (doc)

1819 Oct Howard Gordon indicted for committing robbery. [Centennial History Of Washington County In, Its People, Industries And Institution by Warder W Stevens, page 441: “At the October term of the circuit court, 1819, one Howard Gordon was indicted for committing robbery and was tried by jury. Although the theft was for a petty sum, the trial was a very hotly contested one, able attorneys having been employed upon both sides of the case. The prosecution won, the jury returning the following verdict: "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty as charged in the within indictment, and do assess his fine at three dollars, and that he get two stripes on his naked back well laid on." According to the then existing law, criminals could be punished by fine, imprisonment and the lash as the jury saw fit to inflict, Xo out — in the county had ever had a like sentence, and the infliction of the same was likely to attract quite a crowd when it was done. His attorneys made a motion for a new trial upon the plea of newly discovered evidence and after a very earnest struggle on the part of his counsel the verdict was set aside and a new trial granted, in which he was acquitted.] [History of Washington County, 1884 — ChapterV-Sentence of the Lash: On an indictment for larceny, a jury of twelve men rendered the following verdict against Howard Gordon: "We the jury find the defendant guilty as charged in the within indictment, and do assess his fine at $3, and that he get two stripes on his naked back well laid on." This verdict was rendered at the October term, 1819. On motion, and after a very earnest struggle on the part of his attorneys, the verdict was set aside, and a new trial granted. On the second trial, the defendant was acquitted. A similar verdict on an indictment for larceny was, at the February term, 1821, rendered against Michael Rudolph. In his case a new trial resulted in acquittal. Consequently, corporal punishment for crime was not inflicted, as according to the existing law, it might have been. In two or three decades of the Circuit Courts existence, it was no uncommon thing for lawyers by contemptuous demeanor to incur the displeasure of the Court. At the October term, 1819, John H. Thompson, Jeremiah Rowland and Reuben W. Nelson were each fined $1 for contempt of court. The date of Mr. Nelson's admission to the bar was overlooked. He was a brilliant young man, with bright prospects as a lawyer. His career was brief. He was thrown by his horse and suddenly killed.] (doc)

abt 1817-1820 Howard Gordon married Mary Shields at Washington, IN

7 Aug 1820 Federal Census Washington, IN [Males < 10=3; Males26-44=1; Females <10=2; Females 16-25=1; Engaged in Agriculture=1](doc)

5 Dec 1820 Son John Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; m.1 Elvina KENDERED BLAKE 1838 Washington, IN (b. 1815 VA -1854 Appanoose Co IA) John d. 1885 same place. M.2 Rhonda Ann Fuller Worthington 4 Nov 1855 Appanoose, IA; m.3 Caroline Dye Bates 25 Jun 1882 Appanoose, IA

15 Nov 1821 Son David Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 14 May 1863; married Lovey Bolling 30 Jan 1845 at Salem, Washington, IN (b. 1 Oct 1821); David served in Civil War.

31 Dec 1823 Son William B. Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 1910 in Mercer Co, IL; married Mary Wheeler on 23 Nov 1848 at Washington, IN (b abt 1827 OH)

22 Aug 1829 Dau Hannah Angeline born at Washintgon, IN; died Mercer Co, IL; married Edmund Chandler in 1853 at Washington, IN (b. NC; d. Mercer Co)

9 Jan 1827 Son James Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 23 Feb 1906, Washington, IN; married Sarah Ann Loudon (15 Dec 1833-27 Jun 1917) (9 kids)

1830 Federal Census Washington, IN [Males < 5=3; Males 5-9=2; Males10-14=1; Males 40-49=1; Females <5=1; Females 10-14=2; Females20-29=1] (doc)

1 May 1834 Dau Nancy Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 14 Feb 1917, Washington, IN; married Robert Lusk Brown on 11 Sep 1851 at Washington, IN (24 Oct 1826-9 Jan 1868, Washington Co, IN [Washington County, IN, p1028-1029: “Nancy [Gordon] Brown was born on May 1, 1834, on the farm adjoining her present home. Her parents were Howard and Mary [Shields] Gordon. Howard Gordon was born in Virginia and removed to Kentucky, thence removing to IN in 1824. He located in Monroe township, where he purchased government land and where he farmed until his death. He married Polly Woodward and she died, leaving two children. He then married Mary Shields, who was born in 1801, near Knoxville, Tennessee, and was a daughter of John and Hannah [McClurg] Shields. She came to IN with her parents when a child of eleven years. At the time of their settlement on the bank of the Muscatatuck river, where the town of Sparksville is now located, there were only two or three other cabins beside the small one which they erected. Howard Gordon followed farming until his death. He also drove a huckster wagon, taking produce to Louisville. It was long before the railroads were built and on his return trips he would deliver merchandise to the business men of his locality.” (doc)

8 Oct 1834 Land grant for 25.625 ac in Washington IN [Meridian 2ndPM; Twp 3-N; Range 4-E, Section 18; Accession #IN0280_247; Doc #4258](doc)

16 Sep 1835 Land grant for 25.62 ac in Washington IN [Meridian 2ndPM; Twp 3-N; Range 4-E, Section 18; Accession #IN0300_468; Doc #5479](doc)

12 Dec 1836 Dau Margaret Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 17 May 1871, Washington, IN; married Alvin James Bolling on 24 Jan 1861 at Salem, Washington, IN (b. abt 1837; d. 27 Mar 1864, Washington, IN

24 Jul 1839 Son Henry Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 27 Aug 1909, Washington, IN; married (1) Virginia Brock on 30 Dec 1866 at Salem, Washington, IN (23 Nov 1847-10 Mar 1889), Reno Co, KS; (2) Martha Jane Pennington on 19 Feb 1899 at Washington, IN (2 May 1860-1 Oct 1896, Washington, IN; Henry served in Civil War.

1840 Federal Census Monroe, Washington, IN [Males <5=1; Males5-9=1; Males 10-14=1; Males 15-19=2; Males 50-59=1; Females <5=2;Females 5-9=1; Females 15-19=2; Females 30-39=1; Persons Employed in Agriculture=4] (doc)

1842 Son Milton Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died Oct 1896; married Amanda Overshiner on 10 Nov 1863 at Washington, IN (1846-27 Dec 1885), Washington, IN; Milton served in Civil War.

9 Dec 1844 Dau Elvira Gordon born at Washintgon, IN; died 11 Aug 1923; married Levi Spurgeon on 11 May 1871 at Washington, IN (2 Jul 1826 in NC – 14 Apr 1900) Washington, IN

1850 Federal Census Monroe, Washington, IN [Howard Gordon 66; Mary Gordon 50; Ruah [Ruth] Gordon 33; James Gordon 23; Nancy Gordon 18; Margaret Gordon 13; Henry Gordon 11; Milton Gordon 8; Elvina Gordon 5] (doc)

1860 Federal Census Monroe Washington IN [Howard Gordon 70; Polly Gordon 60; Henry Gordon 20; Milton Gordon 18; Margaret Gordon 23; Elvira Gordon 14] (doc)

23 May 1861 Howard Gordon died at Washington, IN; buried at Walnut Ridge/Monroe Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Washington, IN [photo] ) [After Howard's death in 1861, Polly Gordon appeared on the 1870 Monroe, Washington, IN census living with her daughter Elvira, 25. Her son Milton and his family are close by on the census. Mary Gordan (sic) is on the 1880 Monroe, Washington, IN census living with her daughter Elvira, who is now married to Levi Spurgeon. Mary had a child on 15 Dec 1816 whose name was Sarah, aka Sally. Howard Gordon later adopted the girl and she was named in his will as one of his children. [1880 Census doc)

1870 Federal Census: Mary living with dau. Elvira in Monroe, IN

1880 Federal Census: Mary living with dau. Elvira in Monroe, IN

14 Jan 1883 Mary Shield died at Monroe Township, Washington County, Indiana; buried at Walnut Ridge/Monroe Cemetery, Jefferson Township, Washington, IN [photo]

Mary and Howard had one unnamed child that "died in bed" Source: Beryl Gordon




RECORDS/DOCUMENTS Howard Mary
Birth
Marriage
Death
1790 Census
1800 Census
1810 Census
1820 Census
1830 Census
1840 Census
1850 Census
1860 Census
1870 Census
1880 Census
DNA Kits GG1; 19380, 18591