Hancock-Elbert County GaArchives Biographies.....Jordan, William "Billie" & Agnes 
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Candace (Teal) Gravelle http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00023.html#0005680 November 4, 2006, 5:59 pm

Author: Published in "The Carroll County Times"

Carrollton, Carroll Co., Georgia

NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, AUGUST 13, 1880

SKETCH OF THE JORDAN FAMILY

Mr. William Jordan, living about 2 1/2 miles northwest of Villa Rica, is a 
remarkable little old man. He was born in Hancock county, and is hale and 
hearty for one of his age, which is seventy years. His wife Agnes, is still 
with him. She is sixty-three and was born in Elbert county. Uncle Billie 
makes a good living for himself and aged companion and is not dependent on 
his children for a support. He is a tiller of the soil and believes that "by 
the sweat of thy brow shalt thou earn thy bread." He is perfectly healthy, 
stands straight, walks to town without a stick and, if you will allow the 
expression, he is as hard as a pine knot. He told me that he had not had a 
spell of sickness since he was a small boy.

There are eighty-two of Mr. Jordan's offspring living. Were they all alive, 
there would be ninety-seven of this remarkable generation, including himself 
and wife. There were born to them fifteen children, ten of whom are living. 
These ten children have given to their aged parents, sixty-eight 
grandchildren and four great grandchildren. With the exception of one 
daughter, Mrs. Robertson, who lives in Coweta county, they all live in 
Carroll and within three hours' ride of their father's house.

By request, the children and their offspring met at their father's on the 
30th ultimo, that their father and mother might see them all together once 
more, which occurrence perhaps will never happen again to this great family. 
A few friends and neighbors were also invited, among whom was Mr. J.M. 
Hamrick, Rev. Beecher Smith and your humble servant, Big Ike, who went as 
reporter for The Times.

At Mr. Jordan's, we found some two hundred and fifty people, including the 
large family. Here we met our friend Hamrick who seemed to be enjoying 
himself extremely well. We gave him a hearty shake of the hand and expressed 
much pleasure in meeting him. At about 11 o'clock, Mr. Smith, after a few 
touching remarks offered up a prayer long and fervent to the Almighty, 
invoking a blessing upon the aged parents and their numerous offspring, 
that they might meet in heaven, when the last of their race is called from 
earth, as they had met here today. After prayer, Mr. Hamrick gave a short 
but eloquent address, which was very touching and solemn. He praised them 
highly for their pure, upright and honorable character.

There is said to be a black sheep in every large flock but this is certainly 
an exception, as they are known far and wide for their truthfulness and 
honesty. All of them, but two, we are told, own farms. Mr. Tom Jordan, the 
oldest son, is worth about $10,000.; he came out of the war not worth a 
cent.

After Mr. Hamrick's address, we were invited to take dinner up in a grove 
about two hundred yards from the house. Here we found a table, about sixty 
feet long, piled as high as could be with the best that could be gotten up 
to eat. There was fully enough to feed one thousand people. We tried very 
hard to get hungry but nevertheless we hid away a goodly portion of these 
good things. After we had finished supper, Mr. John Samples emptied 
twenty-five pounds of candy upon the table. We all ate candy, both old and 
young, and our mouths were as sweet as "sweet sixteen." Equality reined here 
in this respect, and one was as sweet as another for a little while, but 
only for a little while. With the lovers of the weed, the smoke of their 
pipes was soon seen curling from their sweet mouths..

Suffice to say that we left that remarkable spot wishing many more years of 
happiness to be extended to this aged couple, who for nearly half a century 
have toiled faithfully together in this weary world. May they glide gently 
down life's stream and anchor at last in the harbor of safety, where it will 
be said to them "Come up higher, ye weary pilgrims, where the wicked cease 
from troubling and the weary are at rest.", and may their descendants live 
to the same good old age and have the same blessing conferred upon them that 
we have wished upon their old father and mother is our humble petition. 

~~ Big Ike, Villa Rica, Aug. 3, 1880


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