Jasper County IL Archives Biographies.....Jourdan, William L. 1839 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 7:54 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

WILLIAM L. JOURDAN, who resides on section 8, Wade Township, Jasper County, owns
and operates a farm of three hundred and twenty acres of land, and is considered
one of the substantial and leading agriculturists of the community. As he is
widely and favorably known, we feel assured that this sketch of his life will
prove of interest to many of our readers. No other home has he known than Jasper
County, for he was born in Wade Township, February 28, 1839. His paternal
grandfather, Col. Jourdan, was born of Scotch-Irish parentage. He grew to
manhood in tbe Old Country, and later became one of the early settlers of
Indiana. He received his commission as Colonel during his service in the War of
1812.

  James Jourdan, his son and the father of our subject, was born and reared near
Vincennes, Ind., and there married Melinda Scott, a native of Kentucky, and a
daughter of William Scott. Determining to try his fortune in Illinois, he became
the first real settler who made a permanent location in Jasper County. His first
home was made in what is now Fox Township, at Bow Station. Later he settled near
Newton, and resided there for some time. He spent the last years of his life on
the old homestead, which is now occupied by his son, Joseph Jourdan, and his
death there occurred in 1844, when our subject was a mere lad. The mother then
reared her family. She survived her husband until May, 1876, when she was called
to her final rest, and her remains were interred by his side in the Vanderhoof
Cemetery, where a marble slab marks their last resting-place. In the Jourdan
family there were four sons and three daughters, who grew to manhood and
womanhood, and four of the number are yet living, namely: Mary A., wife of
Horace Root; Kate, wife of Sam Miller; Joseph and William.

  The subject of this sketch remained with his mother until after he had
attained his majority, and aided her in the labors of the farm. His educational
privileges were very moderate, being those afforded by the common schools. On
the breaking out of the late war he manifested his loyalty to the Union cause by
enlisting on the 5th of October, 1861, as a member of Company K, Thirty-eighth
Illinois Infantry. When his term had expired he veteranized, and continued in
the service until the spring of 1866. He participated in all the engagements of
his regiment, including the battles of Corinth and Stone River, whence he went
to Chattanooga, and during all the way the troops were under fire. He then took
part in the battles of Chattanooga, Kenesaw Mountain, Chickamauga, Franklin and
Nashville. He received a wound at Stone River. After the surrender of Lee, the
Thirty-eighth Regiment was sent to Texas, where it did duty until the spring of
1866. With his comrades, Mr. Jourdan was then mustered out at Springfield, and
returned to his home.

  On again reaching Jasper County our subject resumed farming in Wade Township,
where he owned one hundred and sixty acres of land. After operating that place
for several years, in 1883 he purchased the farm on which he now resides and
which has since been his home. The tract was formerly known as the Big Marsh,
for much of it was under water and thought to be unfit for cultivation. Mr.
Jourdan has drained and developed it, until it is now one of the valuable farms
of the county. He has a comfortable residence, many modern improvements, and is
numbered among the thrifty and well-to-do agriculturists of Wade Township.

  While home on a furlough during the late war, Mr. Jourdan was married, May 26,
1862, to Miss Mary M. Banta, a native of Johnson County, Ind. She came to
Illinois when a maiden of eleven summers, with her father, Henry Banta, who
settled in Wade Township. Eight children bless the union of Mr. and Mrs.
Jourdan. Alva T. and Charles M. are both married, and operate portions of the
home farm. The younger members of the family are Ephraim S., Harvey, Winnie,
Elbert, William H. and Ulysses G. They also lost three children, Axie, George T.
and Rennie, who died at the ages of thirteen, two and one years respectively.

  Mr. Jourdan is an ardent advocate of the Republican party, and has voted for
each of its Presidential nominees since easting his first vote for Abraham
Lincoln in 1860. He and his wife hold membership with the Presbyterian Church,
and socially, he is a member of Newton Lodge, A. O. U. W. Mr. Jourdan is well
known in Newton. and in Jasper County. He is a man of strict integrity, true to
every duty of citizenship and to every private trust, and among the honored
pioneers he well deserves mention.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

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