Davidson-Wilson County TN Archives Biographies.....Stokes, Jordan 1817 - 1886
************************************************

Copyright.  All rights reserved.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tn/tnfiles.htm

************************************************



File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com October 26, 2005, 3:16 pm

Author: Will T. Hale

   JORDAN STOKES. Prominent among those who have conferred dignity and

distinction upon the bench and bar of the state of Tennessee was the honored

subject of this memoir. He was a man whose character was the positive expression

of a strong and noble nature; his intellectual and professional attainments were

of high order; he was a scion of old and patrician southern stock; and he stood

exemplar of the best type of American citizenship. Such were his character and

services that there is eminent consistency in according in this publication a

brief tribute to his memory.



   Judge Stokes was born in Chatham county, North Carolina, on the 23d of

August, 1817, and was summoned to the life eternal, at Nashville, Tennessee, on

the 27th of November. 1886. in the plentitude of years and well earned honors.

He was a son of Sylvanius and Mary (Christian) Stokes, who continued to maintain

their home in North Carolina until their death. Thomas Stokes, grandfather of

him to whom this memoir is dedicated, was a native of Virginia and a

representative of an English family that was founded in that historic

commonwealth in the colonial epoch. The family gave gallant and patriotic

soldiers to the Continental line in the war of the Revolution, and among the

distinguished Revolutionary ancestors of Judge Stokes was Rev. Green Hill, who

was treasurer of North Carolina during the great struggle for national

independence and in whose home was held the first Methodist conference in North

Carolina. On the distaff side Judge Stokes was a lineal descendant of John

Christian, who was a distinguished officer of the Continental forces in the

Revolution.



   Judge Stokes was afforded the hest of educational advantages, as gauged by

the standards of the locality and period, and manifested special proficiency in

the sciences. He early formulated definite plans for his future career, by

determining to prepare himself for the legal profession. He applied himself

diligently to the study of law, and in 1837-8 pursued his technical studies in

the office and under the able preceptorship of the firm of Meigs & Rucks, whose

principals were at that time representative members of the bar of Nashville,

Tennessee. In 1838 Judge Stokes was licensed to practice law in this state and

he served his professional novitiate at Carthage, the judicial center of Smith

county, where he soon proved his powers as an ambitious and resourceful advocate

and well fortified counselor. Within less than a year after initiating the

practice of his profession he was elected to represent Smith county in the state

legislature. In 1841 he removed to Lebanon, the capital of Wilson county, where

he entered into a professional alliance with Hon. Samuel Caruthers and where he

gained further prestige in his chosen vocation. In 1851-2 he represented Wilson

county in the state legislature, in which he had the distinction of being chosen

speaker of the house, a position in which he served with marked discrimination

and acceptability. He was a presidential elector from Tennessee on the Whig

ticket in 1852, when General Winfield Scott was the party nominee for the

presidency, and at the time of this campaign he declined the nomination for

representative in congress from his district. Concerning salient points in his

political and public career the following pertinent record has been made and is

worthy of perpetuation in this connection:



   "In 1859, as a member of the state senate, Judge Stokes made a speech which

has been justly pronounced one of the most effective specimens of oratory ever

delivered in the state and which was highly commended by Abraham Lincoln and

other distinguished public men. In the excitement of the slavery agitation a

bill was introduced in the legislature, passed the lower house and has reached

the senate, with every prospect of enactment. This bill provided for the exiling

or enslaving of all free negroes in the state. It was due to the masterly

eloquence of Judge Stokes that this most unjust measure was defeated. He opposed

the secession of the state and was a consistent Union man throughout the Civil

war. Yet, sympathizing with his people, he devoted earnest efforts in favor of

conciliation and in softening the asperities of war. After the close of the

great struggle through which the integrity of the nation was perpetuated he

strenuously opposed the reconstruction policy of the Republican party and gave

his unreserved allegiance to the Democratic party, with which he ever afterward

continued to be aligned. He could not be persuaded, however, to enter the arena

of active or practical politics, but devoted his life to his profession and to

literary pursuits. Notwithstanding his extensive practice and high reputation as

a chancery lawyer, he was best known as an advocate of fiery eloquence and

invincible power over a jury, so that he was an antagonist greatly to be feared

in forensic contest. His exceptionally academic culture and attractive

oratorical powers brought to him frequent invitations for addresses before

eminent literary and scientific organizations, and his addresses on such

occasions were unrivaled in eloquency and pertinence. Among the most admired of

these orations was his address, at Vanderbilt University, on 'The Centenary of

American Methodism.' "



   Judge Stokes was a deep and appreciative student of the history and teachings

of the time-honored Masonic fraternity, in which he was a prominent figure, his

service as high priest of his chapter of Royal Arch Masons having covered a

period of many years. He was a most zealous and consistent member of the

Methodist Episcopal church, South, and his faith was manifested in his daily

life,—a source of intrinsic inspiration and guidance. He was a man of most

urbane and gracious personality, patrician in bearing, and ever kindly, generous

and considerate in his association with others. His abiding sympathy was shown

unostentatious deeds of kindness and helpfulness, and his appreciative loyalty

to his host of friends was repaid in like coin.



   In 1840 Judge Stokes wedded Miss Penelope C. Williamson, daughter of Hon.

Nathaniel Williamson, of Carthage, this state, and less than a year later she

was summoned to eternal rest, there having been no offspring of this union. In

1842 was solemnized the marriage of Judge Stokes to Miss Martha Jane Frazer, who

was born and reared in Tennessee and who was a daughter of Dr. James and Hannah

H. Frazer, her father having been one of the representative physicians and

surgeons of the state. Of Mrs. Stokes it has been consistently said that she was

"a woman of decided intellect, culture, force of character and personal

attractions," and it may further be said that her memory is revered by all who

came within the sphere of her gentle and gracious influence. She was a distant

kinswoman of her husband, as she was a descendant of Rev. Green Hill, of North

Carolina, of whom mention is made in a preceding paragraph of this memoir. Mrs.

Stokes passed to the life eternal on the 19th of June, 1883, at Sunny side,

Bolivar county, Mississippi.



   Jordan Stokes and his wife had eight children, whose births are in the

following order: Hettie, married H. H. Sheets of Indianapolis, a relative of

President Harrison. She is still living. James F., married Miss McGee of

Mississippi, and is deceased. William and Harry died in young manhood. Ella,

married Mr. Buford, and is now deceased. Bettie married Mr. George C. Waters and

is still living. Jordan and Walter, who are both living and engaged in the

practice of law in Nashville, Tennessee.



Additional Comments:
From:



A history of Tennessee and Tennesseans : the leaders and representative men in

commerce, industry and modern activities

by Will T. Hale

Chicago:  Lewis Pub. Co.,  1913



File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/davidson/bios/stokes218nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/tnfiles/

File size: 8.3 Kb