Private Jordan Holland
Pvt. Jordan Holland
Private Jordan Holland was born c. 1824 in Franklin County, Virginia, and was enslaved by Thomas Holland of Franklin County. White Holland families owned nearly 200 slaves in Pennsylvania and Franklin counties. Jordan moved to Missouri with Thomas Holland around 1851. On December 28, 1852, in Jonesburg, Missouri, Jordan, 28, married Hannah Law, who was a 19-year-old woman enslaved by George Law, Thomas Holland’s son-in-law. They had a daughter, Ida, on April 2, 1853, and a son a decade later named Almstead Holland.
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In Holland’s pension file a formally enslaved man named Joseph Fulcher described how Jordan and Hannah met and were able to live together as husband and wife despite it being illegal for them to be legally married:
“George Law, who brought me and several other slaves from Virginia to Montgomery County, Missouri, when I was about 10 years of age. Among his slaves who came to Missouri with me was a girl called Hannah who was a few years older than I was. In about a year, or probably a little longer, Hannah marries a slave belonging to Thomas Holland, called Jordan. They were married by a colored man named Geo Fry of Mr. Laws house. I was present and saw them get married. Sometime afterwards, Mr. Holland, Jordan's owner, died, and in the division of his estate, Jordan fell to Mrs. Law, who was Holland’s daughter, and then Jordan and Hannah lived together as husband and wife at Mr. Laws place, and were recognized as husband and wife by Mr. Law and all who knew them. After living in Montgomery Co about a year Mr. Law moved to Calloway Co Missouri and took Hannah and Jordan and the rest of his slaves with him.”
Jordan would have been considered emancipated at the time he enlisted on September 7,1864, in Fulton, Missouri. He was 40 years-old and described as being 5’4” with black hair, a copper complexion, and about 148 pounds. His occupation was listed as farmer.
Holland served in the 18th Regiment USCT Company H. from February to September of 1864. He was ordered to Chattanooga, Tennessee, but deserted on October 30, 1864, at Peruque Bridge, Missouri, “due to complications with his enslavement in Callaway County, Missouri.” It is possible that this had something to do with the family he left behind.
While absent without leave, the 18th Regiment participated in the battles Nashville and Elrod Tanyard, Alabama. Both were vital battles in the Confederate retreat from Tennessee. A few months later, Jordan Holland rejoined the 18th regiment on April 27th, 1865, at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He was reinstated without penalty or loss of pay by orders of his commanding officer. Jordan was discharged on February 21, 1866, and was paid the rest of his bounty, $10.01.
After his service Jordan Holland was reunited with his family at Berger Station, Missouri. In 1880, Jordan and his family were living in Meramac Township in St. Louis, Missouri, with six children: Armstead, 20; Thomas, 18; King, 16; Joseph, 14; Mary, 12; and Sherman, 9. Hannah's mother Jane Edwards, a widow aged 66, also lived with them. Their eldest daughter, Ida Malone, was married and lived with her husband.
In 1890, Jordan applied for pension benefits. The pension file notes that Jordan was deaf at the time of application. Jordan passed away on June 18,1898. By the time of his death, he had purchased a home for his family in Allenton, Missouri, for $150. About one year later, Hannah, who was working as a laundress, applied for widow’s benefits and received $8 a month.
Contributors: Lauren Messerschmidt, Sarah Plummer, Cathie Cummins, Michael Paternostro, Owen Moffatt, Aiden Reh, Tannor Fitzpatrick, James Costello and Bradley Roos.