Please turn your device to landscape view for wide tables like those below.
William H. Jordan
Member From: 1885 - 1887
- Birth Date: 1860 Birth Place:Petersburg
- Death Date: after 1889
- Gender: Male Race: African American
- Spouse:
- Children:
- Religion:
- Education:
- Military Service:
- Occupation/Profession: Barber, Lawyer
-
Additional Info Links:
Bio from Virginia's Martin Luther King Jr. Commission
Bio on Encyclopedia Virginia
- Bio: William H. Jordan, member of the House of Delegates (1885–1887), was born probably into slavery in Petersburg, the son of a carpenter or builder. He studied law and in 1887 was permitted to practice in the Petersburg court. By 1888 he may have been the owner or manager of a dry goods and merchandise partnership. He became active in politics and was a staunch follower of fellow Petersburg native William Mahone, who founded the bi-racial Readjuster Party. In 1885 Mahone was influential in Jordan’s contentious Readjuster nomination for and election to a two-year term in representing Petersburg in the House of Delegates. During his term he introduced a bill to incorporate the Colored Agricultural and Industrial Association of Virginia, of which he was an original member of the board of directors and its general manager. In the 1888 congressional election he campaigned against John Mercer Langston, an African American Republican, and for Richard Watson Arnold, the white Republican whom Mahone endorsed. Jordan appears to have left Petersburg after 1889 and possibly worked in the north as a lawyer and railway mail clerk.
- Other Notable Service and/or Elected Offices: Petersburg City Council
| Session | District | District Number | Party | Leadership | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1885-1887 | Petersburg | Republican | Executive Expenditures Printing Propositions and Grievances |
*The information within this interactive and searchable application has been researched extensively by the House Clerk’s Office. As with any historical records of this age and breadth, there may be discrepancies and/or inconsistencies within records obtained from a variety of credible sources. Any feedback is encouraged at history@house.virginia.gov.