This is Jordan Dorsett. Sometimes you come across a tiny bit of information that that leads you to look for more--even though it interrupts the task you were working on when you accidently came across it. That was the case when doing some routine updating for the recently photographed Corinth AMEZ cemetery. It was noted in the records that the earliest birthdate in the cemetery was that of Jordan Dorsett, who was born on 16 Feb 1847. His cemetery marker, shared with his wife Alpha Alston Dorsett, had no death date (as sometime happens when the marker is placed at the death of the first spouse and not inscribed at the death of the second.)
A search for other records that might give a death date led to his death certificate, which indicated that he died in 1930, but also indicated that his mother was Elizabeth Chavers. Recalling from a paper about apprenticeships involving free children of color that there was an apprentice named Jordan, whose mother was Elizabeth Chavers, a look there was in order. In the paper, Jordan was listed as Jordan Chavers and his birthdate on the apprenticeship record was 16 Feb 1847--the date on Jordan Dorsett's marker in the Corinth cemetery. Jordan, his mother, and younger sister were were living in the household of Robert Dorsett. Could this be the same Jordan?
In census records reported in the apprenticeship paper, Jordan Chavers was found in various Dorsett households in 1850 through 1870. Marriage records indicate that Jordan and Alpha were married in 1877. Sometime between 1877 and 1900 Jordan apparently began using the last name Dorsett. The 1900-1920 censuses show Jordan and Alpha Dorsett in Matthews Township, owning their own home. Jordan is variously shown as a saddler and harness repairer, and appears to have owned his own shop next to the Farmer’s Alliance Store in Siler City. In 1920, granddaughter Pauline, 14, is living with the couple. In 1930, Jordan, 83 is widowed and head of the household that also consists of granddaughter Pauline, her husband Herman Siler, and their children Doris and Bobbie. Jordan’s death certificate indicates that he died on 13 Oct 1930 and confirms that his mother was Elizabeth Chavers/Chavis. Jordan and Alpha are buried in the Corinth AMEZ Church cemetery in Siler City.
We checked Ancestry to see if any additional information was documented there and found this great photo in several public family trees. We've subsequently updated and reposted the apprenticeship paper on the CCHA website, but Jordan's story seemed worth sharing here as well.
Link to the updated apprenticeship paper:
https://chathamhistory.org/.../ApprenticeshipsInvolvingFr...
#ChathamNCHistory #ChathamCountyNC #SilerCityNC #FreePersonsofColor #FPOC #Apprenticeship #Chavers #Dorsett
