by J. Montgomery Seaver
The name of Gordon is as ancient as any of the
present European monarchies. Caesar mentions
in his commentaries a people among the Nervii,
called Gorduni, to whom he gives great praise
for their
brave defense of Ghent (their city, which he
attacked in his conquest of Gaul, B. C. 53).
It is said that the name originally came from
"Gordonia," a city in Macedonia.
The Gordons have been an active, romantic,
adventurous and "restless" race. There were
"heroes of the name of Gordon, who for valor
and loyalty are hardly to be paralleled by any
family in Britain, and can't be exceeded by
any other in Europe." From "A History of the
Gordons."
Malcolm Bullock, who published numerous
volumes on the Gordon family of Great Britain,
and who is, perhaps, the best authority on the
history of the family, published a book
entitled "The Gay Gordons" (Reference 50). The
following narratives in which Gordons are
involved are found, among others, in this
volume: "The `Guidin' of the Gordons," "The
Romance of the White Rose," "The Famous
Assassination of Wallenstein," "The Last King
of Poland," "The Governor of Kornstadt," "The
Wooin' o't," "The Elopement of Lady Sarah
Bunbury," "A Boy Who Was Beheaded at Brest,"
"The Dangers of a Scarlet Coat," "The
Christening of the Orange River," "A Fatal
Duel in Hyde Park," "The Abduction of the
`Female Infidel'," "About Gordon Tartan," "The
Story of a Kiss," "The Gayness of a Diplomat,"
"An Old Man of the Sea," "Some `Gey' Gordons,"
"A Liberator of Greece," "The Story of a Fatal
Flute," "The Last of His Line," "A Noble Earl
as an A. D.," etc.
Many poems have been written by and about the
Gordons, some of them exceeding fifty stanzas.
Among them are "Prince Edward and Adam
Gordon," "Gordie," "Gight's Lady," "Glenlogie,"
"Jean 0'Bethelnie's Love for Sir G. Gordon,"
"Edom O'Gordon," "The Battle of Glenlivet,"
"The Gordons and the Grants," "The Battle
Bridge of Dee," "Nathaniel Gordon," "Jock and
Tam Gordon," "Ballade of the Gay Gordons,"
"The Duke of Gordon's Daughter," "Lochinvar,"
etc. William Gordon was the hero of the
immortal poem, "Young Lochinvar."
The Gordon family has been prominent in
America also, its members having played
important roles- in war and in peace. Family
pride is a commendable trait and should be
cultivated. All Gordons have just cause to be
proud of their family history and traditions.
The data in this volume is gathered from
reliable sources. Those desiring further
information are advised to consult volumes
mentioned in list of references given in the
back of this volume. The writer and his
associates will be glad to give their
co-operation to any members of the family who
may be interested in having a complete
genealogy of the family published.
Unless otherwise plainly shown, the persons in
this volume whose names are accompanied by
three figures are sons or daughters of the
immediately preceding persons bearing
immediately preceding consecutive numbers. All
persons in each group, bearing the same letter
as a part of their respective numbers, are
directly related. The generations of the
descendants of those bearing numbers of three
figures are represented as follows
Generations: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
9th 10th
Symbols: (1),etc. (A),etc. (a),etc. 1,etc.
A,etc. a,etc. (I),etc. (i),etc. I,etc. i,etc.
ABBREVIATIONS:
Ad., address;
b., born;
ch., children;
coll., college;
d., died;
d. y., died young;
d. w. i., died without issue;
dau., daughter; grad., graduated;
l., lives, lived;
m., married, moved;
s., son;
univ., university.
The compiler hopes that, in producing this
volume, he is bringing to the Gordon Family of
the World information which will be of
interest and value to them, and that he is
rendering an important service to the public.
Many old American families have formed
associations, and some of them hold annual
reunions. Local reunions have been held by
various branches of the Gordon family from
time to time. There is some interest in the
forming of a National Gordon Family
Association and the holding of a National
Reunion.
Contents:
Alexander II
American Gordon Families
Ancient Gordon Families
De Gordon, Sir Adam
De Gordon, Sir Adam
De Gordon, Sir Adam
George Gordon, Second Earl of Huntly
George IV, Earl of Huntly
Gordon of Abergeldie
Gordon of Cairnfield
Gordon of Culvennan
Gordon of Drimnin
Gordon of Earlston
Gordon of Embo
Gordon of Manar
Gordon of Newtimber
Gordon of Pitlurg
Gordon of Threave
Gordon of Wincombe Park
Gordon, Adam Lindsay
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Alexander
Gordon, Andrew
Gordon, Archibald
Gordon, Charles
Gordon, Charles
Gordon, Charles George
Gordon, Duke
Gordon, Edward Strathearn
Gordon, Elizabeth
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George
Gordon, George Hamilton
Gordon, Henrietta
Gordon, James
Gordon, James
Gordon, James
Gordon, James
Gordon, James
Gordon, James Alexander
Gordon, James Bentley
Gordon, John
Gordon, John
Gordon, John
Gordon, John
Gordon, John
Gordon, John G.
Gordon, Judge Thomas Family
Gordon, Lord George
Gordon, Lord Lewis
Gordon, Osborne
Gordon, Patrick
Gordon, Patrick
Gordon, Pryse Lockhart
Gordon, Robert
Gordon, Robert
Gordon, Robert
Gordon, Robert
Gordon, Sir Alexander
Gordon, Sir Alexander
Gordon, Sir Charles
Gordon, Sir Henry William
Gordon, Sir James Alexander
Gordon, Sir John
Gordon, Sir John
Gordon, Sir John William
Gordon, Sir Robert
Gordon, Sir Robert
Gordon, Sir Robert
Gordon, Theodore
Gordon, Thomas
Gordon, Thomas
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordon, William
Gordons in the Revolutionary War
Gordons of Wardhouse and Kildrummy
Lord Adam
Lord John Gordon Family
Officers in the Continental Army
Prominent American Gordons of Today
Prominent British Gordons of Today
Prominent Gordons of America, Past Generations
References
The Gordon Coat of Arms