University of Virginia Library

GORDON.

Before the middle of the last century two brothers named
Gordon, natives of Scotland, were settled on opposite sides of
the Rappahannock River as merchants, plying a thriving
trade with the old country. James resided in Lancaster
County, and John at Tappahannock in Essex. James's
wife was Mary Harrison, of the Harrisons of Surry, and the
wife of John was Lucy Churchill. Descendants of both
became inhabitants of Albemarle. Rev. James Waddell,

who preached and taught school near Gordonsville, married
a daughter of James, and William F. Gordon, who acted
a leading part in the affairs of the county in the first half of
the present century, traced his lineage to John, or rather to
both brothers at once. His father, James Gordon, was the
son of John, and his mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of
James. William F. was admitted to the Albemarle bar in
1809. In 1812 he succeeded Joseph J. Monroe as Attorney
of the Commonwealth, but resigned the next year, giving
place to Jesse W. Garth. From 1818 to 1829 he was almost
continuously a member of the House of Delegates, and in 1830
a member of the State Senate. He also represented the
district in Congress. The title of General by which he was
commonly known, he derived from his appointment in 1829
as Brigadier General of the Third Brigade, Second Division
of the Virginia militia, and in 1840 of Major General of the
Second Division. His home was at Spring Hill, at the
eastern base of the South West Mountain, not far from
Gordonsville. He died in 1858. His wife was Elizabeth,
daughter of Reuben Lindsay, and his children, James, George,
Hannah, the wife of W. J. Robertson, Reuben, William F.,
Charles, Dr. John C., Alexander and Mason.

In the last century there came to the county an Alexander
Gordon, who seems to have been of kindred with the noble
Scottish family of Gordon, of Huntly. He lived on Sowell's
Branch near Carter's Bridge, where he obtained a patent for
a small tract of land in 1785. He sued Humphrey Gaines
for a piece of vacant land on Buck Island Creek to which
they both laid claim, his counsel being Walter Leake, while
Mr. Wirt appeared for Gaines. He was not an ornament to
the county. He died in 1805, leaving a son, Alexander Duff
Gordon, who two years after removed to Tennessee.