Gordon Family History & Genealogy

My Grandfather name was Limmie Gordon, he was from AL , He moved to St Louis where he passed away in 1937 at the time my mother was only 7. Other then that ....That's all I know

On February 7, 2005 my Father who was my Hero, died. In his death I have choosen to honor my Father by what I thought would be a wonderful way to honor my Dad by writing our Family History! So, I purchased the Family Tree Maker program, and started plugging in all of my information, my sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews etc. I came to a stand still after I entered my Grandfathers information. Bewildered by not being able to go any further past my grandfather, I spoke with my Aunt, my Father's sister. I explained to her that there appears to be a mystery as it looks like we don't exist past Grandpa, her father. She chuckled and asked what name are you looking for? Da, I said, "GORDON, which is our last name!!" She said, "well, that is NOT really our last name?" Shocked, I asked, "what IS our last name?" She replied, "Nørstegård" VERY LOUDLY and shocked I said, "WHAT????????" So, the mystery began to unfold!!!!!!!!!!!! I started on the journey of discovering who I thought I was, only to find out that I'm not who I thought I was!!!!!! I knew that we were from Norway, but I really had NO IDEA the complexity of discovering ALL that involved what I THOUGHT was my last name! But, low and behold my Aunt is only partially right, we aren't really even a Nørstegård, that is just the name of the FARM that we are from. Our REAL last name is Sjugurdson!!! My Aunt who has Cerebral Palsy, I can not explain this one to her, as I am confused the way it is, so to explain it to someone else, is really impossible! This new discovery has opened up a WHOLE NEW ADVENTURE!!! Now, not only am I curious to find out who I REALLY am, but now, I want to know MORE AND MORE AND MORE! I want to know the journeys of coming to America, why we came to America, where are my living relatives that are still in Norway, my living relatives that are in America, what I thought was a Family tradition now come to find out that not only is it a family tradition, but it is a NORWEGIAN tradition! Why weren't we taught the LANGUAGE, to preserve our heritage! My family gave up SO much to come to this land, and now, I want to bring it all back and reintroduce to our family just exactly WHO WE REALLY ARE!!!!!!!! I wish to visit Norway, to meet family over there, but now I see that THIS is no easy task. What I thought was going to be easy, now, I am finding out that this is going to be very difficult and to write the family history, well, I can now see that this may very well take me longer than 2 years, which was my original goal. I don't know if I will EVER really be done. I am SO THIRSTY for all of my family information, but this is not an easy task. I have finally came to the realization that I may NOT even complete this in MY lifetime! But, what a WONDERFUL journey I am on, and finding out the things that shaped my family is TRULY in our BLOOD! So, when I say to people I can't help it I was born that way, they really have no idea HOW REALLY TRUE that statement is! I wish that everyone would have to venture on this journey, to discover who you really are! To ALL the people that are making the discovery of WHO you REALLY are, The Best of Luck to you!!! Embrace yourselves, for it truly is an HONOR to be who you are!

A SHORT HISTORY OF ALSON GORDON
Rev. Gordon Crompton, ThD, ThM, M.A.,B.A.

Alson Gordon was the son of Samuel Gordon, immigrant from Aberdeenshire, (or Banffshire) Scotland. Samuel listed his birth date as 1783, and his arrival date to America as 1 October 1792, when applying for citizenship in Chester County South Carolina, 29 October 1810. He had been a stonemason before this date, and had worked on the bridge built on Callahan Mountain, known as the Poinsett Bridge. Sometime in the early 1820’s, Samuel married the daughter of Benjamin Staton, Mary, who was born in 1786. This couple raised seven children: Alson, the eldest was born about 1823, followed by Benjamin, Louisa, Samuel Jr., and James. About 1844, Alson married Nancy Cooper (1825-1858), and they settled down in Greenville County, South Carolina. Here, their first three children were born: Mary Margaret, 1845; John C., 1847; and my Great Grandfather; Benjamin Franklin Gordon was born in 1849.
Sometime around 1850, Alson and his family moved to the Forks of Pigeon, Haywood County, North Carolina. Here he would gain two more children, but lose a wife. Martha Melvina was born in 1853, and Nancy L. was born in 1858, at which time her mother died. Nancy Cooper Gordon is buried in the Green Hill Cemetery in Haywood County.
The following year, Alson married a mother for his small children, and this union would produce 11 more children over the years to come. Two would be born before his first enlistment in the army: William Pinckney, 1 December 1859, and Sarah Elizabeth, 25 December 1860. When this youngest girl was about six months old, her father would leave for the military of a newly formed nation: the Confederate States of America.
The news of the fall of Ft. Sumter in April 1861 caused President Abraham Lincoln to call on the Sovereign state of North Carolina for troops to put down a “rebellion”. This led to the secession of the Tar Heel State 20 May, her joining of the Confederacy, and the call of the Provisional government for volunteer soldiers to defend the new nation from the aggressive Northern government. Thomas Lenoir of Haywood County was busy attempting to raise a company of volunteers for the N.C. Infantry, and he signed Alson on. The enlistment period was one year, beginning on 29 June 1861. He was described by his recruiter on official documents as being 5 feet, 11 inches of height, of fair complexion, light hair and blue eyes.
Since May, newly formed companies had been assembling at Camp Patton, in Asheville, N.C. (near present day Merrimon Ave.) awaiting formation into a regiment. By early August the required ten companies had gathered and held elections for officers on the fifteenth. The following regimental officers were elected: Former N.C. Senator Thomas L. Clingman of Buncombe County was elected Colonel; Regular Army officer St.Clair Dearing, Lt.Colonel; Henry Rutledge, Major; Basil Edmonston, adjutant; W.H.Bryson of Haywood, Quartermaster; John W. Walker, Commissary; as Surgeon, Dr. S.S. Satchwell and Dr. S.W. Fletcher as assistant; J.C.L. Gudger as Sergeant-Major; Clinton A. Jones as Quartermaster Sergeant; Julius M. Young as Commissary Sergeant; A. J. Herring as Ordinance Sergeant; and Peter M. Rich as Drum Major.
The ten companies and their commanders were: A, from Henderson Co., Captain Baylis Edney. B, from Jackson Co., Cpt. Thaddeus D.Bryson. C, from Haywood Co., Cpt. Samuel C. Bryson. D, from Cherokee Co., Cpt. John W. Francis. E, from Transylvania Co., Cpt. Francis W. Johnston. F, from Haywood Co., Cpt. Thomas I.Lenoir. G, from Clay and Macon Counties, and Athens, Georgia, Cpt. William S. Grady. H, from Buncombe and Henderson Counties, Cpt. Fredrick Blake (of Henderson). I, from Buncombe Co., Cpt. George W. Howell. K, from Buncombe Co., Cpt.Charles M. Roberts.
The regiment was organized as the 25th N.C. Infantry Regiment, and Alson’s company was Company F. They all anxiously awaited their marching orders at Camp Patton until they arrived. Departure was 18 Sept 1861, when they marched for the nearest railroad at Icard Station below Morganton. From there, they were moved by rail to Raleigh, where they drew uniforms, shoes and other supplies. They were then sent by rail to Wilmington, and marched to Mitchell’s Sound, where Camp Davis was located, arriving 29 September. This became their training station, and here they were issued their weapons and field equipment. (Pay issued 8-31 and 10-31)
In November, the regiment was ordered into South Carolina, and they set up winter quarters at Grahamville for picket duty. In the late winter, New Berne, N.C. came under attack, and the 25th was sent there as relief, but they arrived 14 March 1862, after the town was captured by the Union. They made their rendezvous with the retreating Confederate forces at Kinston, N.C. and made camp there.
Here in Kinston, a major re-organization of the 25th took place. Colonel Clingman was promoted to Brigadier General, and the regiment was assigned to General Robert Ransom’s Brigade along with the 24th, 26th, 35th, and 49th N.C. regiments. In the 25th, officer elections were again held. Major Rutledge became Colonel, and upon this, Lt. Colonel Dearing resigned. (He was enraged that he, a professional soldier was not elected, and thus, would be subordinate to a civilian.) Captain Thaddeus Bryson of Company B was elected Lt. Colonel, and Captain J.W. Francis of Company D replaced Rutledge as Major. ( Co.D was taken over by Lt.Lee B. Trantham.)
Ransom’s Brigade was ordered to Richmond, Virginia to be made a part of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, and placed under the command of Gen. John B. Magruder; M. Gen. Theophilus Holmes Division, arriving on 24 June 1862. On the following day, Holmes Division, along with the division of M.Gen. Ben Huger, engaged the enemy at the Battle of Seven Pines. The 25th had 2 killed and 40 wounded; fairly light casualties, but it was their first major fight. They again fought at Malvern Hill on 2 July 1862, where their casualties were also light, 93 killed and wounded.
After these days of harsh fighting, the division was removed to Drewry’s Bluff outside Richmond and made camp. But here they encountered a more formidable enemy than the Federals: measles. Eighty-one men would die during this time. It is not known whether this malady affected Alson or not, but on 16 July, his enlistment came to an end. The Conscript Act, which was passed to require all white males ages 18-35 to serve for the duration of the war; could not keep him; for Alson was 36 years of age.
On that day, Alson packed his meager belongings and reported to Company F Headquarters, where Lt. Blalock filled out his discharge papers, of which there is a copy extant. He had drawn pay 31 December, and 30 April; thus was paid by final statement for 1 May-16 July. Plus, he drew 10 cents per mile for the part of the trip that the railway could not carry him. It was 90 miles from Icard Station to Forks of Pigeon, which totalled $9; added to his two month, sixteen day pay the grand total pay was $27.86. He was given his rail ticket to take him from Camp Dray, Drewry’s Bluff, Va. to Icard, N.C. and his military career ended. For a time, at least. Alson was back home in Haywood County with his family before cold weather, 1862. And we do not know whether he knew it or not, but the 25th was back in the state then by the winter, setting up camp at Garrysburg.
It is not clear if things were difficult on the farm, or if the next spring’s crop was not up to par, if the boys were handling the farm well, or all of the above. Or perhaps, Alson was just more of a patriot for North Carolina than we know; but he would soon be back with his regiment. By 1863, the citizens of Madison County N.C. were being plagued with a new kind of enemy; hun