Johann Ernst Heinrich Christian Franz Jordan /Yordan/ was the son of Johann Heinrich Christian Jordan (b. 1774/d. 1852, Wehrstedt, Lower Saxony, Germany) and his second wife Johanna Christina Sophia Wilhelmina Gotjahn (b. 1792, Sehlem, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany/d. 1840, Wehrstedt). He was born on 23 July 1821 in Wehrstedt (Bad Salzdetfurt, Niedersachsen, Germany).
A year after Ernst's mother passing, on 19 April 1841, the young man married Wilhelmine (Minchen) Uflaker. Three months later, on 1 July 1841, daughter Johanne Ernestine Wilhelmine was born to the couple.
In summer of 1845, as the result of certain family disagreements, Ernst, his wife, and baby daughter emigrated to Texas. They left Bremen on 1 September 1845 on the vessel "Margaretha" under Captain Libben (1). On the passengers' list Johann Ernst's occupation was given as "linen weaver and farmer" (2). "Margaretha" arrived in Texas on 1 September 1845 (3).
When the Jordan family came to Indianola, together with other immigrants, they were stuck in a place where no proper quarters had been prepared for them. Due to the difficult political situation in Texas which had been in conflict with Mexico, all the means of transport were taken over by the Army. The immigrants, exhausted by the sea journey, lack of food, and diseases, vegetated in self-created shacks and dugouts, exposed to highly unsanitary conditions, the elements, and the brutal climate. Before Ernst managed to obtain a wagon and some oxen to move the family to New Braunfels and the promised land grant area, Wilhelmine, his wife, died. On 5 November 1846, their daughter Johanne passed as well (4).
In Fredericksburg, Ernst got a small piece of land and a town lot. He worked as a teamster.
In 1849, Mr. Jordan married Miss Lisette Bickenbach who had come to Texas in September 1846, on the ship Colchius, from Ruppichteroth, Bonn area, Germany, with her parents (Daniel Bickenbach and Anna Sophie Willach) and siblings (5).
In 1850, Ernst, Lisette (Elisabeth) and their new born baby Wilhelmina were registered in Fredericksburg during the Census. Ernst was a laborer then (6).
At first, Ernst intended to live on the land lot he was granted (in present San Saba County) however, considering the negative conditions there, the man sold it and obtained 640 acres in Mason County (Willow Creek).
During his life in Fredericksburg, Mr. Jordan joined the Methodist Church. Mina (Wilhelmina) - b. 26 August 1850, Peter - b. 17 January 1852, Sophie - b. 23 March 1854, and Henry Jordan - b. 17 April 1856 (7) were born in the town.
In 1856, together with other families (the Hoersters and the Kothmanns), the Jordans relocated to Upper Willow Creek (nowadays Art). They moved their belongings in oxen driven wagons. In the new place, the families moved into log cabins and lived the harsh lives of the pioneers.
Fredericka - b. 29 April 1858 (8), Wilhelm (died in infancy), Daniel - b. 8 December 1860 (9), and Ernst jr. b. 25 July 1863 (10) were born in Hilda, Mason County where Ernst became an open-range cattle raiser. Besides that, he continued his work as a teamster.
In 1861, Jordan served in the Minute Men Company under Captain Herman R von Bieberstein.
From 1867 to 68, he worked as county commissioner. In 1869 he was elected justice of the peace Precinct #2, however, he failed to qualify (11). Maybe Ernst Jordan simply did not want to be a justice of the peace then, maybe he found it inconvenient and not safe (it was the time of the Hoo Doo War), and that was why he did not complete the required formalities.
The 1870 Census listed the Jordans who lived in Mason. Ernst was registered as a farmer, their real estate estimated value was $600, and their personal estate value was $1500 (12).
On 10 May 1871, E Jordan (and 8 other men) was enlisted in the State Police which base was the Fourth District.
Due to various circumstances, including the Civil War, Indian raids, and cattle thieves, at the very beginning, cattle raising was not a very profitable business. Then, the Mason County War started. Daniel Hoerster, Ernst's son-in-law, who was a cattle brands inspector, was one of the war casualties.
When the war ended, Ernst built a new house. At some point, the Jordan family owned an estate that was over 7 thousand acres.
Ernst and Lisette were religious persons. The very first church/and school building, in Art was constructed on their land. The nowadays Art church is situated on the land provided by Ernst as well.
More over, the first religious camp meetings were held on their estate too. In 1876 Ernst got wounded in his knee by accident. A six-shooter dropped down from his carriage and fired which made the man a cripple.
Johann Ernst Christian Franz Jordan died on 23 December 1892, he was buried on Christmas Day. Lisette lived 7 years longer, she passed on 23 August 1899.
Wilhelmina married Fritz Adolph Grote, after his death she was married to Daniel Hoester.
Peter married Emma Donop - more about the couple and their children in the post related to the Donop family.
Henry married Bertha Leifeste,
Sophie married A Willmann,
Fredericka married Carl Leifeste,
Daniel married Emma Willmann,
Ernst married Adela Winkle.
UPDATE:
Information provided by Ms. Dolores Keller, Daniel's great-granddaughter: Fredericka, Daniel, Wilhelm, and Ernst Jr. were born at Upper Willow Creek, not Hilda.
Dolores Keller: " ... the old Methodist Church records was titled “One Hundred Years of the Hilda (Bethel) Methodist Church And Parent Organizations 1856 - 1955” It is actually the records of all the Methodist Churches in the area, Art (North & South) Hoersterville, Lower Willow Creek, Hilda and Castell."
Resources:
1. "The Mason Hoo Doo War, 1874-1902" by David Johnson, University of North Texas Press, 2006
2. "Homestead: Jordans prospered in the Hill Country." - article by J. Lackey
3. Immigrant Ships Transcriber Guild - Margaretha
4, 5. "A New Land Beckoned: German Immigration to Texas, 1844-1847" by Chester Geue, Chester William Geue, Ethel Hander Geue, 1966
6. "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXLK-P76 : 23 December 2020), Ernst Jordan, Fredericksburg, Gillespie, Texas, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. "Texas Deaths, 1890-1976," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K37M-NL6 : 13 March 2018), Ernest Jordon in entry for Henry Jordon, 06 Feb 1927; citing certificate number 6229, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,114,274.
8. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L2Q-TZMM : 14 February 2020), Ernst Jordon in entry for Fridarica Jordon, 1858.
9. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LG4-FJMM : 14 February 2020), Ernst Jordan in entry for Daniel Jordan, 1860.
10. "Texas Births and Christenings, 1840-1981", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4L27-8FPZ : 14 February 2020), Ernst Jordan in entry for Ernst Jordan, 1863.
11. The Mason County "Hoo Doo" War, 1874-1902 by David D Johnson, University of North Texas Press, Denton, Texas, 2006.
12. "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGQ-XPV : 2 January 2021), Ernst Jordan, 1870.
"Mason County Historical Book", Mason County Historical Society, Mason County Historical Commission, 1976.
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