Recently the Canton Historical Society (MA), had the records of an early minister digitized and put online. I was very excited when the announcement of their project popped up on Facebook. I have been researching the lives of enslaved and formerly enslaved people in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. This is a rather tricky research project as people from the labor class left very little or no records behind. Very often one can find some records of enslaved/formerly enslaved in ministerial records.
Samuel Dunbar (1704-1783) was the second minister to be called to the First Parish Church of Stoughton, the part that became Canton. As a young boy, Rev. Cotton Mather, took an interest in him, encouraging him to attend the Boston Latin School and then Harvard, graduating in 1723. In 1727, he was called to Stoughton to serve as their minister, a position he held until his death in 1783. In 1755, he served as chaplain in the expedition to Crown Point during the French and Indian War. Dunbar supported the Colonists cause long before the Revolutionary War broke out. In 1774 he participated in a “Congress” which met at the Doty Tavern near Blue Hills, he opened the meeting with a patriotic prayer and assisted with writing “The Suffolk Resolves,” a declaration of objection to English taxes, that resulted in the boycott of English goods. He is believed to be one of the first ministers to read the Declaration of Independence to his congregation. Dunbar’s record book starts recording baptism, deaths and marriages as soon as he arrived in 1727 and continues up to his death. It was only in this record book do I find a reference to Dunbar being an enslaver.
However, a weird thing happened as I was reading Dunbar’s record book, page by page looking for some of the enslaved from Stoughton. I noticed the name “Jordan” kept popping up from time to time in the record book. At first I thought this was pretty cool, as my husband’s first cousin is a Jordan. Several years ago, she had asked me to take a look at her line to see if I could find documentary evidence to confirm her research. I love a good search, and was happy to see if I could find anything. Her Jordan family’s Massachusetts roots can be found in early Dorchester, Stoughton and Braintree. But she had yet to find records that would confirm all the children of Elijah & Joanna (Veazey) Jordan. She knew the family had removed to Gray, Maine, and records there were just as unhelpful. The best I could do was find a couple of land deeds where Elijah (Jr), Solomon and David Jordan shared in the sale of property. This, to me, indicated a familial connection. I even submitted a genealogical sketch to The Maine Families of 1790 project, volume 12. Much of the family I have listed as “likely,” meaning I did not find proof of the connection.
Fast forward to January 2026, and I am perusing Rev. Dunbar’s records. My initial thoughts of wow, Jordan, that’s cool, gave way to OMG! This IS documentary evidence of the Jordan family I had researched almost ten years ago! (Here is another Never-Give-Up story). Anyhow, I reached out to my husband’s cousin with the link, and also to another Jordan descendant whom I have communicated with in the past. Three of us, from the comforts of our living rooms began combing through Dunbar’s records, looking for pieces of information that will correctly assemble this branch of the Jordan family. Years ago, I believed that Solomon Jordan, who the Jordan cousins descended from, was the second Solomon born to Elijah & Joanna (Veazey) Jordan….and Dunbar’s records prove my theory! (Woohoo!)
I would like to present and amended genealogy sketch for your reading enjoyment!
Elijah3 Jordan, (Benjamin2, John1), was born 23 Sept 1723 in Stoughton (MA), the son of Benjamin Jordan and Elizabeth Wentworth. He married 1 Jan 1746 to Joanna Veazey in Braintree (the part that is now Randolph). She was born Braintree (now Randolph) 26 Mar 1726, the daughter of Samuel Veazey and Deborah Wales. Elijah and Joanna likely died in Gray (ME), but their death dates have yet to be found. The births of their first two children are recorded in the —- Church of Braintree (now Randolph). Until the digitizing of Rev. Dunbar’s records, the only confirmed children of Elijah & Joanna Jordan, were Solomon Veazey and Joanna. The Jordan’s started out their life together in Braintree, then they seem to have moved for a short time to Boston, before coming to the First Parish Church of Stoughton. In the 1770s they removed to Gray.
Children of Elijah Jordan and Joanna Veazey are:
- Solomon Veazey Jordan, born 31 Aug 1746 Braintree; d bef 1757
- Joanna Jordan, bpt 4 Jun 1749 Braintree; d 7 Jan 1826 Needham (MA); m Daniel Smith of South Dedham (now Norwood)
- (likely) Elijah Jordan, b. abt 1751 possibly in Boston
- John Jordan, b. 1755 Stoughton; d 4 Oct 1756 Stoughton
- Eunice Jordan, bpt 3 Sept 1757 Stoughton (no further info)
- Solomon Jordan, bpt 3 Sept 1757 Stoughton; d 4 Mar 1846 Garland (PA); m Lydia Russell
- David Jordan, bpt 27 Jun 1761 Stoughton; d 30 May 1847 South Waterford (ME); m (#1) Ruth Cummings, (#2) Temperence Russell and (#3) Lucy Pratt.
- Mary Jordan, bpt 6 May 1763 Stoughton. (no further info)
Laurie L. Kearney 