Currently my direct ancestor Obediah Jordan is shown as the son of James Jordan, I of Goochland County and a first wife Abigail Jordan rather than his second wife Sarah Sarena Jordan. Another son John Jordan and a daughter Rebecca Canady are also shown as children of this supposed first wife. I believe this is incorrect and that both Obediah and John were sons of Sarah (I have no evidence that this James ever had a daughter Rebecca).
James Jordan died in summer 1781 (will dated 20 May 1781, proved October 1781; transcription in Overview of his profile, original at Goochland County (VA): Deeds, vol. 13, pp. 145-146; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99P6-9J76?i=279).
Obediah was listed as 70 years old in the 1850 census [1850 census: Virginia, Goochland County, population schedule, p. 136B, line 14 (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/420636...)], pointing to a birth around 1780. That Obediah was the youngest of James Jordan's children is suggested by the fact that he was listed last among James's 11 children in his will. John, who was born 1775 according to the local parish register [W. Mac. Jones (ed.), The Douglas Register (Richmond, VA: 1928), p. 230; https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/25436/images/dvm_L...], is listed in the will after Reuben, born 1773 according to that same register [W. Mac. Jones (ed.), The Douglas Register (Richmond, VA: 1928), p. 230; https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/25436/images/dvm_L...].
According to the parish register, James Jordan had married Sarah Stodghill in 1761 [W. Mac. Jones (ed.), The Douglas Register (Richmond, VA: 1928), p. 29; https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/25436/images/dvm_L...], and his will named his wife in 1781 as Sarah. It thus seems very peculiar that two random sons out of the eleven children born from 1761 to about 1780 should be assigned to a different mother.
There is also more positive evidence that Obediah's mother was Sarah: in July 1801 Obediah is among the seven sons (listed last among them) and two daughters of Sarah, widow of James Jordan, who sue her for dissipating their inheritance through a common-law remarriage [Undated bill of complaint, and summons to Robert Edwards and Sarah his wife, commonly called Sarah Jordan, 21 July 1801, both in Library of Virginia, Richmond: Goochland County (VA): Chancery Court Papers, File 1801-022 (Jordan's Legatees vs. Edwards et ux.); https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=075-1801-022], and in December 1801 Obediah is among the seven sons, two daughters, and guardians for the children of two deceased sons of Sarah Jordan who come to an agreement with her concerning the division of the property of the late James Jordan [Answer of Sarah Jordan, 17 December 1801, in Library of Virginia: Goochland County, Chancery Court Papers, File 1802-019 (Heirs of James Jordan vs. Sarah Jordan) (https://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=075-1802-019; images 2-3 in case file); Goochland County (VA): County Court Order Books, vol. 23, p. 85 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C373-L992-S?cat=40...)]. Obediah's older brother John is also party to these agreements; in fact, the eleven children listed in the December 1801 agreement exactly match the eleven children listed by James in his 1781 will. In none of these documents is there a mention of a daughter Rebecca.
Based on the above, I suggest that Obediah Jordan and John Jordan be reassigned to James Jordan, I's marriage with Sarah Sarena Jordan and that the putative wife Abigail Jordan and putative daughter Rebecca Canady be detached from James Jordan, I. I realize that I already have editing rights for these profiles, but as there are other profile managers and followers for these profiles, I first want to see whether there are any objections.
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