Marcus Lafayette Gordon

Marquis, aka Marcus or Mark, was named for his paternal grandfather and was born on the original Gordon homestead in Greene County, PA. During the Civil War, Mark, his father, his uncle John F Crawford, cousins Reason Strosnider and Owen Pitcock (by marriage) and numerous neighbors enlisted in Company G, 85th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry commanded by Col. Howell. Like many men who served in the Civil War, Mark became ill and returned home to recuperate. On 30 July 1862, the WAYNESBURG REPUBLICAN (article entitled "Gone Back") reported:

Our young friend, LAFAYETTE GORDON, son of Lieut. JNO. A. GORDON, left yesterday to rejoin his Company in the 85th before Richmond. He returned home several weeks since, utterly prostrated by a severe spell of fever; but has recovered rapidly, and is ready to shoulder his musket again. He has the right kind of pluck for a soldier, and will do his whole duty in the hour of battle.

The regiment helped to build defense works around Washington and fought in the Peninsula campaign under General McClellan. The Regiment then moved to North Carolina, and in 1863, the year John was promoted to captain and in November was promoted again to sergeant. The troops moved into South Carolina where they witnessed the first bombardment of Ft. Sumpter and Ft Gregg and participated in the seige of Ft. Wagner. Samuel Bates describes the ordeal as the 85th regiment moved into the foward trenches: "the trenches were shallow, and afforded little protection from the enemy's fire.... The nights were damp and cold, and during the day the termometer stood 100 degress in the shade. The casualties were numerous, and the sick list increased with alarming rapidity." By the time the battles ended, the regiment was reduced from 451 to 270 men fit for duty. Mark was mustered out on 22 November 1864.

When he returned from the war, he completed an A. B. degree from Waynesburg College in 1867. He attended Columbia University's Medical College and earned his M.D. in 1870 and graduated from Andover (MA) Theological Seminary where he was ordained as a Congregational minister in 1871.

While completing his work at Andover, he met a young school teacher, Agnes Donald, and they were married in Andover in July 1872. Shortly after the wedding, Mark embarked on his career as a medical missionary, and the newly-weds departed for Japan where they lived in Osaka; later, he became a professor of theology at Doshisha University in Kyoto.

Mark and Agnes had four children, all born in Japan. One of the children died young. In 1898, they returned to the United States, and Mark and Agnes were boarding in the Walker Missionary House in Newton, MA. Mark died in Newton in 1900.

More about Dr/Rev. Marcus LaFayette Gordon

Military service: Civil War5,6,7 Occupation 1: Doshisha University, Japan: medical missionary8 Occupation 2: Physician/minister9 Religion: Congregational Residence 1: 1870, Andover, Essex Co, MA10 Residence 2: 1865, Waynesburg, Greene Co, PA

  Residence 3: 1900, Newton, Middlesex Co, MA11