| Notes |
- 1870 NC Census, Forsyth Co., Kernersville Twp., Post Office: Kernersvill e, July 22, 1870:
126/129
Robert JORDAN, 24y m w Trader PPV: $400 b NC can't read or write
Manerva, 24y f w Keeping House b NC
George, 3y m w At Home b NC (George Banner Jordan)
Sarah, 1y f w At Home b NC (must have died young; not present in 1880 Cens us)
NOTE: Living next door; parents of Robert "Bob" Jordan; HH 125/128
1880 NC Census, Forsyth Co., Kernersville Twp., June 3, 1880, E.D. 8 0, p. 370:
62/62
Robert JORDEN, w m 34y married Farmer b NC parents b NC
Minerva, w f 34y wife married Keeping House b NC parents b NC
George B., w m 11y son single Work on Farm can't write b NC parents b NC ( This George Banner Jordan)
Flora, w f 6y dau single b NC parents b NC
Annie, w f 3y dau single (disabled) b NC parents b NC
Elizabeth, w f 2y dau single b NC parents b NC
Samuel, w m 1y son single b NC parents b NC
The following article on file:
THE PEOPLE'S NEWS, KERNERSVILLE, N.C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1959 ---- GO OD MORNING
KERNERSVILLE'S MOST FEARED MAN
1896
BANNER JORDAN
Told by George P. Winfree (NOTE: father of Laddie Joseph Winfree; grandfat her of this author's husband, Douglas Van Winfree)
Kernersville in the early nineties was a pretty rough town and was the ta lk throughout the entire state of North Carolina. In the early nineti es it was not safe to be on the streets of Kernersville. There were no ele ctric street lights --- the light was the old oil lamp, and there we re 23 of these which were only on main street, from the Southern Railw ay to the Kernersville Moravian Church. One of these old lamps is now at t he home of Mr. Ed Shore. These lamps were lit each night. The person who l it them carried a ladder on his shoulder to light the lights. J.M. Pinn ix (Neighbor) a youth lit these lights and was paid $3 per month and th is was big money then. Quinn Faust was another who lit the lamps. Often th ese lights were shot out with a pistol even while the person was lighti ng them. This was the day of Banner Jordan, Wick Walker, Aid Walker and ot hers who demanded respect and got it, too. The sidewalks were made of grav el that came from the Clay Snider Gravel pit which was located where the R ay Graves home is today. The Southern Railway Depot is the same tod ay as it was then except there was an old water pump across from the depo t. Mr. Richard Kerner was depot agent and often pumped water from this pu mp for the trains. There were two trains a day, a freight and a passenge r. All passengers on this train were told by the conductor to get under t he seat as they went through Kernersville, as they did not know what wou ld happen. There was only one house in block of Main Street. There was a m eat market and Shoe Shop owned by Loate Hester. Bob Duggins had a barber s hop and home together located where Moyers Store is today.
On the square where Pender's ESSO Service Station is today was then the o ld Sapp Hotel (see end note) and where P.N. Department Store is was the G us Beard Dry Goods Store. Where Pinnix Drug Store is was the Sapp Dry Goo ds Store which was operated by Mr. N.W. Sapp, Mrs. Zora Paddison's fathe r. Fulp and Linville Store where Corders in today. This store was own ed by William Fulp and W.S. Linville. The Post Office was where the Mrs. E rie Hedgecock home is today. Where the Leak home (Peter Nash's home) the re was a tobacco factory on the back part of the lot. The Leak Tobacco Fac tory was the first in this area even before R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Factor y. This building had a tower and was an octagon shaped building. The Le ak home was just as it is today at it's present location, only a tobacco f actory on the back part of the lot.
The Old Academy was next to where the S & R Motor Co. is today. The John R ay home where the S & R Motor Co. is today. The Main Street Methodist Chur ch was then where it is today and the Moravian Church where it is today. T he Baptist Church was located where the Lone Star Service is today. The fi rst Free School was where the J.R. Blackwell home is today. Mr. J.W. Pinn ix taught in this school and also was a minister for the Methodist Protest ant Church. From Main Square today to Anderson's Service Station there w as not a home on the right hand side of the street and all this land was o wned by the Sapps.
Where the McCommers Service Station is today there was the Edward's Sto re House. Where the Cash Feed Store is today was the R.A. Jordan Stable
The Jordans came to Kernersville from the mid-west and they were the mo st feared and respected people ever in Kernersville.
Bob Jordan, father of Banner, operated a livery stable and was a good m an at heart, however he meant business and so did his son Banner. They wou ld often help needy people. Those that had no money would come to the Jord ans for help and they got it always. Banner Jordan was loyal to his frien ds and would even risk his life and he feared no man. Banner dealt in Liqu or, and Wick Walker, another who feared no one, drove his wagon to haul li quor. Banner carried two guns on his hip all the time and was ready for ac tion and the fastest on the draw anywhere and was an excellent shot. You 'd better not mix with him if he did not like you but if he did like yo u, he was your loyal friend forever. No policeman would dare to arre st or to serve a warrant on any of the Jordans except only one and that w as Frank Linville who feared no man either. Frank liked the Jordans but ca me a day when he had to serve a warrant on Banner and Frank did not want t o. But he went to Banner's home and told Banner to come out peaceful ly as he had a warrant for him. Banner replied "You are not going to ser ve it Frank. Don't come any closer. I don't want to kill you" Frank did a nd they shot it out on the street, neither hitting the other and finally F rank walked off and said to Banner " I did not want to arrest you anywa y. Go in the house, Banner, and don't give me any more trouble"
Will Gamble was a policeman after Frank Linville and he too had trouble wi th Banner Jordan, Aid Walker and Wick Walker. One day Banner sent Aid up t own to get some groceries. Will Gamble, policeman, had a warrant for Aid a nd grabbed him by the coat but Aid pulled away leaving his coat. He went b ack and told Banner the Will Gamble had tried to arrest him and he had h is coat. Banner told Aid to go back and tell Will to give him his coat ba ck and if he did not he would come and get it. Aid did this and came rig ht back with his coat.
Another time Banner and Wick were hauling liquor in a wagon. Wick saw t wo revenue officers, Walt Davis and Jim Smith coming toward them on horseb ack. Banner was in the bottom of the wagon asleep. Wick woke Banner and sa id the revenue officers were coming. Banner replied "I will take care of t hem boys". He pulled out two guns and they turned away and ran and Bann er shot the dust from under the horses' feet.
Bob Jodan and his son Banner soon met their fate. On Monday morning, Mar ch 9th, 1896, revenue officers came to Kernersville and to the Bob Jord an homeplace in search of reported blockade liquor. His son Banner w as in the liquor business. On Saturday before March 9th, 1896, a spy ca me to Kernersville visited the Bob Jordan home. Mr. Jordan had faith and c onfidence and trusted this man. The spy told Mr. Jordan that if he had a ny liquor in his home he had better hide it as a team had been seized at B eeson's Cross Road. Mr. Jordan told this man he had some liquor and he a nd The spy hid the liquor under a large wood pile. The spy remained arou nd a while then left. Mr. Billy Winfree, a friend of the Jordans, whose ba rn was across the street from the Jordan's home, had his colored man ho ok up a team of horses and drove to Beeson's Cross Road to see if this w as true and found out that no team had been seized. Mr. Billy Winfree to ld Bob Jordan that the man who came to see him was a spy and he better g et the liquor away and his son too. The Winfrees' owned the Foy place o ne mile down the Greensboro Road where the Pilgrim Bible College is toda y. Bob Rumley and a hired man lived there with him, Frank Christopher. Fra nk looked up the spy and beat him up. Frank was a large man about the sa me size as Banner Jordan and the spy took Frank to be Banner. He report ed to the revenue officers that Banner had beat him up. On Sunday night, M arch the 6th, the revenue officers came to Kernersville in a hack. They ca mped and spent the night near the railroad tracks where the Mirawall pla nt is today. There were four of them and two remained with the hack. It w as a cold March night and they built a fire. Monday morning, March the 6t h, 6 a.m., Walt Davis and Jim Smith revenue officers came to the back of t he Winfree home which was directly in front of the Jordan home. Mr. Winfr ee was in his yard and they told him that they wanted to search his bar n. Mr. Billy said go right ahead. The barn was searched and when the reven ue officers returned, mr. Billy asked them if they had found anything. Th ey said only a one armed man, Harp Jon, who was in the hay loft, who was s elling liquor for a living that he had in a lock box. They said they boug ht two drinks and paid him a quarter a drink. The revenue officers then we nt to the home of Bob Jorden in search of Banner. Jim Smith and Walt Davi s, revenue officers, went in the front door. Banner was in the attic of h is house and missed his step on a wood joist and fell through the ceilin g, hanging by his ankles. Jim Smith placed eight bullets into Banner. Walt er Davis was at the head of the stairs at the hall when Jordan came o ut of his room a foot of the stairway, with gun in his hand and Walt Dav is shot him through the heart.
Mr. George P. Winfree and his mother were the first to be present. Everyo ne came out of the Jordan home screaming at the top of their voice. The re venue officers came out with their guns in their hand and told everyo ne to shut up or they would get more of the same.
The Jordan funeral was probably the largest ever held in Kernersville.T he procession was three quarters of a mile long. Father and son were buri ed in the Dwi ?? Cemetery about three miles from Kernersville.Funerals we nt by horse and buggy during this period. George Nissen Wagon Co. was in o peration at Waughtown as were Lewis and Huff Coffin Shop. The coffins we re made here in Kernersville. The Jordans were placed in separate wagon s, Bob Jordan in the rear wagon, following his son who was in the front wa gon, represented father following son.
End note:
"Uncle Dave Bodenhamer later bought this and improved it and ran it as T HE AUTO INN, one of America's first motels."
(signed) Jim Winfree
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Abt 1846 - 1896 (~ 50 years)
