Major Powhatan Gordon (1802–1879) was an American farmer and politician. He served in the Tennessee Senate in 1842 and 1845. During his tenure, he proposed a bill for the creation of Lewis County, Tennessee. By 1854, his bid for Congress as a member of the

Know Nothing The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s. The party was officially known as the "Native American Party" prior to 1855 and thereafter, it was simply known as the "American Party". ...

party was unsuccessful.

Early life

Powhatan Gordon was born on November 15, 1802, in Nashville, Tennessee. His father, John Gordon, built

John Gordon House The John Gordon House is a historic brick home located along the Old Natchez Trace near Williamsport, Tennessee, within the boundaries of the Natchez Trace Parkway, a National Park Service unit. History The house was built in 1818. It is one of ...

Williamsport, Tennessee Williamsport is an unincorporated community in Maury County Maury County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee, in the Middle Tennessee region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 100,974. Its county seat is Columbia. ...

Career

Gordon was a corn farmer in Williamsport, Tennessee. He sold his corn in Louisiana. During the

Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...

of 1835–1842, he served as a Major in the First Tennessee Mounted Militia. He subsequently served in the Mexican–American War of 1846–1848. When Veracruz was occupied by the United States, he sold goods in the city. Gordon joined the

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

. He served in the Tennessee Senate in 1842 and 1845. It was Gordon who proposed a bill for the creation of Lewis County, Tennessee, out of parts of Hickman County, Lawrence County, Wayne County, and Maury County, naming it after explorer

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...

. Gordon joined the

party and ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1854, but he lost the race.

Personal life and death

Gordon married Caroline Mary Coleman on June 26, 1828. They had eleven children, including Judge

William Osceola Gordon Judge William Osceola Gordon (1837–1914) was an American judge. Early life William Osceola Gordon was born on October 23, 1837, in Maury County, Tennessee. He was a direct descendant of Pocahontas. His father, Powhatan Gordon, was a farme ...

and state representative

R. H. Gordon Richard Haden Gordon (1844-1917) was an American Confederate veteran, pharmacist and politician. He served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Early life Gordon was born on September 6, 1844, in Maury County, Tennessee. His fa ...

. He died on January 29, 1879, in Bryan, Texas.

References

1802 births 1879 deaths American people of Scottish descent Politicians from Nashville, Tennessee Farmers from Tennessee American people of the Seminole Wars American military personnel of the Mexican–American War Democratic Party Tennessee state senators Tennessee Know Nothings {{Tennessee-politician-stub