Captain George Ord Sr. (May 26, 1741 – October 13, 1806) was an sea captain during the American Revolution,[1][2] and a privateer who worked on behalf of Philadelphia merchants,[3] who later started a rope-making and ship-chandler business in Philadelphia. He was appointed Warden of the Port of Philadelphia in 1785.[4]

Early life

George Ord was born in England and immigrated to Southwark, Philadelphia County. On January 17, 1767, he married Rebecca Lindmeyer of Southwark, who was the sister-in-law of Reverend Eric Nordenlind, pastor of the Swedish Lutheran Church (commonly called Gloria Dei, or Old Swedes' Church) on the Delaware River.[4] George and Rebecca resided at 784 Front St., in Philadelphia.[5] They had four children including George Ord Jr., who was a famous naturalist,[5] Ann (Ord) Pinkerton, Maria (Ord) McMullen, and Henrietta Ord.[3] The family is buried at the Gloria Dei cemetery.[4]

Revolutionary Activity

As captain of the Lady Catherine, Ord led a successful gunpowder raid at Bermuda in August, 1775, and brought the munitions back to Philadelphia for use by the continental army.[6][7][8]

Death and Burial

The gravestone of George Ord, Sr. at the Gloria Dei (Old Swedes) cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US (17 December 2022).

Ord died on October 13, 1806, and is buried in a family plot at Gloria Dei Church cemetery.[4][3]

References

  1. ^ Division, United States Naval History (1966). Naval Documents of the American Revolution: American theatre: Sept. 3, 1775-Oct. 31, 1775. European theatre: Aug. 11, 1775-Oct. 31, 1775. American theatre: Nov. 1, 1775-Dec. 7, 1775. Naval History Division, Department of the Navy. ISBN 978-0-16-045286-4.
  2. ^ Clark, William Bell (1957). "The Sea Captains Club". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. 81 (1): 39–68. ISSN 0031-4587. JSTOR 20088937.
  3. ^ a b c "George Ord, Ship Chandler - @PreserveOldSwedes | Historic Gloria Dei Preservation Corporation". preserveoldswedes.org. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  4. ^ a b c d Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography: PMHB. University of Pennsylvania Press. 1880.
  5. ^ a b Burns, Frank L. (1909). "Alexander Wilson. V: The Completion of the American Ornithology". The Wilson Bulletin. 21 (1): 16–35. ISSN 0043-5643. JSTOR 4154224.
  6. ^ Bell, Herbert Clifford; Parker, David W. (1926). Guide to British West Indian Archive Materials. Carnegie institution of Washington.
  7. ^ Nuxoll, Elizabeth Miles (1985). Congress and the Munitions Merchants: The Secret Committee of Trade During the American Revolution, 1775-1777. Garland Pub. ISBN 978-0-8240-6661-1.
  8. ^ Callahan, North (1967). Flight from the Republic.