Cornelia J. M. Jordan
American poet, lyricist (1830-1898)
Cornelia Jane Jordan (née Matthews; January 11, 1830 – January 26, 1898) was an American poet and lyricist associated with the Civil War. Her book of poems entitled Corinth, and other Poems, published after the surrender, was seized by the military commander of Richmond, Virginia and suppressed. She also published a volume entitled Richmond, Her Glory and Her Graves. Jordan contributed many articles to magazines and newspapers, the best of which were "The Battle of Manassas," "The Death of Jackson" and "An Appeal for Jefferson Davis".
Early life and education
Cornelia Jane Matthews was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, January 11, 1830. Her father was Edwin Matthews, a former mayor of that town. Her mother was Emily Goggin Matthews, a sister of William L. Goggin, who figured prominently in Virginia politics before the war. She was born to wealth, and received all the advantages of liberal education and polished society. After her mother's death in 1834, Jordan and two younger sisters were sent to the home of their grandmother in Bedford County.
In 1842, at the age of 12, Jordan was placed in the school of the Convent of the Visitation, Georgetown, Washington, D.C..
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Cornelia J. M. Jordan” as american poet, lyricist (1830-1898). Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the people & ideas register because the source frames it as american poet, lyricist (1830-1898). Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Biographical claims are most persuasive when dates, appointments and relationships can be traced to records created close to the events described. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 31, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q47525361. VIAF identifies the subject as 29175762. The Library of Congress control number is no2001013515. 1 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1830, 1898, 1834 and 1842.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Cornelia J. M. Jordan”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Cornelia J. M. Jordan primary sources, Cornelia J. M. Jordan archive and Cornelia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Cornelia J. M. Jordan”?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
- How has the subject’s reputation changed across later accounts?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Cornelia J. M. Jordan” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.