Peter Aaron Van Dorn (1773–1837) was an American lawyer, judge and cotton planter in Mississippi. Born and raised in New Jersey, with a law degree from Princeton, as a young man he migrated to the Mississippi Territory, where he made his career and fortune. He became a major planter with a plantation on the Yazoo River, a law practice in Port Gibson, and a seat as a judge on the Orphan's Court. He was one of the founders of Jackson, Mississippi, designated as the capital when it became a state.
Peter Aaron Van Dorn was born on September 12, 1773, near Peapack, New Jersey.[1][2] He descended from the ethnic Dutch Van Doorn family. Members of this family were elevated to the Dutch nobility in the 19th century.[1][2] Emigrants to the New World became wealthy farmers, particularly in Monmouth and Somerset counties in New Jersey.[1] His father was Aaron Van Dorn (1744-1830) and his mother, Ghacy Schenck (1748-1820).[2]
Shortly after, he moved to Port Gibson, Mississippi, forty miles south of Natchez. It had river access and was also on the Natchez Trace, a major route between this area and what became Nashville in Middle Tennessee. Established as the county seat, Port Gibson became a major regional trading center for the cotton-based economy. Van Dorn established a private law practice in Port Gibson and served as clerk of the Circuit Court from about 1810.[1][2] In 1817, he became Clerk of the Mississippi House of Representatives.[2] He later was appointed as a judge on the Orphan's Court, established after Mississippi became a state. He also acquired a plantation on the Yazoo River, where several of his children were born.
Influenced by Northern practice, Van Dorn was a proponent of establishing public schools in Mississippi,[1]but these were not established until authorized by the biracial legislature during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. In 1821, he served on a commission alongside Dr William Lattimore and General Thomas Hinds to decide upon the location of the future state capital, Jackson, Mississippi.[1][2] The new town's plan followed a 'checkerboard' plan suggested by Thomas Jefferson, whereby residential plots would be interspersed by parks and green spaces.[2]
He designed another house McGregor in Port Gibson as a wedding present for one of his daughters. Completed in 1835, it was designed in the Greek Revival architecture style.[4][5] It was listed on the NRHP in 1979.
Van Dorn was a prominent freemason, in the Washington Lodge No. 3 of Port Gibson, Mississippi.[2]
The Van Dorn House in Port Gibson, Mississippi.
Personal life
Van Dorn's first wife, with whom he had no children, died when they were living in Virginia.[2] On August 18, 1811, after he had moved to Port Gibson, Mississippi and become established, he married Sophia Donelson Caffery. She was the granddaughter of explorer and revolutionary Col. John Donelson, who founded Fort Nashborough. This later developed as Nashville, Tennessee.[1][2] She was also the niece of Rachel Caffery, President Andrew Jackson's first wife.[3][6] The Van Dorns had nine children before her death in late 1830 or early 1831:[2]
Earl Van Dorn (1820-1863) attended West Point and became a U.S. Army officer; after the Civil war broke out, he joined the C.S.A., becoming a general during the war. He was killed by a man who thought he was having an affair with his wife.
Aaron Van Dorn (1822-1874)
Sarah Ross Van Dorn (1825-1828)
Emily Donelson Van Dorn Miller (1827-1909)
Jacob Van Dorn (1829-1837)
Death
Van Dorn wrote and dated his will in 1830. He died on February 12, 1837, at his plantation near the Yazoo River.[1] He was buried with Masonic honors in the Wintergreen Cemetery in Port Gibson, Mississippi.[2] Daniel Vertner was the sole executor of his will.[2]
References
^ abcdefghijkArthur B. Carter, The Tarnished Cavalier: Major General Earl Van Dorn, C.S.A., pp. 1-2 [1]
^ abThe Confederate General, National Historical Society, 1992, volume 6, p. 71 [2]
^Jack A. Gold (January 1979). "McGregor". and accompanying photo from 1979
^"Claiborne County MSGenWeb". Sites.rootsweb.com. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
^Abraham Van Doren Honeyman, The Van Doorn Family (Van Doorn, Van Dorn, Van Doren, Etc.) in Holland and America, 1088-1908, Issue 764, p. 485 [3]
January 07, 2023
peter, aaron, dorn, 1773, 1837, american, lawyer, judge, cotton, planter, mississippi, born, raised, jersey, with, degree, from, princeton, young, migrated, mississippi, territory, where, made, career, fortune, became, major, planter, with, plantation, yazoo, . Peter Aaron Van Dorn 1773 1837 was an American lawyer judge and cotton planter in Mississippi Born and raised in New Jersey with a law degree from Princeton as a young man he migrated to the Mississippi Territory where he made his career and fortune He became a major planter with a plantation on the Yazoo River a law practice in Port Gibson and a seat as a judge on the Orphan s Court He was one of the founders of Jackson Mississippi designated as the capital when it became a state Peter Aaron Van DornBornSeptember 12 1773Peapack New JerseyDiedFebruary 12 1837MississippiResting placeWintergreen Cemetery Port Gibson MississippiEducationPrinceton UniversityOccupation s Lawyer planterSpouse2 including Sophia Donelson Caffery Van DornChildrenMary Van DornJane Van DornOctavia Van DornEarl Van Dorn Aaron Van DornMabella Van DornSarah Van DornEmily Van DornJacob Van DornParent s Aaron Van DornGhacy SchenckRelativesClement Sulivane grandson Contents 1 Early life 2 Career in Mississippi 2 1 Personal life 3 Death 4 ReferencesEarly life EditPeter Aaron Van Dorn was born on September 12 1773 near Peapack New Jersey 1 2 He descended from the ethnic Dutch Van Doorn family Members of this family were elevated to the Dutch nobility in the 19th century 1 2 Emigrants to the New World became wealthy farmers particularly in Monmouth and Somerset counties in New Jersey 1 His father was Aaron Van Dorn 1744 1830 and his mother Ghacy Schenck 1748 1820 2 He studied theology and law at the College of New Jersey now Princeton University graduating in 1795 1 2 3 Career in Mississippi EditVan Dorn first moved to Virginia 2 After his first wife died there he moved to the Mississippi Territory at the age of twenty one 2 He became a lawyer in Natchez 1 In 1804 Territorial Governor William C C Claiborne appointed Van Dorn as Marshal of Natchez 2 Shortly after he moved to Port Gibson Mississippi forty miles south of Natchez It had river access and was also on the Natchez Trace a major route between this area and what became Nashville in Middle Tennessee Established as the county seat Port Gibson became a major regional trading center for the cotton based economy Van Dorn established a private law practice in Port Gibson and served as clerk of the Circuit Court from about 1810 1 2 In 1817 he became Clerk of the Mississippi House of Representatives 2 He later was appointed as a judge on the Orphan s Court established after Mississippi became a state He also acquired a plantation on the Yazoo River where several of his children were born Influenced by Northern practice Van Dorn was a proponent of establishing public schools in Mississippi 1 but these were not established until authorized by the biracial legislature during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War In 1821 he served on a commission alongside Dr William Lattimore and General Thomas Hinds to decide upon the location of the future state capital Jackson Mississippi 1 2 The new town s plan followed a checkerboard plan suggested by Thomas Jefferson whereby residential plots would be interspersed by parks and green spaces 2 He built what became known as the Van Dorn House completed about 1830 as his town house in Port Gibson It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 2 He designed another house McGregor in Port Gibson as a wedding present for one of his daughters Completed in 1835 it was designed in the Greek Revival architecture style 4 5 It was listed on the NRHP in 1979 Van Dorn also built a house in Grand Gulf ten miles away from Port Gibson 2 It was destroyed in the Battle of Grand Gulf in 1863 during the American Civil War The Grand Gulf Military State Park now encompasses the former property of this house 2 Additionally Van Dorn owned a cotton plantation on the Yazoo River and the numerous enslaved African Americans needed to work it 1 2 Van Dorn was a prominent freemason in the Washington Lodge No 3 of Port Gibson Mississippi 2 The Van Dorn House in Port Gibson Mississippi Personal life Edit Van Dorn s first wife with whom he had no children died when they were living in Virginia 2 On August 18 1811 after he had moved to Port Gibson Mississippi and become established he married Sophia Donelson Caffery She was the granddaughter of explorer and revolutionary Col John Donelson who founded Fort Nashborough This later developed as Nashville Tennessee 1 2 She was also the niece of Rachel Caffery President Andrew Jackson s first wife 3 6 The Van Dorns had nine children before her death in late 1830 or early 1831 2 Mary Van Dorn Lacy 1812 1837 Jane Van Dorn Vertner 1815 1870 Octavia Van Dorn Ross Sullivane 1816 1897 Her son Clement Sulivane 1838 1920 served in the Confederate States Army C S A as aide de camp to his uncle Earl Van Dorn below and later was elected to the Maryland Senate Sophia Mabella Van Dorn 1819 1836 Earl Van Dorn 1820 1863 attended West Point and became a U S Army officer after the Civil war broke out he joined the C S A becoming a general during the war He was killed by a man who thought he was having an affair with his wife Aaron Van Dorn 1822 1874 Sarah Ross Van Dorn 1825 1828 Emily Donelson Van Dorn Miller 1827 1909 Jacob Van Dorn 1829 1837 Death EditVan Dorn wrote and dated his will in 1830 He died on February 12 1837 at his plantation near the Yazoo River 1 He was buried with Masonic honors in the Wintergreen Cemetery in Port Gibson Mississippi 2 Daniel Vertner was the sole executor of his will 2 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Arthur B Carter The Tarnished Cavalier Major General Earl Van Dorn C S A pp 1 2 1 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Ancestry com Peter Aaron Van Dorn 1773 1837 a b The Confederate General National Historical Society 1992 volume 6 p 71 2 Jack A Gold January 1979 McGregor and accompanying photo from 1979 Claiborne County MSGenWeb Sites rootsweb com Retrieved June 9 2021 Abraham Van Doren Honeyman The Van Doorn Family Van Doorn Van Dorn Van Doren Etc in Holland and America 1088 1908 Issue 764 p 485 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Aaron Van Dorn amp oldid 1129137935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
