William Jordan was a resident of Martin and possibly Chowan Counties. In 1777 Richard Fagan recruited him and had him swear an oath of secrecy to become a member of the Gourd Patch Conspiracy. Jordan later claimed that Fagan wanted him to become an officer in the plot's leadership structure and help recruit more people to the conspiracy, but Jordan refused. Later he may have signed an oath of allegiance in Chowan County promising to report any treasonous conspiracies that might threaten North Carolina's independence.