Midshipman, United States Navy
1st Lieutenant, 36th United States Infantry
His remains were removed from Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska and reburied at Arlington National Cemetery in 1916.

On September 29, 1814 as James Ord, he married Rebecca R. Cresap at Allegany County, Maryland.
They were the parents of 11 children.

Historical Records and Studies; Volume VI, Part II, December 1912, edited by Charles George Herbermann, published by The United Catholic Historical Society, New York, 1913.
Midshipman James Ord
Born in England; appointed midshipman from Maryland, June 8, 1811; resigned April 13, 1813.
Known throughout his life as James Ord, it has been persistently claimed that he was the son of George IV and Mrs. Fitzherbert. Much as been written in regard to the claim and exhaustive inquiries in England have been made by descendants, unearthing much curious and interesting information, which, in their opinion tends to confirm the claim. Yet they have failed to establish the two essential points: 1st, that Mrs. Fitzherbert had a son; 2nd, that James Ord was that son. It is stated that he was born in England, January 7, 1789 and was brought up under the care of a James Ord, his supposed uncle and Mary Ord, who me was taught to call his mother. While an infant he was taken to Spain, where James Ord, his reputed uncle, was employed under the Spanish Government, supposedly through the influence of the Prime Minister of England and the Ambassador to Spain, Allyne Fitzherbert, brother-in-law of Mrs. Fitzherbert. In 1790, when war between England and Spain was imminent, the family came to the United States and settled at Norfolk, Virginia. In 1800 James Ord (the reputed uncle) was appointed a naval contractor at the Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., which position he held until his death, October 12, 1810.

James Ord, the subject of this sketch, became a student at Georgetown College, April 20, 1800 and left the college, April 24, 1804. When the Society of Jesus was re-established in Maryland he entered as a novice, October 10, 1806. During his novitiate he studied and taught at Georgetown College and also taught in New York at the Literary Institute founded by Rev. Anthony Kohlmann, S.J., 1809-1801, returning to Georgetown College, where he remained studying and teaching until 1811, when, apparently unconvinced that he did not have a vocation for the priesthood, he left the college and don June 9, 1811, he was appointed a midshipman in the United States Navy and after a two years; cruise on board the frigate Congress, on the European Station, he resigned April 13, 1813. On April 30 of the same year he was appointed first lieutenant in the Thirty-sixth United States Infantry. He resigned from the Army, February 14, 1815. He was for some years in one of the Government offices in Washington and afterwards was employed in the Government frontier stations in the Michigan Territory. In 1858 he went to California, where his sons had become prominent. He died at Omaha, Nebraska, in 1883, at the home of his son, Major General Edward O.C. Ord, United States Army. He was married in 1814 to Rebecca Ruth Cresap, a Protestant. They had seven sons and one daughter, all Catholics. One son, Major General Edward Otho Cresap Ord, United States Army, graduated at West Point in 1839 and had a distinguished career as an officer, in the war with Mexico and in the Civil War. He died of yellow fever at Havana, Cuba, while on his way from Vera Cruz, Mexico to New York. Another son, Placidius Ord, was a major of volunteers during the Civil War and was appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Army, May 11, 1866; promoted to first lieutenant, September 18, 1867; was accidentally killed July 9, 1876. Another son, Pacificus Ord, was a prominent man in California, a member of the Bear State Convention, that met at Monterey in 1849, to form a State Government. He died at Washington, D.C., a few years ago.

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Numerous news articles at the time of his death claimed he was the son of King George IV and Maria Fritzherbert who married on December 15, 1785. The couple was said to have had two daughters and a son. The son was thought to have been sent to Spain and then to America in the care of the Ord family. The two daughters were thought to be Mrs. Fitzherbert's adopted daughters, Minney Seymour and Maryanne Smythe. It was said that James Ord bore a striking resemblance to King George IV and that his Georgetown University tuition and fees were paid by the British Legation. He and his wife lived in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania until 1819. Their three eldest children were born in Allegheny County. They lived in Washington, D.C. until 1837 where he was employed in the Subsistence Department of the United States Army. From 1837 to 1847 he was Indian Agent at Sault Saint Marie, Michigan.

San Francisco Bulletin February 1, 1873
Death of General Ord's Father
James Ord, father of General E.O.C. Ord, the present commander of the Department of the Platte, died at the residence of General Ord in Omaha on Saturday last. He was well known in California having been a resident of this State nearly eighteen years. The deceased leaves as surviving children, Dr. James L. Ord, now in Mexico; Judge Pacificus Ord of San Francisco; Robert Ord of Santa Barbara, California; John Ord of Santa Cruz, California; Marcelus Ord, also a resident of California, though he is now in Washington. He was a member of Wheeler's expedition last summer. There is only one daughter [Georgiana Catherine Ord], who is the wife of S.W. Holladay, a prominent lawyer of San Francisco. Two sons of the deceased, Major Pacificus Ord and General E.O.C. Ord reside in Omaha.

Mr. Ord was born in London in 1786, but was educated in Georgetown College, District of Columbia and graduated in 1808. He then entered the Navy, where he served as passed midshipman till 1811, when he was transferred to the Army and served as Lieutenant till 1814. He then resigned and married Miss R.R. Cressup of Cumberland, Maryland. Mr. Ord after retiring from the Navy resided many years at Washington and occupied positions of trust under every administration from Jefferson to Taylor. He came to California in 1855, where he remained until he went to Omaha in May last.