BIO: Emma JORDAN, Centre County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/centre/1picts/commbios/comm-bios.htm _____________________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898. _____________________________________________________________________ EMMA JORDAN. One of the pleasantest homes in the beautiful little city of Aaronsburg, Centre county, is the Jordan homestead, now the property of the lady whose name opens this sketch, and whose admirable qualities of mind and heart have endeared her to a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Miss Jordan's ancestors settled in Lancaster, Penn., many years ago. Her great-grandfather was Elias Jordan, of Lancaster; his wife (nee Bruner) was a native of Holland. To them were born, October 31, 1761, twin sons (the only sons), Casper and Martin. Casper Jordan, grandfather of Miss R. Emma Jordan, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., October 31, 1761, and died in 1826, at the age of sixty-five years. In 1820 he removed with his family to Union county, Penn., to pass his remaining years, and he and his wife, Mary (nee Bender, the daughter of a highly respected merchant of Lancaster city), who died in 1851, aged ninety-two years, are buried at Mifflinburg. They had six sons - Isaac, David, John, Henry, Adam and Joseph - and four daughters - Elizabeth, Marie, Susan and Sarah. Of this family, Isaac, who was twenty-five years older than his brother Joseph, moved to Ohio, and died at the age of eighty-two years; David went south; John was killed while tearing down a building at Mifflin- burg, Penn.; Henry and Adam moved with their families to Clyde and Bellevue, Ohio, respectively; Joseph moved to Centre county; Elizabeth was twice married, (first) to a Mr. Lowry, (second) to a Mr. Moore, and died in Lewisburg; Marie married a Mr. Parmer, and moved to Toledo, Ohio; Susan died in infancy; Sarah was twice married, (first) to a Mr. Goode, (second) to a Mr. Mayer, and died at the age of ninety-three at Fayette, Fulton Co., Ohio. Joseph Jordan, the youngest son in the above mentioned family, and the father of Miss Emma Jordan, was born at New Holland, Lancaster Co., Penn., November 17, 1804, and being still a youth when the family came to Union county, COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. 305 he spent some years there with his father. At twenty-three years of age he went to Gregg township, Centre county, and purchased a farm; a year later he was married in Rebersburg to Miss Elizabeth Bair, a native of Brush Valley, born September 23, 1806, a daughter of Squire George Bair, who for years held the office of justice of the peace, and was one of the leading citizens of the Valley. Mr. Jordan made his home upon his Gregg township farm for some time, and two of his children were born there: Maria J., the widow of Dr. E. J. Deshler, of Aaronsburg; and Elizabeth, widow of Rev. D. O. Shoemaker, and now residing at Lock Haven with a daughter, the wife of T. M. Stevenson, Esq. Mr. Jordan was an excellent judge of lands, and found it profitable to buy farms, which he would improve and dispose of at an advance, and in this way it came about' that the family residence was changed about a number of times. He removed from Gregg township to Sugar Valley, and one son, George B., now a merchant of Chicago, was born there; he is married to Miss Henrietta J. Leitzell. The next home was in Nittany Valley, and there a son was born, William F., who is a farmer at North Liberty, Adams county, Ohio; he married Miss Eliza J. Flisher. Later the family removed to Tusseyville, Potter township, Centre county, where two children were born: R. Emma, the subject proper of this sketch, and James I., who died at the age of thirteen. The various deals in real estate made by Mr. Jordan brought him a profit (except his last purchase of two farms just previous to the depreciation of land values), proving him to be all in all a successful man, and he was considered unusually shrewd and "long-headed." In 1859 he settled in Aaronsburg, where he died September 6, 1893. His estimable wife (lovely in person and character) had passed to the unseen life January 8, 1889, and the remains of both now rest side by side in the Reformed Church cemetery at Aaronsburg. They had passed together over sixty years of married life in unbroken harmony and affection. Both were devout and consistent members of the Reformed Church (in which Mr. Jordan has been an elder over fifty years), to which he was one of the most liberal contributors, and his advice in Church affairs was much valued. Being extremely fond of reading, especially works on theology, he was well-informed, and on several occasions while attending the Church Synod he spoke with much effectiveness, and displayed such thorough knowledge as to attract considerable attention. He took much pleasure in travel, also, and in his early days made extensive journeys, visiting points of interest in the United States. Although Mr. Jordan was a firm believer in the doctrines of the Democratic party, and at times held township offices, he was never a politician as that word is usually understood. "He was honorable in all his dealings with his fellowmen, and his word was as good as his bond." One notable feature of his character was his progressive, liberal view of life and affairs; he was always advancing, keeping fully abreast of the times, and showing keen appreciation of new inventions. His home, which his abundant means enabled him to supply with every comfort, bore evidence of the trait mentioned in its convenient arrangements and appliances. His children have done credit to the pious home training of their youth, and all are occupying honorable stations in life. Martin, the twin brother of Mr. Jordan's father (Casper Jordan), passed all his life in the city of Lancaster, Penn. His wife (nee Hoofnagle), who at the time of her death had been a widow fifty years, requested that her body should be buried in the grave of "her Martin," and their remains lie in the Reformed Cemetery at Lancaster, Penn. They had an only son, Casper, who was on his way, on the ocean, to some foreign country, when the ship he was on sank in a storm, and he was drowned at the age of twenty-four years. His sisters married, and had large families, of whom the following named are now the only survivors: Mrs. James H. Cochran, of Broad street, Philadelphia; Mrs. Dr, Barton, of the same locality; Harry J. Wentz, also living in Philadelphia; Miss Hattie Wentz and Mrs. Dr. Longenecker, both of Lancaster county, Penn., and George M. Frame, a dentist in New York City. The grandchildren, now living, of Joseph Jordan are: J. Jordan Deshler, M.D., of Glidden, Iowa; Edwin Jordan, Esq., of Chicago; Howard C. Jordan, of Nebraska; Emma K., wife of Rev. J.. F. Kerlin, of Williamsport, Penn.; Margaret, wife of T. M. Stevenson, Esq., of Lock Haven; Dr. D. E. Shoemaker, of Washingtonville, Penn.; H. P. Shoemaker, of Watsontown, Penn.; and Miss Grace Jordan, of North Liberty, Ohio. Miss R. Emma Jordan was born January 1842. Her health was not sufficiently strong during girlhood to permit her to gratify her wish for a collegiate education, but after completing a course in the common schools she attended the academy at Aaronsburg, and her fine mental powers have assimilated through reading and observation an unusual amount of information. She is highly accomplished, and was at one time 306 COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD. especially proficient in music, in which she gave lessons. During the last years of her parents' lives she gave them the most devoted and watchful care, ministering to their every need, and brightening their hours of pain or weariness with her filial love. Her kindliness of heart has found a wide field of expression in generous assistance to different charities, and she has done much for the Reformed Church, of which she is a consistent member. Always active in its various lines of work, she was especially helpful at the time of the building of the new church edifice, being one of the leaders in the Ladies Aid Society, which work had been effective and successful, after a career of six years succeeding in raising funds to the amount of $1,093. Neither is she lacking in practical business ability, her management of her father's estate, as executrix under the will, showing rare tact, discretion and firmness of character.