Biographies and Obituaries
In loving memory
James F. Jordan
History of the Catholic Church in Indiana
Logansport, Ind: A.W.Bowen, 1898. Vol. 2, pp 782-783
James F. Jordan, of Washington, Daviess County, Ind., is a native of the Hoosier state, and was born in Jasper County, September 12, 1845, a son of John and Sarah (Thomas) Jordan, the former of whom was born in Greenbrier County, Va. (now W.Va.), in 1802.
John Jordan, in his early manhood, came from his native state to Indiana and for a short time lived in Tippecanoe County, whence he moved to Jasper County, where he bought a farm. In due course of time he crossed the state line for the purpose of marrying Miss Sarah Thomas, who was then living in Iroquois County, Ill., but who was a native of Indiana. He then settled permanently on his Jasper County, Ind., farm, and there died in 1865, a wealthy and highly respected citizen. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. John Jordan were six in number, and in order of birth were named as follows: Joseph T., James F. (subject), WILLIAM H.; John B. deceased; Samuel M.; and Josephine (the last named also deceased).
James F. Jordan, the gentleman with whom this memoir has most to do, gave due attention to his schooling until fifteen years of age, and from that time forward assisted in cultivating the home farm until 1867, about which time he went to Batesville, the county seat of Independence County, Ark., where he was engaged in the livery business until 1871, when he became an employee of the Johnson & Romela Circus company, with which he traveled two years as boss canvas man. This circus company went to pieces, in Washington, Ind., leaving Mr. Jordan in the lurch. Here Mr. Jordan, during the winter and spring of 1874-75, took employment in a livery stable, and was next an employee of the Sells Bros. Circus Company until the close of 1883; in 1884 he was with the Adam Forepaugh Show, and again with the Sells Bros. from 1885 until November 21, 1896, when he became allied with the B.E. Wallace Show for the season of 1897, and in 1898 again returned to Sells Bros.
January 13, 1874, Mr. Jordan married in Washington, Ind., Miss Mary Buckley, a native of the city, born November 13, 1843, a daughter of Patrick and Mary (Cody) Buckley, the result of this union being one child, John, who has been an employee of the Sells Bros. Circus Company since 1894. The family are members of St. Simon's church, of which Mrs. Jordan is a member of the altar society. Mr. Jordan has not been unfortunate in his nomadic life, as far as this world's goods are concerned, as he now owns five city residences and forty acres of land in Barr township.
Contributed by: John D. McMullen