William and Clara Jordan, 1950

BEGINNINGS

My birthday was July 19, 1881. Right here I must do a little explaining or some of my children will think I have been putting something over on them. Once, after I was married, my wife Clara made me a fine birthday cake and presented it to me on July 19. As a joke, I asked her, "What is this for?" and she answered, "Why, Jimmy, it's your birthday!" Just to confuse her, I told her that my birthday was July 29. I hope that my readers will understand that it was only a joke. But it has stayed with me for nearly sixty years and I guess it won't be forgotten as long as I am here. Always, in after years, as the kiddies came along and got old enough to give Dad a birthday gift, it was made clear to them by their mother that Dad had two birthdays. If you wonder why I did such a thing, my answer is that I enjoy having two birthdays!

As I started to tell you, on July 19, 1881, in a two room log cabin, twelve miles north of Bangor, Maine, I (little Jimmy) arrived to greet my mother and daddy, Sarah and Isaac. My father was of Scottish and English descent. When his father, also Isaac, left for the Civil War, he left a will giving my father some money. This was used to buy a fifty acre lot on which my father built the log cabin where I was born. We moved from this home when I was two years old. The log cabin remained standing for nearly three-quarters of a century, until hurricane Edna destroyed it in September of 1955.

The first thing I can remember in my growing up was the tragic death of my youngest brother. At that time there were three of us. John was four years old and little Allen was one year and eight months. Mother and Father were away working and had left a young girl to care for us three little boys. In those days, all children wore dresses until they were five or six years old, when the boys were put into pants. Alice, the girl, left the house and went to a neighbor's. While she was gone, little Allen amused himself by poking a stick into the front of the stove, pulling it out, and looking at the flame. Suddenly, I heard his scream. Racing in from the barn where I was playing, I found my baby brother's dress in flames. I pumped water from the cistern and poured it over him, putting out the fire. Then I carefully lifted him onto the bed and took off his clothes. He was terribly burned. He screamed and screamed and before long the house was filled with neighbors and friends. Little Allen left us the next day for the great beyond where he would wait for mother and father to join him years later. (click here to continue)
 

To read more on the entire Jordan family history, visit my web site, The Haldane Family and click on the Jordan Family report at the bottom of the page.
 

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I found your site delightful. What wonderful history on Bangor. I was keeping a watchful eye out for some mention of the Hincks Coal Company or Authur Chapin Wholesale, but found nothing. I am a Hincks and am always searching for history of that family and Authur Chapins mother was a Hincks. So when I saw some of the old names I was delited to read and find out where some of the businesses were located in Bangor. Great work for your family to pass on from one generation to another. I am working on a family History for the Hincks family.
Brenda Hincks-Murray

Brenda Hincks-M

Brendahm@aol.com
Brewer USA - Saturday, January 26, 2002 at 07:54:09 (PDT)

I found your site very nice. I have a Thomas Jordan in my family his dad was from SC and I have not been able to find anything on him. It was great to see that someone cared enough to keep track.

Trisha Mcdonner

trishamcdonner@hotmail.com
Lake Ridge, va USA - Wednesday, April 18, 2001 at 18:32:33 (PDT)

You have been such a great help in finding relatives thought to be "lost forever". Wish the world had more wonderful & caring people such as yourself.

M. Fries

bilmar@gis.net
Halifax, Ma USA - Tuesday, February 27, 2001 at 20:43:08 (PDT)

Great site FJ. Your passion and dedication for genealogy certainly stands out.

James Wilkinson

fatmanjim@yahoo.com
Huntington, WV USA - Thursday, February 22, 2001 at 20:55:10 (PDT)

I am researching my ancestors. Joshua Jordan from Brown co., Ohio was my gggrandfather. Absolam was my great grandfather, Edgar B. (E.B.) my grandfather and Dale V., my father. I think I am descended from Samuel Jordan who came to Virginia around 1610, but I am not sure. I am not that good at researching. I saw your web site and decided to have a look.

Janet Speer

janetspe@earthlink.net
Lexington, IN USA - Wednesday, February 21, 2001 at 17:38:04 (PDT)

I stumbled upon your web site today, and it didn't take long to realize that we are related. Your Aunt Bertie is also my grandmother's aunt. Great site. I got a lot of info!

Rachel A. Crocker

rachl@landmarknet.net
Fryeburg, Me USA - Saturday, December 16, 2000 at 14:55:32 (PDT)

Got your link off your post on Jags top 25. Neat reading, very interesting reading. I see you can not only make good football picks but you can also host a good web site. Keep up the good work...
Troy Turner <mtturner1@msn.com>
Central, SC USA - Tuesday, August 01, 2000 at 07:24:36 (PDT)