By: Stan Jordan
The above picture is taken from Mr. Ehrhart’s book, Antwerp’s 100 Years of Progress, published in 1941. That is my grandparents, George and Sarah Jordan. They were Antwerp’s oldest married couple at that time.
Grandpa George J. Jordan was born in Harrisburg, PA August 22, 1859. His parents were Samuel and Hanna Jordan. Grandma was born in Randolph County, IN in January 1859 nee Sarah Emery. Her parents were Simeon and Phoebe Southwood Emery.
My grandparents, George and Sarah, were married in Allen County, IN in April of 1877. In March of 1878 they had a son, Heinrich Adam. He died as an infant and was buried in Milan Township in Allen County, IN. In March of 1879 they had another son, John Henry Jordan, born in Allen County, IN. In 1880 a daughter, Christina H. was born.
In March 1885, they were living in Salem Township in Allen County, Kansas with Sarah’s father.
I think there were lots of trouble with robbers, mountain lions and Indians as they lived in a sod hut, so they ended up back up in Indiana.
On June 2, 1886, a son, George Simeon was born in Allen County, IN. In February, 1890, a son, Samuel Edward was born in Allen County, IN. In August 1896 my father, William Bryan, was born. This was in a small house at the northwest corner of US 24 and the Bull Rapids Road.
Then they moved to Harrison Township in Paulding County, OH at the crossroads of SR 111 and SR 49.
A daughter, Golda, was born here in 1901. I think Grandma and Grandpa had 26 grandchildren and most of them had passed away.
Great-grandpa Samuel Jordan died in Milan Township, IN in 1916, he was sort of a hermit. He died in the area of Thurman. His wife had been dead for over 30 years. As I remember, Grandpa chewed Mail Pouch Chewing Tobacco most of the time. I liked to eat at Grandma’s house, she was a good cook and made the best sugar cookies.
I am indebted to two of my nieces for a lot of this information—Judy Copsey and her sister, Laurie Manon. Thanks a lot girls.
See ya!
