J.E. Jordan

J.E. Jordan, who for the past twenty-four years has been in the employ of the Anchor line, is one of the six children of Thomas and Bridget (O'Day) Jordan, and was born at Buffalo, September 24, 1852. His father was one of the prominent engineers of his day, having spent forty years of his life sailing, principally on the Great Lakes.

Our subject attended the public schools of his native city in his early days. After having served his apprenticeship in the Bay State Iron Works, of Erie, Penn, he shipped on the U. S. revenue cutter Commodore Perry, as oiler, remaining on her about three months of the season of 1872. The next season he entered the employ of the Anchor line as oiler on the Gordon Campbell, for three months, finishing the season as her second engineer. In 1874 he started as second on the Juniata, and finished that season on the Gordon Campbell, again as her second engineer. The following season he went on the Conestoga as her second, and subsequently was promoted to chief of the Annie Young, and, when she was laid up, going as second on the Wissahickon for the balance of the season. The next season he was again chief on the Annie Young until she was laid up, and finished the season as second on the Gordon Campbell, on which he served also a part of the next. Returning to the Annie Young again as chief, he remained on her a time, and the latter part of the season was given the Alaska, which he ran until the Schuylkill was completed, in 1893. He fitted her and brought her out new, and was her chief for four seasons, including that of 1897.

In January, 1889, Mr. Jordan was married, at Erie, Penn., to Miss Mary Crowley, whose people are prominent and extensive real-estate holders in Erie, Penn. Five children have blessed this union, namely: Thomas, Joseph, Edward and Marie (twins), and Raymond. The family residence is at No. 221 East Third street, Erie, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Jordan is a member of the Catholic Knights of America No. 98, of Erie; the Catholic Legion, Branch No. 392, of Erie; and was one of the founders of Local Harbor No. 39, Erie, M. E. B. A., which through neglect is now practically extinct.

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Volume I

This version of Volume II is based, with permission, on the work of the great volunteers at the Marine Captains Biographies site. To them goes the credit for reorganizing the content into some coherent order. The biographies in the original volume are in essentially random order.

Some of the transcription work was also done by Brendon Baillod, who maintains an excellent guide to Great Lakes Shipwreck Research.