JORDAN, GRANT

JORDAN, WANTLAND, MINKLER, CONNELL

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 3/1/2004 at 08:49:31

Biography reproduced from page 206 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Grant Jordan, now a resident of Algona, where for thirteen years he has made his home, was born near Indianapolis, Indiana, January 25, 1869. His father, John A. Jordan, was a native of Pennsylvania and in his boyhood days was connected with the iron furnaces of Pennsylvania and later of Indiana. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in defense of the Union cause, becoming a member of the Fifty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and on the expiration of his first term he veteranized, serving altogether four years and six months. He was in the battles of Shiloh and Lookout Mountain and in front of Atlanta with General McPherson when that gallant commander was killed and he went with Sherman on this celebrated march to the sea, after which he took part in the grand review at Washington, the most celebrated military pageant ever witnessed on the western hemisphere. He was promoted to the rank of corporal and was mustered out at Indianapolis, after which he turned his attention to farming, in which vocation he continued until his death, August 14, 1870. He had four brothers, Wilson, Charles, Tony and Henry, three of whom served in the Civil war. The first named died during the period of hostilities and was buried in the south. John A. Jordan was married in Indiana to Miss Mary Jane Wantland, a native of that state, who passed away there, March 7, 1880. Like her husband she was a consistent member of the Christian church. In politics he was a Douglas democrat at the time he enlisted for the war but he came out of the conflict a republican and remained an ardent adherent of the party until his demise.

Grant Jordan, an only child, spent his boyhood on the home farm until fourteen years old, when he commenced to make his own way in the world. His early education was acquired in the district schools, and later he attended the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso. He devoted three winters of early manhood to the profession of teaching and later was employed at telegraphic and railroad work – one year in Indiana and one year as assistant operator and agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad at Janesville, Wisconsin. He afterward followed the life insurance business in Idaho and Washington and for three years conducted a hardware and implement store in the latter state. He came to Iowa in 1898 and for one season was salesman for the Spaulding Manufacturing Company of Grinnell. Later he was for six years special collector and adjuster for Albrook & Lundy, of Eldora, Iowa, whom he represented in several states. For two and a half years he occupied the position of vice president of the Northwestern Granite Works and acted as manager of their Algona branch, holding that position until the business was disposed of in January, 1912.

On the 14th of July, 1901, Mr. Jordan was united in marriage to Miss Cora Maud Minkler, a native of Kossuth county and a daughter of Orange and Mary M. (Connell) Minkler, who were among the earliest settlers of Kossuth county.

Mr. Jordan is a member of the blue lodge of Masons and is also affiliated with the Modern Woodman of America and the Sons of Veterans. He is an active worker in the ranks of the progressive republican party and served as a delegate to its conventions. A student of political history, no man in this part of the state is better informed or better able to clearly express himself on the issues and questions of the day. From each experience of life he has learned the lessons therein contained. He has traveled quite extensively over the country and Algona now welcomes him to her citizenship for he has those qualities which work for progress and improvement among many lines.

Kossuth Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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