- Jesse Earl (called Jess) Jordan was the elder of two sons of Francis Benjamin (Frank) Jordan (1873-1930) and his first wife, Eloise M. (Elsie) Fleming (1878-1941). Jesse's brother was John Frank Jordan (1899-1982) and they had a half sibling, Ronald Franklin (Billie) Jordan (1922-2004) from their father's second marriage, to Helen Baker Oakes (1896-1988).
Jesse appears, at age 3, with his family in the 1900 census in Red Wing, MN: head of household is Jesse's grandfather John M. Jordan. John Jordan works at the boat livery on the river in Red Wing (and makes skiffs); his son Frank is listed, interestingly, as a "hypnotist." (Please see Frank's bio. for more on his uncommon life). Jesse is 3 and his brother not quite 1 year old. Their mother Eloise (called Elsie) indicates she does not know the birthplace of her father but her mother was born in France. Her father's birthplace appears in a variety of forms across the documents but he was likely born in Ireland, and her mother was actually born in New York state, though she had rench Canadian parents) Elsie's father died a few months before she was born and her mother soon remarried.
By 1905, Jesse's family had moved to Superior, Douglas County, WI, and they have a roomer, August Mikkelsen, from Denmark. Frank is working as a plumber. By 1910, Frank and Elsie have divorced and that census finds Frank with his two sons (ages 13 and 9) living in Minneapolis; Frank works in a machine shop.
On 17 July 1915, at age 18, Jesse married Myrtle Bates (1896-1958) in Minneapolis. Their first child, Frances Louise (1915-1995) was born that year in December. Her sister Virginia May (1917-1936) was born two years later. Both children were born in Minneapolis.
The young family are in Minot, ND, by 7 June 1918, when Jesse registered for the draft. He worked at Minot Auto Co. and they lived at 517 E. Central Avenue in Minot. By 1920 they were back in Minneapolis, with Jesse working as an auto mechanic. They lived with Myrtle's mother, Emma Daisy Rainholt Bates Jones and her second husband, Herman Jones. (Myrtle's father Frank Bates had died before 1910.) In 1928, still married to Myrtle, Jesse works for W. S. Dyer and Brothers as a department store manager. The family live in St. Paul.
By 1930, they had moved again - to San Francisco, CA., where Jesse is a radio salesman. But Myrtle and Jesse divorced shortly thereafter. On 17 August 1931 in Portland, OR, Jesse married Myrtle's sister Louise Bates (1900-1978); it was the second marriage for each. Jesse and Louise moved to Chico, CA, about 1936. The 1940 census finds them there living with Jesse's "aunt by marriage," Mattie Werner. Jesse is a traveling salesman. Although the Chico directory of 1948 lists Jesse and Louise, he died in San Francisco, while traveling for his work, on 3 Oct. 1947. His residence at time of death is listed as 2209 West Lindo Road, Chico, CA. Jesse is buried in San Bruno (as is Louise) in Golden Gate National Cemetery, in honor of his service during the first World War in MN in the US Naval Reserve Force as a Machinist's Mate 2nd. Class Petty Officer.
Jesse's funeral notice was posted in the Chico (California) Enterprise of 6 Oct. 1947, on page 6:
"The Rev. Adrian E. Roberts of the First Baptist Church will
officiate the 3 o'clock services Tuesday afternoon in the Brusie
Funeral Home for Jesse E. Jordan, who died in San Francisco
Friday …
Cremation will be held in the Sierra View Crematory in Marysville,
California …
Final interment will be held In the Golden Gate Cemetery in
San Bruno, California …."
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MINNESOTA
MM2
USNRF
WORLD WAR I
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Jindra and Chaloupka Families
1896 - 1947 (50 years)
