Person:Robert Jordan (31)

BIRTH

In a letter from Byron Jordan to his son E.B. Jordan, dated 20 May 1912, from Orion, IL, the opening lines of the letter read: "I say Pa, I want a rocking horse with a pretty red saddle. (Byron Blackfan J_______). Well! who cares who is President?" Jeremy Jordan believes this implies that REJ, born 19 May 1912, should have taken that name. At time of birth, his Father, Erwin Byron Jordan, was on assignment for a construction firm, involved in building coaling stations.

Jeremy & Cleis Jordan briefly visited Rowlesburg in Oct 2006. Rowlesburg is a railroad town on the Cheat River with two RRs, one on each side of the river. Rowlesburg had devastating floods in 1950 and 1985 that wiped out most of the town - still not recovered in 2006.

BIOGRAPHY

Listed as Robert E. Jordan in 1920 Fed. Census for West Deerfield Twp., Lake Co., IL, enumerated on 12 Jan 1920, age 6, b. WV, living on farm on Telegraph Rd., the prior name of Waukegan Rd. Note: The census enumerator was Robert’s father, E.B. Jordan.

Listed as Robert E. Jordan in 1930 Fed. Census for West Deerfield Twp., Lake Co., IL, Dist. 3, enumerated on 8 Apr 1930, age 17, b. WV, single, at home.

Listed as Robert Jordan in 1940 Fed. Census for Deerfield, Lake Co., IL, Dist. 49-107, enumerated on 27 May 1940, age 28, b. WV, Chemical Engineer with Drug Manufacturing Co., completed 4 years of college, residing in same place in 1935, with his wife + 3 children, living at 50 S. Waukegan Rd. in his Father’s home, had worked 40 hours during the week of Mar 24-30, 1940.

Robert grew up in the Parsons family homestead in Deerfield, Illinois, since age three; graduated from Deerfield Shields Township High School - now Highland Park H.S.

He also attended Culver Naval Academy, Indiana, Indiana during high school summer sessions. Robert attended Summer sessions in 1929, 1930 & 1931.

Graduated from University of Illinois in 1934 with a degree in Chemistry, was immediately hired by Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, Illinois, where he stayed for his entire work career, retiring in September, 1972.

He was, in time, classified as a Chemical Engineer and later held posts as Department Manager and Area Maintenance Supervisor. In the 1950s he was part of an “Operations Research” group to improve any and all manufacturing processes at Abbott. During the WW II period, he was instrumental in perfecting the processing of Blood Plasma for the Armed Forces and subsequently for Penicillin production. He received a patent for a clamp, called ‘Jordan Clamp’ for intra-venous use and another Patent for a soft gelatin capsule.

Bob joined the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve-Temporary [No G.I. Bill of Rights benefits] and served throughout WW II on security details along the Chicago River, Chicago.

He taught a night class in Industrial Hydraulics in a local College in Waukegan, Illinois.

Robert was active in the Sheridan Rifle Club and eventually on the range with muzzle loading groups in Illinois and New Mexico. He was a leader of troop of Boy Scouts in Illinois and later as a Commissioner in the Area Council. He was inducted into ‘The Order of the Arrow” at Camp MA-KA-JA-WAN, near Antigo, Wisconsin.

He was a member of “The Sons of the American Revolution” and “Rotary International” receiving the “Paul Harris Fellow” in ‘Appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the World.’

He was active in the Presbyterian Church in Deerfield, Illinois and Albuquerque, New Mexico, holding posts at various times on the ‘Session’, ‘Trustees’ and as Sunday School Superintendent.

A pride and joy of Robert was the construction of a model live steam locomotive. It was trial-run on compressed air, but final completion and operation was interrupted by his passing. That locomotive is in the hands of his Grandson Eric D. Jordan.

Robert’s forte was his problem-solving savvy, regardless of the subject or task - if he didn’t know how to do a task, he taught himself and got it done.

DEATH: Resided in Rio Rancho at time of death, but was admitted to Presbyterian Hosp. in Albuquerque on 29 Jan 1984. Social Security Number: xxx

BURIAL: His ashes were scattered near Placitas, NM.

Family_Jordan_No.: 10271

1.  
   1070, 1383.

   Penobscot Press, 2001, ISBN 0-89725-441-4
   
   Book
   
   The Family Jordan
   
   Editor: Roland Gene Jordan, compiled by Adelbert Jean “Andy” Annonson