This photograph bears a similarity to The Jordan Brothers on Bikes (c1893) photograph. That photo was possibly taken at the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893 and pictured James Henry Jordan, Charles Jordan and James Oscar Jordan.

Two interpretations of who is who in this photograph are as follows:

  1. A comparison of this A Family on Bicycles photograph to the The Jordan Brothers on Bikes (c1893) photograph indicates a resemblance of the man on the left to James Oscar Jordan. However, the man in this photo appears somewhat older than a 25-year old James Oscar Jordan would have been in 1893 and the woman appears older than a 46-year old Elizabeth Priscilla Jordan in 1893. In addition, the mustache of the man on the left is much fuller in this photo, especially if the photo is within months of each other.The similarity of the pose, the backdrop and bikes suggest that both photos were taken about the same time, possibly at the Columbian Exposition.
  2. Another possibility is that the older woman is Elizabeth Steward, mother of Elizabeth Priscilla Jordan who brought Elizabeth Steward to America in 1893. In 1893 Elizabeth Steward was in her mid-60s, which seems to better match the photo. Elizabeth Steward was mother to four sons in Poplar and two had come toAmerica. One was Joseph Steward about age 42 in 1893. And the other was Charles Steward about age 41 in 1893. When the Elizabeth Priscilla Jordan and two of her sons and her mother, Elizabeth Steward arrived in Chicago in August 1893 they moved in with her other son James Oscar Jordan and her brother Charles Steward. When son Joseph Steward arrived is unknown but it could have been around that time. Thus a 2nd possibility is that this photo shows three Stewards: mother Elizabeth Holloway Steward in the middle at about age 63-65, and then Joseph about age 42 and Charles about age 41 on the ends, though unknown which is which.

In the early 1990s, I showed this photo to Harold Jordan, grandson of James Oscar Jordan. Harold thought the woman in this photograph bore a slight resemblance to his Grandmother Elizabeth Priscilla Jordan. However, Elizabeth Priscilla Jordan was in her 70s when Harold knew her and it is possible that Elizabeth Priscilla looked a bit like her mother at the same age. On the other hand, he may be correct, as the woman doesn’t have the white hair as the Possibly Herbert Arthur Jordan with his Great-Grandmother Steward - c1898 photo.

The source of this A Family on Bicycles photo image is the Leonhardt family who are descendants of the Knowles line and not the Jordan line. However, neither of the men look like the men or woman in our common Knowles line in the 1890s timeframe. One possibility is that a Jordan photo got in the Leonhardt collection thru James Oscar Jordan’s wife Margaret who was Muriel Leonhardt's sister.

Thus at this time it is not known who the two men and a woman are in this A Family on Bicycles photo. They could be in the Steward line, the Jordan line or the Knowles line.

For now I have classified this photo as a Jordan/Steward and Knowles Mystery Photo. However, my best guess is that it is a group of three Stewards: Joseph Steward and Charles Steward and their mother Elizabeth Holloway Steward. However, I am open to other interpretations.

The original of this image is a-ferro tin photograph and is in the possession of the Leonhardt family who lent it to Dave Jordan in 1991 for reproduction.

If you would like to add information about this photo, please contact Dave Jordan, a g-grandson of James Oscar Jordan. The Picture Reference Number is DJJ02; Digitized Negative: 173-10.

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