This small portrait of James Oscar Jordan is likely his wedding portrait. He married Margaret Jane Knowles on December 30, 1896 in Chicago. They had 5 children but eventually divorced on June 19, 1919. James Oscar was born February 18, 1868 in Poplar, England and was 28 when he married.

It is the formal dress including white shirt, white tie and dark top coat that suggest it is a wedding photograph. There were probably separate photographs taken for the bride and groom and another of them together. I have ever seen his Margaret Knowles's wedding. Hopefully her wedding photograph still exists.

The location of the photographer Ames Photographers at 3531 State in Chicago also suggests this is a wedding photo.The location is in between both of their families homes but closer to the then Margaret Knowles family. In 1896 James Oscar Jordan and his family lived at 1469 Fillmore Street, which was around 12th Street and about two miles west of State Street. In 1896 Margaret and her family lived at 5734 Wabash. The photo studio was about 2.5 miles from her home.

The back of the photo is labeled: Grandpa Jordan (James Oscar) born 1872. Most likely, Beverly Lynch wrote these words as the portrait was originally in her father Charles J. Jordan collection. Originally, I thought the year 1872 was his correct year of birth but I could not find his registration. Eventually I discovered that his surname at birth was not Jordan but Scholdberg. The change to Jordan occurred after his mother’s marriage to James Jordan in 1876. All this took many years to discover his year of birth was actually 1868.

Beverly Lynch inherited this photograph from her father Charles J. Jordan who was the 3rd son of James Oscar Jordan. In the late 1980s, she gave this portrait photo to Dave Jordan.

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 DJJ03; Digitized Negatives: 143-11 and 161-17.