This postcard photograph shows James Oscar Jordan and his children gathered at a prayer meeting in 1910. The Jordan children and other children are seated at a table in the patron's dining room. The photograph was on the front of a postcard and the back of the postcard indicates Jordans at Prayer Meeting.

On the left side front to back are:

  1. Arthur Jordan (about age 5),
  2. Charles Jordan (age 6)
  3. Unknown Female
  4. Unknown Female
  5. Herbert Jordan (age 11) with dark coat and tie.

On the right side front to back are:

  1. Edward Jordan (about age 8)
  2. Frances Jordan (about age 9)
  3. Unknown girl at table
  4. Unknown woman standing
  5. James Oscar Jordan age 42 with dark vest, bow tie and mustache.
  6. Unknown woman standing
  7. Unknown girl sitting

James Oscar was born February 18, 1868 in Poplar, England. Herbert was born July 24, 1898; Frances was born July 3, 1900; Edward was born March 25, 1902; Charles was born October 16, 1903; and Arthur was born March 1, 1905. All the children were born in Chicago. None of the woman appear to be Margaret Jordan, the Jordan children's mother.

Various religious movements swept the country in 1910 and prayer meetings were very popular. In her 1911 "Bill of Complaint," Margaret mentioned that her husband James was very interested in Spiritualism and used to hold sessions with the children where he attempted to communicate with the deceased.

Given the long coats and lack of shrubbery it is probably early spring. As a rough estimate of the date, it could be Sunday, April 3, 1910, the week after Easter. The photo is on a Post Card with no information on the location. At the time the Jordans lived at 7237 Vincennes, Chicago and the location is likely in that area.

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 to Dave Jordan. The back of the photo is labeled with the various Jordan names.

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 DJJ04; Digitized Negatives: 143-10 and 161-19.