Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-11-16
EBEN D. JORDAN DEAD.
Was Founder Of Great Boston f'fm
of Jordan, Marsh & Co.
Also Chief Instrument in Great success o
the Boston Globe,

R,stor Nov 15.-Eben d. Jordan, one
80 ~ tonnders of the firm of Jordan,
Marsh & Co., died at 5o' TINS iiiofnins .
aged 73. nu,o ay,
Mr. Jordan was born in Danvilie, me-,
and left fatherless and penniless at tiis age
of 4 wears. He went to boston wneh :,
Years old. with S1.25 capital, ana secureu
employment at small wages. lie workea
,ndustriously and lived economically, anu
at the age of 10 he opensd small ary
goods store on Hanover street. by MS
energy aud business enterprise ne oiu
business of $4,000 the first year, and at the
end of four years his sales had been oulit
M to 500, 600 year.
This business Mr.. Jordan sold out and
in 1851 the firm OF Jordan, Marsh q Co
was formed. The firm successfully went
tbrourh the panic of 1857, and its success S
and progress from then has been remark
able the retail store having expanded into
| an establishment covering many acres OF
ground and employing nearly 5000 per-
sons.
Mr.. Jordan refused all suggestions of
political honors, but was a public-spirited
citizen and always anxious to promote
the interests of the city.
In the latter part of his life Mr.. Jordan
| took 25 of his employees to Europe on a
pleasure trip, and to give the Europeans
| an iGea of the intelligence and capacity of
American toilers of both sexes. The party
were received by President Grevy of
France, John Bright and many other
famous men.
Mr.. Jordan had performed many deeds
of unassuming charity. He had been i'll
about four months with a complication of
diseases.
In signed editorial in the Evening g
Globe, Gen. Charles Taylor pays the fol-
lowing personal tribute to the late Eben
ID. Jordan:
s.''When l took charge of the Boston
Globe in 1878, it had sunk 500, 600, and
was losing $50, 600 year. A second 800,
600 was raised and sunk. Then followed
a thirds100 600 and the turning point of
money making had not been reached
These dollars were buried in the Globe be-
tween 1872 and 1878. Every one of the
original stockholders whom found hero
in 1878, dropped out during this trying
period, except Eben ID. Jordan. He alone
believed that l could win and stood by me
even when the battle seemed almost hope
less.
No amount of debt or trouble could
shake his confidence. In the darkest
hours his nerve was strongest When
most men would bave fled from an enter
prise which seemed like forlorn hope,
he had the courage of an army. He was
the Napoleon whose presence was worth
more than so, 600 men. 1t was not so
much the material aid which he furnished
from time to time, but it was his en-
couraging words, his undaunted spirit
and his infusion of courage which made
me feel as if l could manage and bring
success to Il dozen other struggling news
papers.
What the ability which he developed
and strengthened has achieved with the
Globe in the last 10 years, is known to
every man, woman and child in New Eng
land. His loss to me is beyond expression.
and shall cherish his memory fondly and
tenderly to the last day of my life.
Now that he has passed away 1 feel
impelled publicly to express my lasting
obligation to him for his priceless service
to ms. l know that he did it without any
mere sordid motive.
He became interested In and believed
In me, and wanted me to succeed in the
profession had chosen.
II say be did not do 1t for any hope Of
pecuniary reward, because he was a rich
man at the time, and l have never met a |
man who cared less for money for moneys
sake or for what it would secure. His |
tastes were always the simple tastes of his
earlier days"