The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-12-13
HENRY F. JORDAN
PNEUMONIA VICTIM
Well Known Optician Dies
Soon After Noon Today
iii Since Friday
IN BUSINESS HERE
MORE THAN 20 YEARS
Came to BrattlebOro from Philadelphia
in 1900 and Since Then Had Been Ac-
lively Identified with Local Business
Life-Help Found Optical Society.


Life-Help Found Optical Society.
Henry Francis Jordan, 81, the well
known Optician, died at his home on
Green street shortly after / o'clock this
afternoon following brief illness with
pneumonia. His health had not been of
the best for several months but he had
been able to attend to his business until
Friday afternoon when he was obliged to
take to his bed. He seemed somewhat bet
ter the following day but toward night
pneumonia developed and his condition
became steadily worse.
Mr. Jordan was born in Centerville,
Mass, Aug. 30, 1888, son Of Edwin
Darling and Irene S. (Hinckley) Jordan
and was educated in the schools of Wor-
cester, Mass, later graduating from the
high school in Philadelphia to which
city his parents moved when he was "a
boy. After serving five years in the
United States regular army as a mem
ber of the Sth cavalry and seeing much
Mexican border service during that time,
Mr.. Jordan took a course in the Philadel-
phia Optical college, from which he was
graduated in .1SSg. Later he was con
nected With the McAlliSter Optical Co.,
Queen 4 Co, and the Philadelphia OPP
teal Co, and for a time was in business
IN Philadelphia as an Optician and
jeweler.
In 1900 ON account of poor health Mr..
Jordan sold out his business in that city
and moved to Brattleboro, taking a po-
sltion as head matchmaker and optician
IN the iewelry store of Il. A. Hubbard.
Three years later he and T.. II. Van
DoOrn purchased the business and con-
Quoted il under the firm name of JOr-
dan X Van Doorn until 1908. At that
time Mr. Jordan withdrew from the
firm and went into business for himself
with quarters in the store now occupied
by the Brattleboro China store. In April
of the following year he moved to the
store on Elliot street which since Septem-
Der, 1910, he and his son have conducted
! IN partnership under the firm name of
Jordan Il Son.
S4F. Jordan was one OF the best known
optometriStS IN the state and the ex-
tensiYe practice he had built up was due
/ IN no small measure to the great inter
est he TOOK in his work. In 1905 he was
among those instrumental in forming the
state optical society and helped formu-
late and secure the passage of the pres
ent optometry law. For three wears he
was member and president of the state
| board OF optometric examiners, receiv-
ing appointment from Governor g. ii.
pr9uty.
Mr.. Jordan was a member and former
deacon of the Centre Congregational
/ church and assistant superintendent of
the Sunday school at the time of his
death. He also held membership i'm Brat
tleboro lodge, f. & A. NJ. Ft. Dummer
chapter, II. a. NJ, Beauseant command
cry. X. T., Protective and Windham
County Pomona Oranges. the New Eng
land Association of Opticians, the Amer
! lean Association of Opticians the Brat
tleboro Chamber of Commerce. the Yer
mont Wheel club, and the Brattleboro
Rifle club, being president of the last
named organization
Besides his wife. whose maiden name
was Jennie Price Homer and whom he
married in Philadelphia in 1885. Mr..
Jordan is survived by one son. Alfred
Bennett Jordan, and two grandchildren
During the many years of his con-
nection in the business life of BrattIeboro
Mr.. Jordan took a live and intelligent
interest in all matters pertaining to
community bctterment and could be de-
pended upon to support every move look
ing toward civic progress He was q
lover of outdoor life and sports like
hunting and fishing We're especially at
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