Sunday, May 28, 2006

From Pat Jordan #1


The Flying Jordans, Hoboken, NJ 1912. Back Row: Oscar Jordan, Ernest Brawnstein. Front Row: Josephine Jordan, Mayme Jordan, Nellie Jordan and George Novikoff.

Buckles, my husband Jack Jordan, is the son of Oscar Jordan, born Oscar Linscoff, 1889 in Moscow, Russia. In the late 19th Century, Lewis and Mayme Jordan took their new and daring flying trapeze act abroad looking for new talent. They brought back with them Oscar Linscoff and George Novikoff from Russia and a little girl named Lena from Latvia, reputed to be the first woman to do a triple.

We are not sure what became of Lena. George kept his Russian name and went on to perform with other circus acts. Oscar took the Jordan name, though never legally, and his children Jack (Oscar Jr.), Ann and Nellie were born as Jordans.
Oscar spent his entire working life with the circus, we have a picture of him with the famed Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus of 1934, hyped to be the greatest assembly of circus acts ever.
He last flew with Bob Fisher's Fearless Flyers.

Pat Jordan

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Buckles
could you post addresses of other circus related blogs
I keep catching references to these but am computer challenged

24-HOUR-MAN said...

Mr. Dean, Is that a step up from computer illiterate? Every time somebody apologizes to me about their lack of computer skills, I inform them, "I've been on this 'infernal machine', for two years and am still an idiot".

Anonymous said...

I go over to the left side of the home page "links" I think they are called. Bill, Jim, Carson and Barns, ect, They are all there. Its the easiest way. I am also a Computer Bimbo.

Anonymous said...

thanks gang
I guess at least part of my computer problem is not looking at the whole page
my humble apologies

Anonymous said...

What had become of Lewis Jordan by the time of this photo? I have record of a Rosy Jordan as the third person in the act with Lewis and Mamie in the 1890s. Was she a daughter and what became of her?

Anonymous said...

According to "The Jordan Family History" compliled by Janette Jones, Lewis was in ill health for several years and died Dec. 15, 1912. From the Ellis Island site she finds his name on a manifest returning from Liverpool, 1910, but returning from Bremen in 1911, Lewis is not listed. Mayme lived on until 1951.
Janette did not find any reference to a "Rosy" Jordan and we wonder if this could have been "Josey" short for Josephine. Josephine and Nellie were the two natural born Jordan children.

Fabbricante said...

Hi, Jack and Pat: How excited I am to find this site tonight after having had such a fabulous visit with you in your home today.
I am so intrigued by your lives.

Unknown said...

Buckles,

My great grandmother, Tillie Kantner of Newmanstown PA also performed with the Flying Jordans. I have some photos of her as I have recently begun researching my family tree. Mamie (Deppen) Jordan is also a relative of mine, she was Tillie's maternal aunt. I would love to share information with you on the Jordans, I find them so fascinating! I have a couple of photos of Tillie but am always looking for more. My grandmother had a flood in her home years ago and many of my great grandmothers circus photos were damaged. Hope to hear from you or anyone else with an interest in The Jordans!
caseyfew@gmail.com