David Jordan was born in Noble County, Ohio, June 8th 1842, died Feb. 11, 1913, aged 70 yrs. 8 mos. And 3 days. Deceased was a son of Elijah and Mary Jordan, the mother dying in 1863. Deceased with his father, brothers and sisters moved from Ohio to Guthrie county in 1865 and hence were pioneers, and consequently well known to all the early settlers of this county especially in the vicinity of Monteith. His father departed this life in 1888.

[Obituary from The Guthrian, February 1913: David Jordan dies.]

In 1865 he came to Guthrie Co., [Iowa] where he engaged in the mercantile business, in which on account of his ability, and honesty was very successful. In 1867 he moved to his farm one half mile west of Monteith where he made his home until 6 years ago. In 1868 he was married to Emelia A. Moore, daughter of elder E. W. Moore, who in 1855 came from Park county, Indiana to the Beaver settlement of Beaver creek in what is now Valley township of this county and who was one of the first preachers in county and who in those days was well known all over the county, and also all over the state where there was an old school house or Primitive Baptist church and in addition was extensively known in Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and eastern Nebraska as he was one of the oldest and best loved ministers of the church in the west and his services were in great and constant demand.

In March 1887 he was babtised [sic] into the fellowship of the church of Jesus Called Sharon of Regular Predestinarian Baptists. Brother Jordan was liberated to preach wherever God in his providence cast his lot which he continued to do as long as his health permitted when ever opportunity opened the door preaching Christ and him crucified as the only way to the father, the perfect, complete and only Savior of sinners and that there is salvation in no other for there is no other name given under heaven or among men whereby we must be saved. Without courting the favor of men with entire indifference to both censure and applause of men, he preached the doctrine of Christ in its simplicity and not in the letter but in the spirit. His generous hospitality endeared him to all his brethern [sic] and friends for brother Jordan’s house was open to them at all times.

His life was an open book to all who knew him and he was a living epistle know and read of all men, and we feel sure that he is not lost but gone and our loss is his eternal gain. He was known and loved by all the churches in Iowa and eastern Nebraska having visited probably all of them and preached Christ to them. He leaves to mourn his loss, two brothers, Francis of Monteith, Sidney G. of this county, five sisters, Eliza Reed and Mrs. G. B. Hook of Long Beach, California, Mrs. Lem Fowler of South Dakota, Mrs. C. A. McCoy of Washington, and Mrs. Caroline Rainey of Ohio. His wife, four daughters, Mrs. Anderson of Palisade, Mrs. Goff, Mrs. R. R. Cowden and Mrs. J. E. Parrish of Guthrie county, three sons, Frederic D. and Floyd R. of Monteith, and Collis of Palisade, Colorado. besides these he leaves 21 grandchildren and a host of other relatives.

Jordan’s granddaughter Leora said  that there was a mile-long row of horses and buggies to go to the cemetery for his funeral. Her grandparents had lived all their married lives on the same farm ½ mile west of Monteith, then retired in the village of Monteith. Leora’s mother, Jordans’ oldest child, was born in a log cabin.