I enjoy this photo of the Jordan family. It’s right behind my reading chair in the computer room so I notice it every day. The oldest daughter is my great grandmother, Laura (Jordan) Goff, who was eight years older than her next sister. (Here is the reason for the gap in ages.)
I love the way youngest sister, Cora, is leaning against her father.
All the children were born just west of Monteith, Iowa. Laura was born in a log cabin in 1868, just three years after President Lincoln was assassinated. They eventually built a two-story house at the same place.
After completing high school, my mother Doris worked as a waitress for Cora and John Parrish. Cora–who was the little girl leaning against her father in the old photo–was surprised that “a daughter of her Aunt Leora didn’t know how to cut up a chicken.” Doris grew up in a town of 750 souls during the Depression. Her family ate mainly squirrel and rabbit which her dad and brothers brought to the kitchen already dressed for Leora to cook. Doris helped in the kitchen, so she probably knew how to fry or bake game.
Three living Jordan sisters in 1957: Floy Cowden of Casey, Cora Parrish and Laura Goff of Guthrie Center. Laura was the oldest, Cora the youngest–18 years between them.
Cora’s children were Alene Headlee (from Cora’s first marriage), Boyd Parrish (who once saved Delbert and Donald Wilson from drowning in the river just south of Guthrie Center), Naideen Parrish (Mom said that she was so shy that she wouldn’t wear something new unless someone else wore it first), LaVerne Parrish (Mom roomed with her when she worked for Parrish Cafe in 1937, and borrowed LaVerne’s copy of Gone With the Wind, which had been published the year before), and Blanche Parrish.
Nicholas Dowd wrote a poignant story about an encounter with Boyd Parrish at the Guthrie Center golf course. (Poems written by Nick introduce two of the Leora books.)
Cora (Jordan) Parrish’s findagrave page. All because of this winsome photo of little Cora and her father.
Old pictures, especially the one’s showing them in in informal settings, rock!
And I’m the keeper of all of these! I’m thankful there’s a way to share them. This one is on the Historic Guthrie County FB page since there are folks who still know some of the family.
Precious photos. I love all this family history.
Thank you, Darlene. It’s hard to believe I get to be the keeper of it all, but I love being able to share it as well.
Joy! That photo of your mother at the Parrish Cafe is precious. Love your observation about her kitchen skills…she knew how to prepare squirrel, etc, but given the times, chicken was a luxury. ❤️❤️❤️
And, Vicki, the family hunters had already cleaned and prepared the meat!
I love the stories of resilience, Joy. They give me hope…does that make sense? And tee-hee! I’m glad Doris didn’t need to do the cleaning – only the cooking! Sending Thursday love and hugs to you and Guy. 💝🥰💝
Same here, Vicki. I thought of this story when my Favorite Guy brought cherries to the kitchen from his tree–ALREADY pitted!
Love it! It’s Paul’s birthday today and I made a cherry pie for him with cherries from our backyard tree (tucked in the freezer since June). Xo! 🍒❤️🍒
I love it!
🥰❤️🥰
I love the way you put this family history post together!
One thing just led to another, didn’t it! Another look at a photo you’re familiar with can yield some surprises!
From the lap of Cora’s dad to the Parrish cafe-interesing chronology. It was fortunate that Doris could work there, too. 🙂
It sure was, Nancy. Depression years, and she’d had to drop out of business college because of it. The job was a godsend for them all.
Wonderful that you share your family’s impressive history and those lovely photos, Joy.
Tim, since I’m mainly homebound, I’m thankful so many readers seem to enjoy them. Thank you!
😍