William B. Jordan research papers

Collection

Identifier: Coll. 2998

Staff Only

Scope and Content note

This collection contains manuscripts of published works, Civil War research papers, newspaper index information, commonplace books, newspaper clippings, correspondence, speeches, and photographs.

Dates

Creation: 1836 - 1999
Creation: Majority of material found within 1958 - 1999

Creator

Jordan, William B., 1927-2015 (Person)
Traver, Lorenzo (Person)

Access

Unrestricted

Copyright

Access to collections at Maine Historical Society is not an authorization to publish. All citation and publication of material in this collection must be credited specifically to the author, William B. Jordan, Jr. Rights and reproduction requests may be submitted in writing to the MHS Image Services Coordinator or Research & Administrative Librarian, subject to format.

Biographical note

William B. Jordan, Jr. (1927-2015) was born in Portland to Dr. William B. and Martha W. (Weeks) Jordan. He graduated from Cape Elizabeth High School in 1945. He attended the University of Maine where he earned a B.A. (1950) and M.A. (1953) in History. He was a professor of History at Westbrook College and worked in the Continuing Education Division at the University of Sourthern Maine. In addition to his teaching career, Jordan also authored numerous publications regarding the Civil War, Maine cemeteries and Portland newspapers. He was a member of several organizations, including the Maine Historical Society, Maine Old Cemetery Association, Maine Society of Colonial Wars, Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, and First Parish Unitarian Church (Portland).

Extent

15.5 Linear Feet (33 boxes + 1 oversized box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Series

1. Civil War
2. Cemeteries
3. Newspapers
4. Commonplace books
5. Henry Deering scrapbook photocopies
6. Miscellaneous

Provenance

Gift of Estate of William B. Jordan Jr., care of Sarah Jordan Thompson, daughter and personal representative, October 22, 2016 (acc. no. 2016.249).

Other notable collections at MHS

Coll. 240 - William B. Jordan papers
Coll. 1986 - Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Maine: record of internments with historical notes
Coll. 2176 - William B. Jordan photograph collection
Coll. 2283 - William B. Jordan's file on the Longfellow Tomb at Western Cemetery
*Search Minerva for full list of William B. Jordan, Jr.'s published works at MHS

In the museum

Finial from cast iron fence destroyed by vandals, Eastern Cemetery, Portland, Me.
Fragment of tombstone from the East Deering Cemetery, Presumpscot Street, Portland, Me.

Processing note

The original order of the collection was maintained with the exception of a few miscellaneous materials. Almost everything Civil War-related is a photocopy of the original (correspondence, newspaper clippings, etc.). For William B. Jordan, Jr.'s correspondence, his name is abbreviated "WBJ." Numerous theses by various authors were removed from the collection and catalogued individually. The dates at the beginning of the finding aid refer to the earliest and latest physical document. Therefore, photocopies are not included in these dates. This collection includes photocopies of documents from the late 18th century into the early 21st century.