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- A History of New Castle and Lawrence County, Pennsylvania contains the following account of Jordan Johnston:
[Aaron L. Hazen, Editor & Compiler, 20th Century History of New Castle & Lawrence County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Co., 1908), pages 544-545]
"(He).....was born in Wayne Township, then in Beaver, but now in Lawrence County, and was a son of John C. and Jane (Nye) Johnston. John C. Johnston was born in New York and came to Pennsylvania a young school teacher, and taught both in Crawford and Lawrence Counties. He became a man of local importance and served many years in the office of justice of the peace. In Wayne Township he married Jane Nye, who was born near Ellwood City, Lawrence County. Both he and his wife lived into old age. They had four children, namely: Arilla, deceased, who was the wife of J. P. Wilson; Jordan, Emma, and Alice, who married J. P. Wilson.
"Jordan Johnston was reared on the home farm, which included the present site of Hazel Dell, and much of the land on which the city of Ellwood has been built. He assisted in the clearing of this land, as he was the only son a large part of the responsibility fell on him. He followed He followed farming through all his active life, in the course of years inheriting the paternal acres. He married Nancy Boots, who was born in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and died in 1904, aged fifty-four years. Mr. Johnston resides at Ellwood City. His five children were: William, who died, aged thirteen years; Cecil C.; Stella, who died in 1907; Elmer, who is bookkeeper for the First National Bank of Ellwood, and Sylvia."
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Probate Docket 9, Page 193, Public Records of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, reflect that Nancy Jane Johnston died January 19, 1903, age 52.
The Will of Jordan Johnston, recorded in Will Book 23, Page 27, Public Records of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, leaves everything to his son, Cecil C. Johnston. On Probate Docket 27, Page 345, Cecil C. Johnston affirms that Jordan Johnston of Ellwood City, died December 4, 1941, at the age of 96. On July 16, 1946, is recorded the Petition of W. Derrick Johnston for Letters of Administration, Cecil C. Johnston having died.
The Ellwood City Ledger, issue of Friday, December 5, 1941, contains the following Obituary of Jordan Johnston:
"Oldest Resident Taken by Death
"Jordan Johnston Dies at age of 96;
"Farm became site of city's fifth ward.
"Ellwood City's oldest resident, both as to age and length of residence, died at 2:40 PM yesterday. He was Jordan Johnston, 96. He passed away at his home at 109 fifth street.
"Mr. Johnston was here long before Ellwood City was founded. He was born in Wayne township. In 1860 the family moved to a farm that became known as Burnstown after it was purchased by Coston Burns and part of which now is the site of the newer sections of the National Tube Co. plant. In 1872, the Johnstons became owners of and moved to a farm, now Ellwood's Fifth ward. He continued to reside there after his marriage and upon the death of his wife in 1904 he retired from farming and came to the present residence on fifth street.
"He leaves a son, C. C. Johnston, of Meadville; a sister, Mrs. Alice Wilson, of Wayne Township; three grandsons, a granddaughter, three nephews and two nieces.
"Last rites will be conducted from the W. D. Porter funeral home on Fourth St, at 2 PM Sunday by the Rev. Charles Z. Bell, with burial in the Slippery Rock Presbyterian church cemetery, near the birthplace of the deceased."
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The other events of Sunday, December 7, 1941, must have somewhat overshadowed the funeral services of Ellwood City's oldest resident!
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