I recently had to go into the Herald Office Supply to get an item that I could not find anywhere else in town. As is my custom while there, I was looking and taking notice of the people who were working in the store. Over in the corner (to the right when you enter the business), I spotted three young men who were engaged in a conversation. I immediately recognized two of them due to their distinctive features and statures. For certain, I reasoned those two young men must be Mr. A.B. Jordan III’s grandsons for his likeness was indelibly inscribed upon them. Prompted by my curiosity and writers’ inclination, I wasted no time in going to where they were and introducing myself. True to my observation and conclusion, they were the grandsons of Mr. A.B. Jordan III and his wife, Mrs. Carleene Jordan (through their sons, Thomas and Cooper). They are the “Real McCoys” to the credit of their deceased grandparents and parents not just in looks and stature, but more importantly in mannerism, decorum, and courtesy. Having known their grandfather for close to fifty years (before he went to be with the Lord), both he and their grandmother would be extremely happy that their legacy continues. In my brief talk with the two young Jordans, they reminded me, as I thought otherwise, that they were the fifth generation in the legacy link. To my knowledge, this is the longest generational legacy that involves an enterprise that has now become multifaceted and in various places that originated right here in our locale. In the remainder of my column today, let me give you my opinion and some considerations why I believe that the legacy continues unabated.
A Solid Foundation
There are lessons that can be gleaned from the family and legacy that are the focus of our subject today that will work for any family, if initiated and adhered to. In my opinion, the first and most essential thing that I believe helped to establish a legacy that will continue from generation to generation was the foundation that was laid by Mr. A.B. Jordan when he became the owner and operator of The Dillon Herald and served as its editor from 1896 – 1956. During this 40-year span, Mr. Jordan laid the foundation of The Dillon Herald becoming a small-town newspaper that stood for integrity and served the city and locale by highlighting the events and special occurrences that were relevant to the citizens of Dillon County. This was the legacy that he passed on to his successors and heirs that are still intact and very much a part of the foundation of The Dillon Herald and all the other enterprises that sprung from it.
Integrity and Honesty
I briefly mentioned integrity in the previous section, but I must say a little more about it as being one of the essentials that help to promote and preserve the Jordan Legacy – along with its twin, honesty. I never knew or had the opportunity to meet either A.B. Jordan or his son, A.B. Jordan, Jr., however, I had the privilege of becoming well familiar with Mr. A.B. Jordan III. If the following adages are to be considered, that says, “the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree” and “like father, like son,” I know that the integrity and honesty that I experienced in dealing with Mr. A.B. Jordan III was a vital quality that has been a part of the legacy that has been passed down to his heirs. God forbid that they would do anything to diminish or dissolve these characteristics that have been an intrinsic part of the Jordan Legacy and success.
Unity and Diversity
There are two very important things that I have observed over the years that has kept the Jordan Legacy alive and striving. These two essentials must be credited to the late Mr. A.B. Jordan III and his wife, Carlene. First, as the parents of three sons and a daughter, they were able to discipline and develop in them a bond and love for one another that dispelled and suppressed sibling jealousy and rivalry. Many families have been torn apart by these things once their parents passed away. I have admired how the heirs of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Jordan III have managed to maintain the discipline of cohesiveness and teamwork, even to instill it in their own children. Then there is the diversifying of one parent and flagship business (The Dillon Herald) into quite a few offshoots. Again, this must be credited to Mr. A.B. Jordan III and his wife, Carlene, for their entrepreneurial foresight and initiative.
The God Factor
Again, as stated earlier, though I never knew Mr. A.B. Jordan and his son, A.B. Jordan, Jr., I became quite familiar with Mr. A.B. Jordan III while he lived and was convinced that he was not just a church member at First United Methodist Church (located on Main Street in Dillon), but he was truly born again and a member of the True Church and Body of Christ. With that being the case, I believe that there was a generational link to his father and grandfather of Biblical beliefs and practices.
In spite of everything we have considered leading up to this final section, I am convinced that it was what I have termed as the God-Factor that has kept the Jordan Legacy (that started with Mr. A.B. Jordan) and continues to be intact, pertinent, and productive until this present day – alive and well. The God-Factor is a genuine belief and embrace of the Judeo-Christian practices and principles that are centered in faith in Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God, Who died a sacrificial death for the sins of all humanity. The enduring legacy of Mr. A.B. Jordan will continue into future generations of his descendants if they do not forget or forsake the Lord.
