Jordan Coller

Civil War Veteran

Fayette Champion

Chuck Thompson

Charlie Straatmann

Bob Wiegers

November, 2023

Missouri Genealogy Society

Jordan Coller was a collector

Notable here are his Civil War Collection

of CW artifacts and assorted rifles

other items not covered here

In 1914 Jordan donated his collection to the Howard County

Library.

Put on display then forgotten till

discovered in 1996

In 2004 moved to the old “History Room”

in the CMU museum.

In 2018 old “History Room” becomes

the Central Museum of History and new display

In 2019 –

105 years after his donation in 1914

and

104 years after his death/1915

Chuck Thompson says in 2019 -

“Let’s write him up!”

Charlie Straatmann joins the teams AND

Jordan Coller, Civil War Veteran and Fayette Champion

Jordan Coller early life

Relative Dave Madary provided family info

Born 1841

Unwed couple –Henry Beidler and Sarah Ann Coller/Koller

Younger brother “Paris Coller”

1860 –Tinsmith apprentice

1861 –Jordan is 19

Charlie Straatmann - picks up his CW career

Jordan Coller - the Union Soldier

Charles Straatmann

Jordan Coller in uniform

Early Military Career

Mustered in August 14, 1861 Company E 46th

Pennsylvania for the duration of the war.

Jordan trained at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg

Pennsylvania –received initial issue.

Mustered out 18 September, 1864

First Winchester

Cedar Mountain- The 46th

Pennsylvania suffered 48% casualties- Of

504 men/ 31 killed/ 102 wounded/ 111

taken prisoner including Coller

POW Experience

Prisoner of War- Coller listed as MIA

Libby Prison then Belle Island Prison- Built to

hold 3,000, held 10,500.

Coller is held 3 months.

Coller etches capture

on the bill of cap.

Parole-

“We left Belle Island in the early morning and proceeded to

Richmond, which place we left between 8 and 9 o’clock a.m., and

took up our march without any breakfast-not even a hardtack. We

jogged along the road with our rebel cavalry guards on each side of

the line, making numerous halts, to rest and close up, on account of

the cripples and sick.”

While 15 miles does not seem a long march, the men on this march

were weak, none having been fed very regularly and always

insufficiently and many being sick. However we tried to keep up our

spirits by sometimes singing: “John Brown’s body lies moldering in

the grave,” or, “We will hang Jeff. Davis on a sour-apple tree.” Thus

we trudged along. About 4 o’clock p.m. we we rounded a large tract

of woodland, we looked toward the river and behold there, waving in

the glorious sunlight, Old Glory. The sick forgot there pains and

sickness, the lame forgot his lameness, and with continuous cheers

flung up their caps crutches and canes, and we fell to hugging each

other in our excessive joy.”

Battles Missed as a Prisoner of War

Second Manassas

Antietam

But 46th does not!

46th PVI at Gettysburg

Bloodiest battle

Drove the Confederates back from Culp’s Hill

Followed Lee’s army into Virginia

Consolidation of the 11th/12th to form the 20th

Jordan’s Battles:

First Winchester

Cedar Mountain

Gettysburg

Chancellorsville

Resaca

Dallas Georgia

At Chancellorsville

At Resaca

At Dallas, Georgia-

Coller as part of the Army of the Cumberland is ordered

to Dallas, Georgia.

The “Hell Hole”

Coller hit with Minnie Ball below the knee May

25th 1864

Recovery

Admitted to convalescent hospital after field hospital then

division hospital- Coller reluctant.

In convalescent hospital at McLean Barracks, Cincinnati, OH

noted as “On duty”

End of His Career

Mustered out September/October 1864

“expiration of term of service.”

Jordan Coller - Civic/Fayette Career

Chuck Thompson

The Civic Career of Jordan Coller

1865 Reading PA, after the war

“Junior Fire Company” Accident

Arrives in Fayette 1866

Fayette, a thriving town of 1,000

A thriving commercial center needed a tin smith

Spent 49 years in Fayette, Civil War collection, rifle collection, and

cornerstone on SE corner of municipal building

1914 he donated both collections to the Fayette library

Fayette Career cont..

Howard County Advertiser for July 19, 1877, full page ad for WC Ritchie and

Jordan Coller hardware store opening.

1880 census noted Jordan as a hardware dealer living on 2nd Main St. His

neighbor was Daniel Kelly, also a tin smith from Pennsylvania

1881 Jordan placed an add in the paper for a “Hardware store and stove

Emporium”

!877 Howard County Advertiser praised Jordan for heroic actions in saving

buildings on the south side of the square. The drug store in the Shafroth

building continued explosive powder, coal oil, and nitroglycerine

As a business man he had a vested interest in preserving property due to

frequent fires in small towns

Jordan’s Fayette, cont.

Here is a young man who found contentment in Fayette and became a

business owner, developer, firefighter, and philanthropist

1880 census noted Jordan as a hardware dealer living on 2nd Main St. His

neighbor was Daniel Kelly, also a tin smith from Pennsylvania

1881 Jordan placed an add in the paper for a “Hardware store and stove

Emporium”

!877 Howard County Advertiser praised Jordan for heroic actions in saving

buildings on the south side of the square. The drug store in the Shafroth

building continued explosive powder, coal oil, and nitroglycerine

As a business man he had a vested interest in preserving property due to

frequent fires in small towns

Jordan in Fayette, cont.

1882 Norris and Knaus furniture business fire on south side of the square

Jordan’s house and Dan Kelly’s house destroyed

!882 Coller and Kelly’s “Red Front” advertised

Jodan is now busy in land development

1880 Jordan donated $2,000 for a firehouse

Formed the first fire company called the “Juniors”

1905 Jordan donated land for a new library, and municipal building

The End

Jordan dies in 1915

Bob Wiegers

Dies in St. Cloud, Florida in 1915

Buried in Reading, Pa.

Want to visit his memorial?

Visit Fayette!

Is it a coincidence? Two stone in two states!

Who is Harriet Boggs?

No photo

Native of Fayette

Black woman

local Fayette cook

Two children

Bachelor Jordan possibly a regular at her establishment

Dies before Jordan in 1912

Question? What was the relationship

Unknown?

Meanwhile back in Reading?

William Jordan Coller

Meanwhile –back in Fayette!

Co-worker Dan Kelley and frequent partner

Also tinsmith from Pa

Also playboy about town

When Jordan’s will is read

Dan Kelley admits he is Jordan Coller’s

brother –Paris Coller

No photo exists.

Meanwhile –in Phoenix, Arizona

Arizonian Dan Fritcher

Makes a discover in his garden

Finds an iron object and name –googles it

Calls the Central Museum of History

A new find

What did he find? Jordan Coller

Spencer Carbine - 1860

His Place in History

This is the story of Jordan Coller

Now part of KNOWN cultural

fabric of Fayette and Missouri

Research continues

The End

(for now!)