Person Sheet
NameElmer Leamon LORD 
Birth8 Apr 1894, ~ Quartzburg, Mariposa Co., California
Death30 Jul 1985, Fresno, Fresno Co., California
FatherJoseph LORD (1864-1939)
MotherClara LATCHAW (1870-1960)
Spouses
Birth8 Mar 1894, Easton, Fresno Co., California
Death9 Apr 1995, Fresno Co., California5
FatherAndrew Hans JENSEN (1858-1935)
MotherNelsina Maria Christina SORENSEN (1865-1942)
Marriage8 Jun 1919, Reedley, Fresno Co., California
Notes for Elmer Leamon LORD
April 14, 1894 Mariposa Gazette - Born: LORD- Near Quartzburg, Mariposa county, April 8, 1894, to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph LORD, a son.
LORD, Elmer Enlists December 1, 1917 Mariposa Gazette: Elmer LORD of Hornitos has donned the uniform of Uncle Sam's soldiers.
Elmer Lord Torpedoed February 16, 1918 Mariposa Gazette:
Elmer LORD who was on the transport loaded with U. S. troops destroyed by Germany is reported safe. Private LORD is a Hornitos raised boy.60
Tuscania Sinking February 16, 1918 Mariposa Gazette Date:
YANKEE BODIES FROM TORPEDOED TROOPSHIP ARE WASHED ASHORE ON COAST OF IRELAND
British Destroyers Rush to Scene of Disaster and Pick Up Survivors; Engineer of Tuscania Saved Many Lives By Stopping the Ship After Blow Had Been Struck; Refugees Leave for England; It is Feared That Many of Those Rescued Will Die.
London-At noon February 7 the number of missing from the Tuscania was 101, according to unofficial reports. A majority of these were members of the crew. The Tuscania carried a total of 2,397. The saved number 2,296, as follows:
Troops ********* 2106
Crew ********** 190
Total Lost ****** 101
Among the American survivors are seventy-six officers. There are eighty-one Americans troops in hospital. The bodies of forty-four of the missing 101 victims of the Tuscania disaster were washed up February 7 on the rocks fifteen miles from the scene of the torpedoing. All where Americans, and their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition. A pathetic feature is that, although all the victims wore tags, no identification numbers had been put on them, because these Americans had not as yet been assigned to definite army units. Therefore, there is no way to identify them and they will be buried in one grave. An Irish Port-A mass of swirling wreckage on the calm neck of the sea along the Irish coast marks the grave of the Tuscania, the first American troopship sunk by a German submarine. Two groups left February 7 clad in misfit clothing for Belfast by rail, and thence by boat to England. The survivors are agreed that no one saw the wake of foam as the torpedo came towards the vessel.
It was a black night and no alarm came from any one of the fifteen lookouts. The torpedo struck the Tuscania a vital blow amidships, in the boiler room, and there was a muffled crash, which told everyone what had happened. The possibility of being torpedoed was discussed almost daily since the vessel left American shores. Several hundred young lumber jacks from the Southwest and Pacific Coast States were eating their evening meal at the time the disaster occurred. Hundreds of other American troops were waiting for theirs when the general alarm sounded. False alarms had been sounded for boat drill every day of the trip, but all knew that this one was genuine. Officers shouted instructions to the men. Many of them husky youths, and , despite their brief military training, they displayed wonderful coolness as they marched to their boat stations. There was no running about, nothing resembling a panic. In a few isolated cases there were signs of nervousness on the part of some of the youngsters as the ship took a heavy tilt to starboard, and they slid to the railing, to which they clung for dear life. But that was all. Veteran British officers in the crew who had been torpedoed several times marveled at their coolness. Survivors do not agree as to whether the submarine emerged after torpedoing the steamer. Several of the ship’s officers said they saw the periscope and conning tower once. A tiny trawler, which remained with the Tuscania to the last, saw a small fire break out amidships as the vessel’s back appeared to break in two. With a hissing sound, she disappeared beneath the waves.
Most of the crew lost their lives were killed in the explosion in the boiler room. One of the survivors of the engine room force said the second engineer checked the speed of the vessel after the impact by throwing the engine levers over to “full.” This probably saved many lives, as otherwise the vessel would of plowed on, smashing the lifeboat davits, as happened in the case of the Lusitania. One of the remarkable escapes was that of a fireman who had walked to the upper deck to get a drink of water. He never saw his fellow fireman again. The first trawler load of survivors arrived in port four hours after the disaster, and the last, eight hours afterward. One trawler rescued the record number of 340, and all were American. The feat earned the warm praise of the British Commodore here. Many American officers and privates were rescued while swimming about in search of wreckage to which to cling. A few of these could not swim, but they had on their life belts, which they had kept close at hand throughout the voyage.
The townspeople were very generous in extending aid and sympathy to the Americans. Long before any survivors were brought in the townsfolk had thrown open their homes. The wife of the British Commodore commanding the port helped prepare a number of homes close to the water front for the reception of the Americans, some of whom were suffering from pneumonia, bruises, exposure and the mumps. The first thing the townspeople did the following morning was to serenaded the Americans with a brass band and to organize a parade to the town hall, where there was a special display of American made motion pictures. The first train here today carried Captain Edgar Wells, assisted military attaché of the American Embassy at London, and Captain R. Stuart SMITH, deputy-commissioner in Great Britain for the American Red Cross. They visited the American survivors in the infirmary and seventy two Americans in the military hospital and the county infirmary.
Little hope was expressed here that any additional survivors would be found. A British destroyer and several trawlers cruised in the vicinity of the disaster last night. The search, however, will be continued as long as there is any hope of finding other survivors. Most of the Americans were lost through the Tuscania’s sudden heavy list after being torpedoed, which caused faulty launching of the lifeboats. The German torpedo struck the Tuscania a vital blow amidships, causing her to list almost immediately to starboard. Instead of ploughing forward in this fashion, as most vessels do under the circumstances, the Tuscania stopped dead. A shiver ran through her and she heeled over at a dangerous angle. The list to starboard so elevated the life boats on the port side as to render them practically useless and only a few of the boats on that side were launched. The first of these struck the water unevenly, capsizing and throwing the occupants into the sea. After that several boats were launched successfully, but the vessel’s list became more perilous and some of the men who were trying to get into the boats from the starboard side no climbed along the deck to the rail, to which they clung. Many by this time had donned lifebelts and jumped overboard. Hundreds of others were preparing to follow this example when a British destroyer boldly drew up right along side the Tuscania. When the men saw this many of them leaped from the boat and salon decks to that of the waiting destroyer. This destroyer took off several hundred men, all she could carry, and moved away. She had come up along the starboard side of the Tuscania. As she steamed away with her deck loaded down with Americans, another destroyer emerged out of the darkness on the Tuscania’s port, now high out of the water. When the men on the doomed ship recovered from their surprise a this unexpected and skillful maneuvering of the British commander, there was another scramble to reach the elevated port side, some of the men sliding down the incline by the aid of ropes and others on their hands and knees. All the time this rescue work was progressing, cool heads were getting the lifeboats afloat. Despite the many difficulties, the crew behaved well and the coolness of the American soldiers was the subject of commendation in affidavits by the boat’s officers. G. K. LYNAS, second officer of the Tuscania, explained that owing to the ship’s heavy roll and the consequent entanglements of the falls, it was necessary to cut away some of the ropes to the lifeboats. He said. “During all this time the soldiers behaved splendidly and with perfect discipline.”60
>From History of Fresno-Madera Counties, 1933
ELMER L. LORD
Elmer Leamon LORD, president and manager of the Fisher-Glassford Hardware company, and president of the Fresno Merchants association, was born in Mariposa county, California, on April 8,1894, the son of Joseph and Clara (LATCHAW) LORD. His parents were also both born in Mariposa county, and his father, who is now retired and living in Fresno, was formerly in the cattle business.
Elmer Leamon LORD received his education in the public schools of Mariposa County and at Heald’s Business College.
He joined the firm of Fisher-Glassford in 1911 as stenographer and bookkeeper and continued until 1915, when Mr. LORD, Frank SMITH and A. M. BOPP purchased the business of Fisher-Glassford and Mr. LORD became president of the company.
The business of Fisher-Glassford, which is one of the oldest and largest hardware and crockery house in Fresno, was established in 1903, and was originally located on
Fulton Street and subsequently moved back to Fulton street. The store was moved to its
present location at the corner of Fulton and Merced in June 1932.
During the World war Mr. LORD served in the 158th Aero squadron of the United States Army, and spent seven months in England, and about the same length of time in France. He was aboard the S. S. Tuscania when it was torpedoed, with a loss of three hundred lives.
He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Sciots and the Elks Lodge.
Mr. Lord was married on June 8, 1919, to Sena Jensen, and they are the parents of
four children: Melvin E., Donald E., Levern I., and Betty Jo Dell Lord.
Mariposa Gazette, August 8, 1985
Pioneer family's grandson dies
Elmer L. Lord, 91, grandson of Sam and Ann Lord, and son of Joe and Clara Lord, died in Fresno, July 30.
Elmer was born on the Lord family ranch at Hornitos and lived there until he moved to Fresno to continue his education in 1915. He attended Healds Business College in Fresno, but spent as much time as possible at the ranch with "Uncle Will." He even raised a few head of cattle and had his own brand.
Elmer served with 158th Aero Squadron during World War I in England.
He returned to Fresno and married Sena Jensen. He became part owner, and president of Fisher Glassford Hardware until the store closed in 1957. He loved to hunt and fish, and most summers were spent at the Huntington Lake cabin. He is survived by his wife of 66 years; sons Melvin and Donald, and daughter Jodell Ryan all of Fresno; nine grandchildren, and four great- grandchildren.
Funeral was held in Fresno on August 2.
LORD, Elmer Enlists December 1, 1917 Mariposa Gazette: Elmer LORD of Hornitos has donned the uniform of Uncle Sam's soldiers.
Elmer Lord Torpedoed February 16, 1918 Mariposa Gazette:
Elmer LORD who was on the transport loaded with U. S. troops destroyed by Germany is reported safe. Private LORD is a Hornitos raised boy.60
Tuscania Sinking February 16, 1918 Mariposa Gazette Date:
YANKEE BODIES FROM TORPEDOED TROOPSHIP ARE WASHED ASHORE ON COAST OF IRELAND
British Destroyers Rush to Scene of Disaster and Pick Up Survivors; Engineer of Tuscania Saved Many Lives By Stopping the Ship After Blow Had Been Struck; Refugees Leave for England; It is Feared That Many of Those Rescued Will Die.
London-At noon February 7 the number of missing from the Tuscania was 101, according to unofficial reports. A majority of these were members of the crew. The Tuscania carried a total of 2,397. The saved number 2,296, as follows:
Troops ********* 2106
Crew ********** 190
Total Lost ****** 101
Among the American survivors are seventy-six officers. There are eighty-one Americans troops in hospital. The bodies of forty-four of the missing 101 victims of the Tuscania disaster were washed up February 7 on the rocks fifteen miles from the scene of the torpedoing. All where Americans, and their bodies were mutilated beyond recognition. A pathetic feature is that, although all the victims wore tags, no identification numbers had been put on them, because these Americans had not as yet been assigned to definite army units. Therefore, there is no way to identify them and they will be buried in one grave. An Irish Port-A mass of swirling wreckage on the calm neck of the sea along the Irish coast marks the grave of the Tuscania, the first American troopship sunk by a German submarine. Two groups left February 7 clad in misfit clothing for Belfast by rail, and thence by boat to England. The survivors are agreed that no one saw the wake of foam as the torpedo came towards the vessel.
It was a black night and no alarm came from any one of the fifteen lookouts. The torpedo struck the Tuscania a vital blow amidships, in the boiler room, and there was a muffled crash, which told everyone what had happened. The possibility of being torpedoed was discussed almost daily since the vessel left American shores. Several hundred young lumber jacks from the Southwest and Pacific Coast States were eating their evening meal at the time the disaster occurred. Hundreds of other American troops were waiting for theirs when the general alarm sounded. False alarms had been sounded for boat drill every day of the trip, but all knew that this one was genuine. Officers shouted instructions to the men. Many of them husky youths, and , despite their brief military training, they displayed wonderful coolness as they marched to their boat stations. There was no running about, nothing resembling a panic. In a few isolated cases there were signs of nervousness on the part of some of the youngsters as the ship took a heavy tilt to starboard, and they slid to the railing, to which they clung for dear life. But that was all. Veteran British officers in the crew who had been torpedoed several times marveled at their coolness. Survivors do not agree as to whether the submarine emerged after torpedoing the steamer. Several of the ship’s officers said they saw the periscope and conning tower once. A tiny trawler, which remained with the Tuscania to the last, saw a small fire break out amidships as the vessel’s back appeared to break in two. With a hissing sound, she disappeared beneath the waves.
Most of the crew lost their lives were killed in the explosion in the boiler room. One of the survivors of the engine room force said the second engineer checked the speed of the vessel after the impact by throwing the engine levers over to “full.” This probably saved many lives, as otherwise the vessel would of plowed on, smashing the lifeboat davits, as happened in the case of the Lusitania. One of the remarkable escapes was that of a fireman who had walked to the upper deck to get a drink of water. He never saw his fellow fireman again. The first trawler load of survivors arrived in port four hours after the disaster, and the last, eight hours afterward. One trawler rescued the record number of 340, and all were American. The feat earned the warm praise of the British Commodore here. Many American officers and privates were rescued while swimming about in search of wreckage to which to cling. A few of these could not swim, but they had on their life belts, which they had kept close at hand throughout the voyage.
The townspeople were very generous in extending aid and sympathy to the Americans. Long before any survivors were brought in the townsfolk had thrown open their homes. The wife of the British Commodore commanding the port helped prepare a number of homes close to the water front for the reception of the Americans, some of whom were suffering from pneumonia, bruises, exposure and the mumps. The first thing the townspeople did the following morning was to serenaded the Americans with a brass band and to organize a parade to the town hall, where there was a special display of American made motion pictures. The first train here today carried Captain Edgar Wells, assisted military attaché of the American Embassy at London, and Captain R. Stuart SMITH, deputy-commissioner in Great Britain for the American Red Cross. They visited the American survivors in the infirmary and seventy two Americans in the military hospital and the county infirmary.
Little hope was expressed here that any additional survivors would be found. A British destroyer and several trawlers cruised in the vicinity of the disaster last night. The search, however, will be continued as long as there is any hope of finding other survivors. Most of the Americans were lost through the Tuscania’s sudden heavy list after being torpedoed, which caused faulty launching of the lifeboats. The German torpedo struck the Tuscania a vital blow amidships, causing her to list almost immediately to starboard. Instead of ploughing forward in this fashion, as most vessels do under the circumstances, the Tuscania stopped dead. A shiver ran through her and she heeled over at a dangerous angle. The list to starboard so elevated the life boats on the port side as to render them practically useless and only a few of the boats on that side were launched. The first of these struck the water unevenly, capsizing and throwing the occupants into the sea. After that several boats were launched successfully, but the vessel’s list became more perilous and some of the men who were trying to get into the boats from the starboard side no climbed along the deck to the rail, to which they clung. Many by this time had donned lifebelts and jumped overboard. Hundreds of others were preparing to follow this example when a British destroyer boldly drew up right along side the Tuscania. When the men saw this many of them leaped from the boat and salon decks to that of the waiting destroyer. This destroyer took off several hundred men, all she could carry, and moved away. She had come up along the starboard side of the Tuscania. As she steamed away with her deck loaded down with Americans, another destroyer emerged out of the darkness on the Tuscania’s port, now high out of the water. When the men on the doomed ship recovered from their surprise a this unexpected and skillful maneuvering of the British commander, there was another scramble to reach the elevated port side, some of the men sliding down the incline by the aid of ropes and others on their hands and knees. All the time this rescue work was progressing, cool heads were getting the lifeboats afloat. Despite the many difficulties, the crew behaved well and the coolness of the American soldiers was the subject of commendation in affidavits by the boat’s officers. G. K. LYNAS, second officer of the Tuscania, explained that owing to the ship’s heavy roll and the consequent entanglements of the falls, it was necessary to cut away some of the ropes to the lifeboats. He said. “During all this time the soldiers behaved splendidly and with perfect discipline.”60
>From History of Fresno-Madera Counties, 1933
ELMER L. LORD
Elmer Leamon LORD, president and manager of the Fisher-Glassford Hardware company, and president of the Fresno Merchants association, was born in Mariposa county, California, on April 8,1894, the son of Joseph and Clara (LATCHAW) LORD. His parents were also both born in Mariposa county, and his father, who is now retired and living in Fresno, was formerly in the cattle business.
Elmer Leamon LORD received his education in the public schools of Mariposa County and at Heald’s Business College.
He joined the firm of Fisher-Glassford in 1911 as stenographer and bookkeeper and continued until 1915, when Mr. LORD, Frank SMITH and A. M. BOPP purchased the business of Fisher-Glassford and Mr. LORD became president of the company.
The business of Fisher-Glassford, which is one of the oldest and largest hardware and crockery house in Fresno, was established in 1903, and was originally located on
Fulton Street and subsequently moved back to Fulton street. The store was moved to its
present location at the corner of Fulton and Merced in June 1932.
During the World war Mr. LORD served in the 158th Aero squadron of the United States Army, and spent seven months in England, and about the same length of time in France. He was aboard the S. S. Tuscania when it was torpedoed, with a loss of three hundred lives.
He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Sciots and the Elks Lodge.
Mr. Lord was married on June 8, 1919, to Sena Jensen, and they are the parents of
four children: Melvin E., Donald E., Levern I., and Betty Jo Dell Lord.
Mariposa Gazette, August 8, 1985
Pioneer family's grandson dies
Elmer L. Lord, 91, grandson of Sam and Ann Lord, and son of Joe and Clara Lord, died in Fresno, July 30.
Elmer was born on the Lord family ranch at Hornitos and lived there until he moved to Fresno to continue his education in 1915. He attended Healds Business College in Fresno, but spent as much time as possible at the ranch with "Uncle Will." He even raised a few head of cattle and had his own brand.
Elmer served with 158th Aero Squadron during World War I in England.
He returned to Fresno and married Sena Jensen. He became part owner, and president of Fisher Glassford Hardware until the store closed in 1957. He loved to hunt and fish, and most summers were spent at the Huntington Lake cabin. He is survived by his wife of 66 years; sons Melvin and Donald, and daughter Jodell Ryan all of Fresno; nine grandchildren, and four great- grandchildren.
Funeral was held in Fresno on August 2.
