Elizabeth Garver Jordan

Elizabeth Garver Jordan (1865–1947) worked as a journalist, joining the staff of the New York World in 1890. She was dispatched to New Bedford, Massachusetts to cover the Lizzie Borden trial in 1893. Jordan rose to the position of assistant Sunday editor and became known for her column “True Stories of the News,” which chronicled everyday life across the city. In 1898, she published her first collection of fictional stories; titled Tales of the City Room; the stories were adapted from the news and featured women reporters as protagonists. In 1900, Jordan was appointed as editor of Harper’s Bazar (as the magazine’s title was rendered until 1929). She published collections of stories and novels, including Tales of the Cloister (1901), Tales of Destiny (1902), May Iverson—Her Book (1904), May Iverson Tackles Life (1912), and May Iverson’s Career (1914). Jordan also worked as a literary advisor for publisher Harper & Brothers. Throughout her life, Jordan continued to write novels, including several adapted for film. In 1938, she published a memoir, Three Rousing Cheers. She died on February 24, 1947, in New York City.