Edward Otho Cresap Ord II (November 9, 1858 – April 4, 1923) was an American military officer, artist, writer, and inventor. He was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

who served with the 22nd Infantry Regiment during the

Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, was a conflict initially fought by European colonial empires, the United States, and briefly the Confederate States of America and Republic of Texas agains ...

, the

Spanish–American War The Spanish–American War (April 21 – August 13, 1898) was fought between Restoration (Spain), Spain and the United States in 1898. It began with the sinking of the USS Maine (1889), USS ''Maine'' in Havana Harbor in Cuba, and resulted in the ...

and the

Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War, known alternatively as the Philippine Insurrection, Filipino–American War, or Tagalog Insurgency, emerged following the conclusion of the Spanish–American War in December 1898 when the United States annexed th ...

. He helped direct relief work after the

1906 San Francisco earthquake At 05:12 AM Pacific Time Zone, Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, the coast of Northern California was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated Moment magnitude scale, moment magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli inte ...

. He was a military instructor, an expert

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...

and spent time in

painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...

and writing

poetry Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

. He was also an

inventor An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

who patented a new type of

gold pan Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

and different types of rifle and handgun sights.

Early life

Ord was the eldest male of 15 children (13 lived past childhood) and was born at

Benicia Barracks The Benicia Arsenal (1851–1964) and Benicia Barracks (1852–66) were part of a large military reservation located next to Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. For over 100 years, the arsenal was the primary US Army Ordnance facility for the W ...

, California, on November 9, 1858. His father, Edward Otho Cresap Ord, married Mary Mercer Thompson on October 14, 1854. The senior Ord was a career military officer who was a hero in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and had served as a major general of Volunteers. After the war, he reverted to brigadier general in the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

. Call number 90A469 in four series. Series 1 deal with correspondence 1840 to 1963.
See also: * }
Patent info on sights and gold pan.

Christies 2002 sale of Ord's 'Gold Rush California and the Southwest.'
/ref> General Edward O C Ord and His Family

On August 2, 1870, the family was in San Francisco, California with seven children. Edward, the eldest son, lived with servants and was taught by tutors and in public schools. His life in the west was one of which his father was a senior military officer, a decorated Civil War hero and he was "his father's son." His life was privileged compared to others. As he grew up he watched both military officers and men show respect and courtesy to his parents. Later young Edward attended the public school in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

. He was appointed to the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...

in 1876, but withdrew after his second year. In 1879 he was appointed second lieutenant in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army. By June 1880 Ord's parents were in

San Antonio San Antonio ( ; Spanish for " Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the third-largest metropolitan area in Texas and the 24th-largest metropolitan area in the ...

, Bexar County, Texas. His father was the Commanding General of the Department of Texas. Ord's father retired from the Army on December 6, 1880 after serving 41 years. General Ord began a second career building the Mexican Southern Railroad from Texas to Mexico City. His family stayed in San Antonio. In 1880, young Edward was stationed at Fort McKavett, Menard, Texas. He married Mary Frances Norton on November 10, 1879 in Bexar County. She was the daughter of Charles Gilman and Frances (Brown) Norton. They had the following children: * Edward Ord, born September 1880 in Bexar County, Texas. * Harry Ord, born October 1881 in Bexar County, Texas. * James Garesche "Garry" Ord, born October 1886 in Colorado. * Ellen F. "Nellie" Ord, born October 1889 in Benicia Barracks, Solano, California. * Mary N. Ord, born October 1895 in Arkansas. In July 1883, his father died in

Havana, Cuba Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.yellow fever while en route from

Vera Cruz, Mexico Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Young Edward was given leave for his father’s funeral at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

which was attended by many politicians and Army personnel. His brother, Jules Garesche "Gary", was a

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a se ...

who was killed in action after leading the charge of Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th U.S. Cavalry up San Juan Hill. History now records that "Gary" Ord was responsible for the "spontaneous" charge that took the San Juan Heights during the

in Cuba on July 1, 1898.

First military career

Indian Wars

Second Lieutenant Ord of the 22nd Infantry served in the Indian campaigns in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

in 1880, and later commanded the Seminole Indian scouts in 1882 to about 1890. Since 1870, the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

invited

Black Seminoles The Black Seminoles, or Afro-Seminoles, are an ethnic group of mixed Native Americans in the United States, Native American and African American, African origin associated with the Seminole people in Florida and Oklahoma. They are mostly blood de ...

to return from

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

to serve as army scouts for the United States. The Seminole Negro Indian Scouts (originally a black unit despite the name) played a lead role in the Texas Indian Wars of the 1870s. The scouts became famous for their tracking abilities and feats of endurance. Four men were awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

. They served as advance scouts for the commanding white officers and the all-black units known as the Buffalo Soldiers, with whom they were closely associated. After the close of the Texas Indian Wars, the scouts remained stationed at Fort Clark in

Brackettville, Texas Brackettville is a city in Kinney County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,341 at the 2020 census, down from 1,688 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Kinney County. History Founded in 1852 as "Las Moras" (the name of a ne ...

Ord participated in the feared revolt of the

Ghost Dance The Ghost Dance (, also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) is a ceremony incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the millenarian teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), pro ...

rs supposedly led by

Sitting Bull Sitting Bull ( ; December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota people, Lakota leader who led his people during years of resistance against Federal government of the United States, United States government policies. Sitting Bull was killed by Indian ...

in mid-December 1891 and took part in patrols in

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

trying to keep the peace through the end of 1892. This was during the time when Sitting Bull was killed.

Spanish–American War

Lieutenant Ord fought at

Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

during the

with the 22nd Infantry Regiment from July 3 to July 17, 1898. There he was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

. After the war, Captain Ord remained in Cuba for nine months as interpreter on the staff of General

Henry Lawton Henry Ware Lawton (March 17, 1843 – December 19, 1899) was a U.S. Army officer who served with distinction in the American Civil War, Civil War, the Apache Wars, and the Spanish–American War. He received the Medal of Honor for heroism during ...

. There he suffered from a mild case of yellow fever.

Philippine–American War

In late 1900 or early 1901, Captain Ord was sent to the Philippines from Benicia Barracks when the

broke out. He participated in battle at San Isidro then other battles during the

Moro Rebellion The Moro Rebellion (1902–1913) was an armed conflict between the Moro people and the United States military during the Philippine–American War. The rebellion occurred after the conclusion of the conflict between the United States and Fir ...

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...

and Jolo. Ord, like his father would continue to suffer from yellow fever and its

second phase The second (symbol: s) is a unit of time derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes, and finally to 60 seconds each (24 × 60 × 60 = 86400). The current and formal definition in the International System of Un ...

. Unlike his father, he would live but require a long sabbatical from military service. He was forced to retire on October 10, 1903 due to the physical disabilities of yellow fever contracted in Cuba.

Post military

On April 18, 1906, just after the

San Francisco earthquake At 05:12 AM Pacific Standard Time on Wednesday, April 18, 1906, the coast of Northern California was struck by a major earthquake with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XI (''Extreme''). High-intensit ...

Ord was appointed a Special Police Officer by Mayor

Eugene Schmitz Eugene Edward Schmitz (August 22, 1864 – November 20, 1928), often referenced as "Handsome Gene" Schmitz, was an American musician, musical director, and politician. He served as the 26th mayor of San Francisco from 1902 to 1907, in office dur ...

and liaisoned with Major General

Adolphus Greely Adolphus Washington Greely (March 27, 1844 – October 20, 1935) was a United States Army officer and polar explorer. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. A native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, ...

for relief work. He wrote a long letter to his mother on the 20th regarding Schmitz' "Shoot-to-Kill" Order and some "despicable" behavior of certain soldiers of his former 22nd Regiment from the Presidio who were looting. In 1908, he was the military instructor at St. Matthew's school in

San Mateo, California San Mateo ( ) is the most populous city in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It is part of the San Francisco Bay Area metropolitan region, and is located about south of San Francisco. San Mateo border ...

, and later at the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...

. During this time period he continued his correspondence with Mexican general and politician

Jerónimo Treviño José Jerónimo de los Dolores Treviño y Leal (1835 – 1914), commonly known as Jerónimo Treviño was a prominent Mexican General and politician. He was a veteran of the Reform War and the Second French intervention in Mexico which he gained ...

, mostly about the health of Trevino's son Jerónimo Treviño y Ord, his nephew, but also discussing aspects of the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

until his friend's death in 1914. Call number 90A469 in four series. Series 1 deal with correspondence 1840 to 1963. SERIES: 5. E.O.C. Ord II: Patents and Printed Materials.

Second military career

In 1915, Ord was a military aide on the staff of the governor of Arizona. He was also a liaison with Army unit that included his former regiment. He saw service on the Mexican border due to the rise of tension along the border following the Battle of Agua Prieta. This was where

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa ( , , ; born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula; 5 June 1878 – 20 July 1923) was a Mexican revolutionary and prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution. He was a key figure in the revolutionary movement that forced ...

sustained his greatest defeat and his units were disorganized and wandered around northern

foraging for supplies. Desperate for food and fresh horses, Pancho Villa camped his army of an estimated 500 horsemen outside of

Columbus, New Mexico Columbus is an incorporated village in Luna County, New Mexico, United States, about north of the Mexican border. It is considered a place of historical interest, as the scene of a 1916 attack by Mexican general Francisco "Pancho" Villa that ...

on the Mexican side of the border in March 1916. On March 9, 1916, he invaded the United States for supplies and arms which resulted in the Battle of Columbus. Ord had been given the rank of Major and served Arizona well in organizing and arming militia units. No major raids across the border took place in Arizona. As the result of his Arizona service, on June 3, 1916, Ord was advanced to the grade of major on the Army retired list. In early 1917, he returned to full active duty, serving at

Big Bend, Texas The Big Bend is part of the Trans-Pecos region in southwestern Texas, United States along the border with Mexico, north of the prominent bend in the Rio Grande for which the region is named. Here the Rio Grande passes between the Chisos Moun ...

;

Fort Sill, Oklahoma Fort Sill is a United States Army post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of Oklahoma City. It covers almost . The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historic Landmark an ...

; and

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal Plain, Gulf Coastal and Piedmont (United States), Piedm ...

. In December 1918, because of complications of his yellow fever sustained in Cuba, he retired from the Army due to ill health.

Later life

In 1920, Ord was residing in

Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...

, Alameda County, California. Ord was listed as an expert

and possessed exceptional artistic ability, devoting much of his leisure time to producing landscape & seascape paintings. AskArt.com cites the following; * Hughes, Edan, ''Artists in California, 1786–1940'' * Dawdy, Doris, ''Artists of the American West'' * Hastings, Peter, editor, ''Who is who in American Art, 1564–1975'', 1999. and to writing poetry. Ord was also an inventor who patented a new type of gold pan and different weapon sights. He was a co-owner of several mines in Arizona, California, Mexico and Utah. Papers pertaining to the inventions of E.O.C. Ord II are in the special collections section of the

Bancroft Library The Bancroft Library is the primary special-collections library of the University of California, Berkeley. It was acquired from its founder, Hubert Howe Bancroft, in 1905, with the proviso that it retain the name Bancroft Library in perpetuity. ...

at the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after t ...

. These include Ord's patents, original drawings and diagrams, advertising material and instructions on use of the "Gold-Pan-Batea", an improved Gold Pan which recycled water. This led to the formation of the California Gold Pan Company and later of the Household Utilities Manufacturing Company. Papers include correspondence and business papers of mine holdings and interests in and around California, Arizona, Utah and Mexico. There are also three diaries; 1) One by William Ord in 1869 of surveying and prospecting in California and Nevada. 2) Two by E.O.C. Ord II, from a prospecting trip to

Inyo County, California Inyo County () is a County (United States), county in the Eastern California, eastern central part of the U.S. state of California, located between the Sierra Nevada and the state of Nevada. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the po ...

in 1908–1909 and in 1910 to Zero Mine in Arizona. This collection also includes a sketch of Bradshaw Fissure drawn by Ord. Collection Number: BANC MSS 2002/92 z (cz). Gold pans and related accoutrement transferred to the Historical Objects collections of The Bancroft Library (BANC PIC 2002.131--OBJ) Ord was a

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

by religion. He died at

Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California Eagle Rock is a neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles, abutting the San Rafael Hills in Los Angeles County, California. The community is named after Eagle Rock, a large boulder whose shadow resembles an eagle.http://www.eaglerockcouncil.org/i ...

on April 4, 1923.