The following is by Gavin Kent McClung, from his article, "A SALUTE TO OUR HERITAGE: What Makes A True Astrologer?" Dell Horoscope, June, 2000, pp. 66-77. (Portions reprinted with permission of the editor.)
"L. EDWARD JOHNDRO was a brilliant engineer, mathematician, and Canadian astrologer who independently co-discovered (with Charles Jayne) the Vertex--a measurement that uses the intersecting points of the two great circles of astronomy and astrology called the Prime Vertical and the Ecliptic or Zodiac.
"Johndro termed this position the "Electrical Ascendant." This was in keeping with his view of astrology when he developed an entire electrical-field theory that he felt was the most scientific basis for astrology, though the vivid literary effect of this language is not lost on many readers of Johndro's work. His own Electrical Ascendant is in Gemini and the occult eighth house.
"His overall theory of astrology attaches significant influences to various latitudes, as presented in The Stars: How And Where They Influence. Johndro advanced new ideas in A New Conception Of Sign Rulerships, and in The Earth In The Heavens he established a basis for locational astrology, which also allowed precise examination of event timing even without a known birthtime.
"He did advanced and well-paid work on stock-market relationships, which was not published during his lifetime, but which has gained a general assessment of Johndro as perhaps America's finest technical astrologer.
"In honor of Lorne Edward Johndro, Charles Jayne and Michael Erlewine established the Johndro Award for technical achievement. Johndro's chart has definite similarities to that of Charles Jayne in terms of its strong integration and the many esoteric aspects. Jayne himself evinced great admiration for the work of the elder Johndro, and surely these are two of the shining lights of inspired technical work in any century."
The Mountain Astrologer's June/July, 2001, issue carries a lengthy exposition and demonstration of Johndro's work by Bill Meridian, author of Planetary Stock Trading. Highly readable, it is too meaty to sumarize here, but you can order back issues from TMA.
One important piece of information is that Johndro and his partner, Kenneth Brown, did all of the astrological stock market work for W.D. Gann, the legendary stock and commodity trader. He adds that Johndro was a master of rectification techniques and that he used both direct and converse solar arcs. (Bill's website is at billmeridian.com.)
BIRTH AND DEATH DATA: AstroDatabank gives the following information, rated A, from one of his books and confirmed by him to LeGros. He was born January 30, 1882, at 12:30 AM LMT in Franklin Center, Canada, 67W54; 49N19. (Bill Meridian notes that this was the same date and year as President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whom Johndro detested.)
From http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/
He died on November 11, 1951. LeGros quotes him in AFA 12/1963. Church of Light file c.'62 has 1:00 AM, the same time that he gave in his book. (Coordinates are from Bill Meridian, 45 N.02, 73 W.55: MC 14 Leo 21. Canadian astrologer Rab Wilkie writes, "The coordinates for Franklin Center, Quebec, -- just south of Montreal -- are correct as given by Meridian. The ones given by Steinbrecher (49 N.19, 67 W.54) are for Franquelin, Quebec, an unlikely birthplace for an 1882 Johndro, way down river near Baie Comeau. A very French region.") In 2004, Michael Munkasey writes "I stopped by the AFA headquarters on my way through Phoenix last week, and had a chance to use their library, where I verified that the chart which I had remembered for "L. Edward Johndro" in the front of his book (The Earth in the Heavens ??) had a different set of data than what is in AstroDataBank.The front's page of the book only shows the chart itself, not any written data, but here is what I gleaned from the chart and its planetary positions. Hope this helps some: L. Edward Johndro,30 Jan 1882 00:58:54 AM LMT, Franklin Centre, Canada, 45 N 02 73 W 55"
See Charts for Johndro and Roosevelt
BOOKS BY JOHNDRO: AstroAmerica carries several of Johndro's books. They include:
The Stars: How and Where they Influence
The Astrological Dictionary
Earth in the Heavens: Ruling Degrees of Cities
A New Conception of Sign RulershipIn his article, Bill Meridian notes that Earth in the Heavens and The Stars: How and Where they Influence are available from Sun Press, P.O. Box 5588, Santa Fe, NM, 87502.
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CREDITS: Biographical information for this memorial came from AstroDatabank, The Encyclopedia of Astrology, Gavin McClung, and Bill Meridian. The background is part of a vast collection at ABC Giant. Most book covers on this site are courtesy of AstroAmerica or the publishers. The glyph is one of a set by Ancitita. The globe was by Cadillac Graphics. This memorial was created by Donna Cunningham.
