Naperville Area Farm Families History

              ment, and at one time Capt. Boardman was in command of Old Fort Dearborn, which was later to become the city of Chicago.
It is not known what year Amos came to DuPage Township, but he spent his life farming, and his last years in the home of his son Franklin. Amos had eight children born of his marriage with Harriet Ames, one of whom is the above named Franklin Boardman.
Franklin was born in 1818, married Mindwell Bates in 1843, came west and landed in Chicago. He had $33 in money and bought a good farm in Wheatland Township, where he farmed throughout his life, as well as held several offices of public trust. Of his marriage four children were born: Maria, Emma, William Warren, and George Bates Boardman.
The latter of these four children, George Bates Boardman, married Mary Jane Clow, and to them seven children were born: Harry, Mary, Franklin Cornelius, Margaret, Helen Mindwell, Thomas and Robert.
These children and their descendants married settlers with familiar names such as McCumber, Clow, Royce, Jones, Thomas, Netzley, Scarritt, Ste¬ phens, Boughton, etc. The early Boardmans were farmers but some of the descendants have sought other fields of endeavor, and they are now scattered over nearly every State in the Union.
The third child, Franklin Cornelius Boardman married Elsie Hannah Royce in 1913, and to them six children were born: James, George, Alexander, John, Mary Isabelle, and Harry Stewart. With the exception of George who died in 1972, all of these children are living, carrying on the Boardman name, and were instrumental in compiling this geneology.
The Boardman family has always been known for their energy, ambition and industry. Thirteen have served in the military service, one gave his life, several have served their community politically, one was a noted Missionary to Burma, and one was a clergyman and author
The Boardman name is perpetuated by the nam¬ ing of the Boardman Cemetery in DuPage Town¬ ship after this eariy pioneer family.
Boecker Fuel & Grain
Three generations of Boeckers have operated the Boecker Coal (Fuel) and Grain Co. for 114 years at Fifth Avenue and Ellsworth Street.
On Nov 1, 1982, Leonard (Len) Boecker termi¬ nated his 65-year career in the family enterprise by selling his oil business to Will-DuPage Farmers' Services of Joliet. Len's grandfather B.B. Boecker Sr was operating a lumber and hay business when he purchased Musselman's Coal and Grain Co. The two tall grain elevators on the site were among the town's landmarks. By 1880 he had a grist mill, producing feed and adding another product to the business.
B.B. Boecker's son, Theodore (Tip), took over the business in 1907, and 10 years later, manage¬ ment of the company was assumed by Tip's two sons — Theodore Jr (Ted) and Len. They began to
John J. &
John J. Book was born on the Book farm on Book Road, the son of Johann Peter and Catherine Book, and attended Book School. He was an orga¬ nizer of the Naperville Farm Fire Protection District, a director of Granger School, a highway road Com¬ missioner of Naperville Township. John was very active in township affairs and helped chart Naper¬ ville's eariy days. Most of all he was a very success¬ ful farmer and cattle feeder Many loads of cattle were brought to the Book farm for fattening to be shipped to the Union Stock Yards in Chicago. His
sell oil as well as coal in 1922, and changed the firm's name to Boecker Fuel and Grain Co. Because coal is so expensive now, there is no longer any call for it, and the sale of it has been discontinued.
In 1964, Ted and Len built the Boecker office building on the corner of their property, at 190 E. Fifth Avenue. Five years ago, Len bought out Ted's interest in the business, and in 1979, the one re¬ maining elevator was removed from the property.
The fuel and grain business is a thing of the past now, but a fourth generation Boecker, Len's son, Peter, operates Lenny's DuPcige Asphalt Co. from the office building. Behind the office building, the old weighing station still stands — a memento of the century that the Boeckers served farmers, mer¬ chants, and townspeople with essential services.
Adrienne Book
main delight was raising big yields of corn. He started raising sweet clover as a plow under for fertilizer, to raise better corn. Mister Book always resented government subsidy payments, and through the years refused to take them. He always said "if 1 can't make it on my own, I'll quit" John's farm was one of the first in lighting the farm with electricity. John J. married Adrienne Rickert at the turn of the century. They were the parents of seven children: Glen, Vernon, Homer, Grace, John D., Allan, and Audrey. Mrs. Book was a member of the Home Bureau, and the Rural Life Progress Club.
-11