746
HISTORY OF KANE COUNTY.
still living. Chester W. Bolcum acquired his education in Oneida County, N. Y., and has earned his own way since the age of seven years, working for his board, clothes and schooling until he was thirteen years old, when he started lumber-jobbing, and very soon had from ten to thirty men under his charge. When he reached the age of twenty-one he came to Piano, Ill., and, entering the employ of Lewis Steward, soon became foreman and general manager of his extensive mills and factories. This position he held for about eight years, when he rented a farm about half a mile from the present site of Wasco and engaged in extensive dairying operations, at the same time operating several rented places. In 1887 he bought a farm one mile north of Wasco. and the adjoining farm in 1901, all comprising 232 acres. He has sold his dairy interests, and now devotes his attention to dealing in live stock. Several times a year he makes extensive trips into Iowa and Wisconsin, where he purchases cattle. Mr. Bolcum was married, Feb. 19, 1879, to Miss Cassie Buckley, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Hartman) Buckley, and they have had eight daughters and two sons-one daughter dying in, infancy. Mr. Bolcum is a Republican, and has served as a member of the School Board for about eighteen years, and has been Commissioner of Highways for many years. For five years he has been commander of the local lodge Knights of Maccabees, and helped organize the Great Camp at Chicago. In the conventions of the order at Peoria and Springfield he was a prominent figure. He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 48, A. F. & A. M., at St. Charles, one of the oldest lodges in Illinois.
CHARLES BOLZ, merchant, Dundee, Ill., was born in Dundee Township, Kane County, Oct. 19, 1867, son of Michael and Christina (Sorn) Bolz, grew to manhood on his father's farm, and received his education in the local schools. He was engaged in farming until the spring of 1902, when, in company with his younger brother, August, he bought out the firm of B. M. Garrison & Co., and engaged in the sale of agricultural implements in Dundee. This business they have since continued on an extensive scale under the firm na,me of Bolz Brothers, and have a trade which extends over a good part of three counties. He served as a member of the Dundee Township School Board for twelve
years. He is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, and for six years was a correspondent of the Agricultural Department at Washington, making out regular reports as to the condition of crops in Kane County.
GAIL BORDEN (deceased) was born at Norwich, N. Y., in 1801, and reared in Ohio and Indiana, received a good education, and in his early manhood taught school in Mississippi, where he was also a United States Deputy Surveyor; in 1829 went to Texas, where he engaged in farming and stock-raising; was appointed Superintendent of Official Surveys by General Austin, and compiled the first topographical map of the Texas colonies. He had charge of the land office at San Felipe, and published the only newspaper issued in Texas during the Revolution; was Collector of the Port of Galveston in 1837, and was afterward agent of the Galveston City Company for twelve years. Returning to the North, he located in Elgin, Ill., where he became famous as the pioneer manufacturer of condensed milk and other kinds of concentrated foods. He died Jan. 11, 1874. The Public Library of Elgin is named in his honor.
J. M. BORDEN, merchant, Dundee, III.; born at Cazenovia, N. Y., Nov. 8, 1838; came with his parents to Dundee in 1854; engaged in the coal and lumber trade in Dundee, and at the present time is a member of the firm of Borden, Westerman & Co.; is also interested in the wholesale cigar trade in Chicago, to which he devotes most of his attention.
FRANK S. BOSWORTH, dealer in lumber and coal, Elgin, Ill.; born at Boston, Erie County, N. Y., Dee. 17, 1S32; came west: with his grandparents in 1839; began his business career in 1843 as a clerk in his uncle's store at Dundee, with whom he became a business partner in 1852, which was continued until 18C6; came to Elgin in 1871 and has since been connected with business interests in that city.
ALFRED BOSWORTH, banker, Elgin, Ill., born April 1, 1846, at Dundee, Ill., son of I. C. and Mary (Root) Bosworth, received his education in the Dundee schools and from the old University of Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1866 and is now one of its Trus-
