Jerome Bock

As printed in 1905

JEROME BOCK.

To render complete this account of the business interests of Burlington, Iowa, and of Des Moines county, it is necessary to make extended mention of Jerome Bock, who ranks as one of the oldest nurserymen in the city, as well as one of the best known. Mr. Bock was born April 21, 1822, at Glatz, Prussia, a son of Joseph and Johanna (Zenka) Bock. The family had long been residents of that city, and were celebrated for their hardy physical constitution and longevity, the grandfather, Valentine Bock, having attained the age of ninety-two years, while his wife, who was killed by accident, was eighty-one years old at the time of her death. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Frederic Zenka, who was by trade a shoemaker, died at the age of eighty-four years. Joseph, father of Jerome Bock, was gardener to a nobleman at Glatz, and served in the war of the Allies against Napoleon, being with Blucher at Waterloo, and thus contributing to the final defeat of the emperor of the French. He attained to the age of seventy-nine years, and the mother of Jerome Bock was more than ninety years of age at her decease.

Mr. Bock learned the trade of gardener under the direction of a nobleman's gardener in his native land, and at the age of twenty-two years went to England to take a position in the Royal Botanic Gardens. He was in London during the time of the great World's Fair, which was one of the first of the series of gigantic expositions of modern times, and remained at the Royal Gardens for seven years, thus gaining much valuable experience. He then, with two brothers, Joseph and William, crossed the Atlantic Ocean to become gardener to a gentleman at Montreal; but not being pleased with conditions in Canada, he went to Boston in 185 1, and was there connected with the nursery business for a period of five years. In 1856 he traveled over Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois in search of a location, but being best pleased with Iowa when he came to this State in the latter part of that year, he located in Burlington, forming a partnership here with Keally Brothers in the nursery business, and the firm continued under the style of Neally Brothers & Bock for twelve years. This was the largest nursery firm in southeastern Iowa, and established the first commercial greenhouse in Burlington.

On the termination of the partnership, Mr. Bock purchased a tract of forty acres on South Madison Street, where, at No. 2600, stands his residence, a pleasant home, surrounded by the ornamental triumphs of the gardener's art. While in Boston he wedded Miss Susan Hill, daughter of John Hill, of Boston, and to them were born in Burlington two sons and two daughters, as follows: William, now a locomotive engineer; Helen, wife of Simon Chapman; Agnes, wife of Elmer Sykes; and Walter, who died when a promising young man of eighteen years. Mrs. Bock is also now

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

In addition to his business Mr. Bock has always borne his share of the burden in matters of public interest, and in his political alliance was first a member of the Democratic party, voting while in Boston for Franklin Pierce for president of the United States: but since that time has been a Republican, having been converted to that view by careful consideration of existing problems. He has been a constant student and reader, acquiring wide general information, and as one who appreciates his higher duties, is a supporter and member of the Congregational church, as was also his deceased wife. He has acquired a complete mastery of conversational English, and is an entertaining talker, always speaking with ability and with a breadth of view which reveals the powers of his mind. To almost all the people of Burlington ht is well known, and the purity of his private life and integrity of his business career have endeared him to all. and won him that respect which is one of the most precious rewards of an upright life.

As printed in Biographical review of Des Moines County, Iowa (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.