William Knight Boardman (1852-1910)

BOARDMAN

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/9/2016 at 18:32:31

From The Egg Reporter, Waterloo, Iowa, January 20, 1911

W. K. BOARDMAN DEAD.

MUCH BELOVED MAN, UNTIL RECENTLY PROMINENT IN BUTTER AND EGG CIRCLES, PASSES AWAY AT LOS ANGELES THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS--BURIAL AT NEVADA, IOWA FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR.

A great army of friends will sincerely mourn the loss of W. K. Boardman, who died at Los Angeles, Cal., December 26th.

Mr. Boardman had bee ailing for a number of years--in fact, so much so that he had bee deprived of active participation in business life--but it was not known that he was seriously ill.

Mr. Boardman, Mrs. Boardman and their daughter Lois had gone to California to spend the winter. Mr. Boardman ahd been in his usual health but became a bit indisposed and a slight stoke of apoplexy brought on the hasty end. Short funeral services were held in Los Angeles and burial was a Nevada, Iowa, January 1st.

William Knight Boardman was born at Troy, Vt., June 22, 1852, making him 58 years and six months of age a the time of his death. When but a small lad his parents moved west and settled at Lyons, in Clinton county, Iowa, but much of the early part of his life was spent with relatives in the east, and he received his education at an academy in Franklin, Mass. He was married in 1887 to Miss Addie Henningsen, who, with his son, Frank M. and daughter, Lois survive him.

Shortly after his marriage Mr. and Mrs. Boardman moved to Nevada, the former engaging in the clothing business. Ralph Meade came to Nevada and started a produce business, he and his wife making their home with the Boardmans. Mr. Meade died suddenly and in the reorganization of the business that took place Homer C. Boardman came to Nevada and the firm of Boardman Brothers took over the poultry business and conducted it for nearly 25 years, during which time they were recognized as among the very heaviest dealers in eggs, butter and poultry in that part of the country. They not only operated a plant at Nevada but for many years had creameries and produce houses in numerous other towns in central and northern Iowa. Still later they invested heavily in a strawboard filler manufacturing plant at Tama and also in Iowa land.

During the administration of Governors Jackson and Drake, W. K. Boardman served as state dairy commissioner with great credit to himself and to the state. He declined re-appointment when Governor Shaw took charge, deciding that his private business demanded more of his attention. In this connection it should be said that, besides many other things, W. K. Boardman should have credit for placing on the statute books of Iowa the law which prohibits oleo having a yellow color, no matter what means caused, from being sold in Iowa.

A little later he served several years as a trustee of the Iowa State College.

Mr. Boardman was also active in affairs of interest to the dairy, egg and poultry business of the state, and was a man of vigorous business activities with a special interest in public affairs, he being known widely as one of the strong men of Iowa.

During May 1902 Mr. Boardman suffered a paralytic stroke and for weeks his life was despaired of. He rallied later, however, and for the greater part of the time since has been able to get about in a wheel chair. Shortly after this affliction came upon him the Boardman business passed into other hands that he might be relieved of business cares.

In the death of W. K. Boardman his home town loses a most beloved citizen, the dairy and poultry interest lose a most valuable and resourceful man and the state loses a great citizen.